Living in East York
For many years East York has held the distinction of having the highest percentage of senior citizens in Metropolitan Toronto. These demographics are changing however as many young families are now moving into this neighbourhood. Home buyers are finding East York attractive because the houses are relatively affordable and the location offers quick and easy access to downtown Toronto.
History of East York
The Township of East York was incorporated on January 1, 1924. At that time East York was comprised mostly of market gardens, a handful of brick making yards and a race horse track that was located in the area bound by Oak Park, Lumsden, Chisholm and Danforth Avenues. In its early years, East York’s population consisted mostly of employees of the local market gardens and brick yards as well as returning World War One veterans and their families. East York’s largest period of growth took place between 1946 and 1961 when the housing supply nearly doubled in size. East York held the distinction of being Canada’s only Borough until 1998 when it was amalgamated into the City of Toronto. The fact that East York chose to remain a Borough for so long rather than incorporate as a city speaks volumes for the neighbourliness and small town friendliness that has been an East York trademark ever since its formation in 1924.
Homes in East York
The majority of East York’s housing stock was built in stages beginning in the 1890’s and continuing right up until the early 1960’s. With the houses having been built over such a wide period of time, a myriad of different housing styles is evident from one street to the next. East York is comprised of two storey or one-and-a half-storey detached and semi-detached houses, as well as an abundance of bungalows, and some newer custom designed homes. There are also a large number of high rise rental apartment buildings concentrated along Cosburn Avenue between Broadview and Donlands Avenues.
Lifestyle in East York
The majority of shopping in East York is located on the main north-south arterial roadways including Pape, Donlands, Greenwood, Coxwell, and Woodbine Avenues. At the south end of East York, Danforth Avenue provides shoppers with a colourful array of fruit markets, bakeries, coffee shops, clothing and accessory stores and Toronto’s best selection of Greek restaurants.
Recreation in East York
East York is brimming with both indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. The East York Tennis Club on Roosevelt Road has five tennis courts, Dentonia Park Tennis Club off Dawes road has four courts and East York Collegiate has four courts. The Dentonia Park Golf Course located off Victoria Park Avenue is a challenging eighteen hole public course with a moderately difficult rating. Stan Wadlow Park off Cosburn Avenue features five baseball diamonds and a batting cage. The excellent baseball facilities at this park helped produce the likes of Rich and Rob Butler, two native East Yorkers that went on to play major league baseball.
Stan Wadlow Park also contains, two outdoor swimming pools, a handball wall, and picnic areas. It also serves as an access point to Taylor Creek Park, part of a nine kilometre paved trail that is ideal for nature walks, jogging, and cycling. Adjacent to Stan Wadlow Park is the East York Memorial Arena which provides recreational and league hockey programs as well as public skating. Across the street from Stan Wadlow Park is the East York Curling Club. The Dieppe Park Sports Complex at Greenwood and Cosburn has an outdoor ice rink, sports fields and a baseball diamond.
The newly refurbished East York Community Centre at 1081 Pape Avenue has an indoor pool, a multi-purpose gymnasium, a weight room, and a small public library. The S. Walter Stewart Library at 170 Memorial Park Avenue features a large auditorium for storytelling and puppet shows. The Dawes Road Library at 416 Dawes Road also has children’s programming. The Secord Community Centre at 91 Barrington Avenue and the Terry Fox Community Centre at 2 Gledhill Avenue have gymnasiums as well as community meeting rooms. Enjoy winter fun at Dieppe Park (located at 455 Cosburn Ave.) woth a skate on the new rink and the skating path.
Transportation in East York
East York residents are conveniently located within a ten to fifteen minute drive of Toronto’s financial and entertainment districts. Bus service on O’Connor Drive and Pape, Donlands, Coxwell, Mortimer, Cosburn and Lumsden Avenues, provide passengers with a quick connection to subway stations on the Bloor-Danforth line.