Living in Old Oakville
Old Oakville is one of the prettiest and most charming towns in the Greater Toronto Area. Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario Old Oakville is known for its historic downtown shopping district, plethora of private schools and pretty residential streetscapes that are lined with heritage century homes designated with historic plaques. Old Oakville is a lakefront community with plenty of waterfront parks and promenades providing idyllic strolling and picnic areas with beautiful waterfront vistas.
Old Oakville doubles as the downtown core for the Town of Oakville. In addition to the plethora of shops and restaurants this is where you will find the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Town Square with it’s iconic clock tower on Lakeshore Road East, Erchless Estates (also known as the Oakville Museum), and the esteemed Appleby College boys private school. Old Oakville has long been a preferred destination for corportate executives and their families who value the excellent schools, the charm of this neighbourhood and the convenience of being located so close to Mississauga and Toronto where many international companies have offices.
History of Old Oakville
Oakville’s founding father is a man by the name of William Chisolm. Following the Mississauga Purchase of 1805 between the First Nations Mississauga and the British Crown, loyalist William Chisolm would purchase 960 Acres of land from the Crown for $4116. Chisholm had a vision to harvest timber from the vast oak forest that proliferated on his estate and to then turn this lumber into seaworthy ships for the British empire. In order to turn this vision into reality Chisolm first had to set up saw and grist mills along the banks of 16 Mile Creek. Next he had to establish a working harbour at the mouth of the creek where it meets up with Lake Ontario. Once the infrastructure was in place for a flourishing ship-building enterprise Chisolm embarked on surveying the town and overseeing the building of homes for all the settlers employed at his ship yard. Chisholm had a hand in building the entire town including: hotel and tavern, and church.. Chisolm’s own residence was a fine Georgian home known as Erchless which in Gaelic means “by the stream”. Six generations of Chisolm’s resided at Erchless before it was sold to the Town of Oakville in 1976. It has served at the Oakville Museum ever since.
Homes in Old Oakville
Old Oakville is known for its magnificent collection of historical homes dating back to the mid and late 1800s. Most of these are concentrated south of Lakeshore and are designated with historical plaques that provide information on who the original occupant was, what their vocation was i.e. shipbuilder and when the house was built. Sprinkled amongst these heritage homes are early 1900s Tudor, Georgian and Arts and Crafts style dwellings and infill housing with more contemporary designs.
North of Lakeshore the houses are not quite as old or in many instances as big but they are still very charming examples of SArts and Crafts, English Cottage and Tudor and Colonial and Georgian style homes. There are also a fair number of townhouses and boutique condo buildings interspersed throughout the downtown core.
Lifestyle in Old Oakville
Old Oakville residents tend to be affluent as this is one of the pricier communities in the GTA. Strolling along the Lakeshore with it’s many fine coffee shops, bakeries, pastry shops, clothing stores, home decor, and restaurants is a popular ritual. Additional shopping options include: Trafalgar Village, a small outdoor plaza located just on the outskirts of the neighbourhood and Oakville Place an indoor shopping mall with over 100 brand name retailers.
Recreation in Old Oakville
Boats are a big part of Oakville’s past and present. The Oakville Club located at 56 Water Street is a private club founded over 100 years ago. While yachting and boating are at the core of the club’s foundation, today’s members also enjoy tennis courts, a swimming pool, fitness area, a clubhouse, lounge and dining. If you prefer a more low key approach you might find what you are looking for in the Oakville Yacht Squadron, a club dedicated to the education and exploration of sailing, incorporating the benefits of both racing and cruising. This family club operates as a self-help club. Everyone pitches in to get the work done – “and we have fun doing it.” Old Oakville waterfront trails and promenades provide opportunities for all citizens to see and enjoy this beautiful location.
Arts in Old Oakville
Oakville Centre for the performing Arts is situated in the core of downtown Oakville on Navy Street, occupying the block between Rebecca Street and Lakeshore Road, and overlooking Sixteen Mile Creek. The Oakville Centre is an intimate theatre designed to provide an optimum viewing experience for everybody in the theatre.
Oakville Centre is town-owned and town-funded, with a mandate to serve the performing arts needs of the residents of Oakville. Oakville Centre is busy year round with over 70 performances a year, providing patrons with the opportunity to see world class concerts, international artists, award-winning Canadian musicians, dance, live theatre and more. Plus, 230 additional performances are presented by the local community including the Oakville Drama Series, Burl-Oak Theatre Group, Oakville Symphony, and a number of local dance studio performances.
Transportation in Old Oakville
Old Oakville residents are well served by the Oakville Go Station. This busy transport hub located at 214 Cross Avenue provides residents with Bus and Train service. The Lakeshore line train service is popular with commuters going to Toronto. Motorist enjoy convenient access to the Q.E.W. highway and the 400 series highways which provide access to municipalities across the GTA. The City of Mississauga is next door to Oakville to the east and the next municipality east of Mississauga is the City of Toronto.