Living on Woburn
Woburn is a quiet, family oriented neighbourhood comprised of winding, tree-lined streets that contain a good selection of moderately priced homes. This neighbourhood is bordered on the north by light industry and Highway 401. There is an abundance of parkland along the east and south perimeter of Woburn. Local landmarks include Centennial College (Progress Campus), the Scarborough Centennial Recreational Centre, the newly renovated Cedarbrae Mall and the Scarborough Golf and Country Club.
History of Woburn
Woburn was originally named “Elderslie.” This name was changed in 1856, when a post office was opened in the Woburn Inn. The proprietor of the Woburn Inn was Thomas Dowswell, who hailed from a small town in England named Woburn. The Woburn Inn was historically significant in that it was the original meeting place for the Scarborough Municipal Council. The former Township of Scarborough continued to conduct their meetings at the Woburn Inn until 1921, when council chambers were moved to Kingston Road. When the urbanization of this neighbourhood took place in the 1950’s, the historic Woburn Inn was demolished to make room for the Painted Post Plaza. A large stone marker with a historical plaque stands adjacent to the shopping plaza in tribute to the Woburn Inn.
Homes in Woburn
Woburn houses were built in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The style of houses found here include detached, two-storey homes, split-level houses, bungalows and townhouses. There are also a large number of rental apartment buildings situated along Lawrence Avenue East. Masaryktown is a non-profit housing complex located at the south-end of this neighbourhood, off Scarborough Golf Club Road.
Lifestyle on Woburn
Woburn’s main shopping corridor is situated at the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and Markham Road. On the south-west corner is the newly renovated Cedarbrae Mall, which is anchored by a Zellers, a Canadian Tire, and a Loblaws supermarket. There are over seventy retailers at this mall. The Cedar Heights Plaza, located on the north-east corner of Markham Road and Lawrence Avenue features a large Chinese supermarket, a pharmacy, a discount department store, a hardware store, a sports store, bargain stores, professional and medical offices, a family restaurant and an East and West Indian food shop. Ellesmere Road is lined with small shopping plazas, discount warehouses and factory outlets that are open to the public. There is also a large garden centre and a bingo emporium situated along this shopping corridor. The Painted Post Plaza, located at the corner of Painted Post Drive and Markham Road, contains a small collection of neighbourhood oriented stores including a bank, a hairstylist, a beauty salon, a dry cleaners, a convenience store, a fish and chips restaurant and an East Indian restaurant.
Recreation in Woburn
The Scarborough Centennial Recreation Centre, located at 1967 Ellesmere Road, has two indoor ice arenas. The main arena is used for hockey leagues and programs while the “Ice Galaxy” arena is used for figure skating and pleasure skating. This centre also contains a large auditorium with a two-hundred person seating capacity, and a children’s “Tots Room.” The large park next to the community centre has tennis courts, a baseball diamond and basketball courts. The Cedarbrook Community Centre and Park, off Daphne Road, is set in a lush ravine setting. The modern community centre has a second floor ballroom and sundeck that offers scenic views of the adjacent parkland. The Cedar Ridge Creative Centre, located at 225 Confederation Drive, is a visual arts centre offering gallery space for artists as well as various art courses and workshops.
Transportation in Woburn
Woburn residents are served by bus services on Bellamy, Markham and Ellesmere Roads. These routes connect with the Scarborough Rapid Transit and Go Transit lines. Motorists can take Markham Road north to Highway 401, which provides commuters with connecting routes to most parts of the city. Motorists travelling south on Markham Road can quickly link up with Kingston Road, which offers a scenic route into downtown Toronto.