Living in Woodbine Gardens
When you drive through Woodbine Gardens with its hills and dales and winding and sloping crescents it is easy to envision the fact that this neighbourhood was once an attractive golf course. The wonderful geography of the Woodbine Gardens neighbourhood is further complemented by Taylor Creek Park which wraps itself around the southern reaches of this neighbourhood.
History of Woodbine Gardens
The Woodbine Gardens neighbourhood is located on the former site of the Woodbine Golf and Country Club which operated at this location during the 1930’s. The Woodbine clubhouse was situated where Glenwood Crescent is today. In 1932 the Woodbine Bridge was built across the Don Valley Ravine at a cost of two hundred and seventy five thousand dollars. This bridge paved the way for the future development of Woodbine Gardens. The first house built in this neighbourhood was the Mary Pickford Bungalow situated at 90 Glenwood Crescent. This house was built in 1943 to raise money for the Canadian war effort. A raffle was held for the Pickford bungalow with tickets selling for only $1.00 a share. Mary Pickford, the Toronto-born Hollywood screen star, donated her time and money to this patriotic cause. The building of the Woodbine Gardens subdivision in the early 1950’s was a major engineering feat. Water courses had to be rerouted underground and 500,000 cubic yards of soil were removed in order to level many of the hills in this area. Woodbine Gardens houses which originally sold for between $14,000 and $19,000.
Ed Note: The Woodbine Bridge is one of Toronto’s largest bridges. It measures eight hundred and ten feet long and forty-six feet wide.
Homes in Woodbine Gardens
The charming brick and stone houses on Glenwood Crescent were built in the 1940’s. All the other houses in the neighbourhood were built in the early 1950’s. House styles range from Tudor and ranch-style bungalows to solid brick two-storey houses. Most of these homes are situated on generous size lots with a private drive and a garage. Rexleigh Drive features some low-rise rental apartment buildings while Dawes Road has a number of high-rise rental apartment buildings that command a scenic view of Taylor Creek Park.
Lifestyle in Woodbine Gardens
Taylor Creek Park, located at the south end of this neighbourhood, is a picturesque woodland and wetland valley that is perfect for walking and exploring nature. Taylor Creek Park is part of a ten kilometre walking trail that stretches from Warden Avenue in the east to Edwards Gardens at the west end of the trail. Access points to Taylor Creek Park are located throughout this neighbourhood. George Webster Park, situated along Chapman Avenue has baseball diamonds, sports fields and a children’s playground. There is also an outdoor natural ice rink that operates at this park during the wintertime. Donora Park, located east of Dawes Road, has a tots playground. The moderate size hills in this park are good for tobogganing in the wintertime. The Dawes Road branch of the East York public library is located at 416 Dawes Road. This library offers a variety of programs for children.
Recreation in Woodbine Gardens
Taylor Creek Park, located at the south end of this neighbourhood, is a picturesque woodland and wetland valley that is perfect for walking and exploring nature. Taylor Creek Park is part of a ten kilometre walking trail that stretches from Warden Avenue in the east to Edwards Gardens at the west end of the trail. Access points to Taylor Creek Park are located throughout this neighbourhood. George Webster Park, situated along Chapman Avenue has baseball diamonds, sports fields and a children’s playground. There is also an outdoor natural ice rink that operates at this park during the wintertime. Donora Park, located east of Dawes Road, has a tots playground. The moderate size hills in this park are good for tobogganing in the wintertime. The Dawes Road branch of the East York public library is located at 416 Dawes Road. This library offers a variety of programs for children.
Transportation in Woodbine Gardens
This neighbourhood is served by bus lines on Woodbine, Victoria Park and St. Clair Avenues as well as on Dawes Road, Ferris Road and Rexleigh Drive. These bus routes connect to either the Coxwell, Main, Woodbine, or Victoria Park subway stations on the Bloor-Danforth subway line. Motorists are approximately five minutes from the Don Valley Parkway on-ramp at O’Connor and Don Mills Road. This highway provides motorists with quick access to the downtown core as well as connecting routes to the major highways north of the city.