East and West Willowdale North York Real Estate Toronto

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Willowdale is an established, affluent community in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located in the district of North York. It was originally called Lansing, which is now the name of a nearby neighbourhood.

Willowdale was originally a village centred at the intersection of Willowdale Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East, North York 43°45′50″N 79°23′59″W, where a number of small business and commercial buildings still remain. The boundaries of the current neighbourhood extend as far east as Victoria Park Avenue, west to Bathurst Street, south to the 401 freeway, and north to Steeles Avenue. The neighbourhood abuts Bayview Village to the east and is considered to overlap Newtonbrook to the north. North York Centre is centred at the intersection of Yonge Street and Empress Avenue and is commonly thought to be a part of Willowdale, though its high-rise residential and commercial development in recent years sets it apart from much of the rest of Willowdale. / 43.76389°N 79.39972°W / 43.76389; -79.39972 (Old Willowdale)

The Willowdale neighbourhood consists of single family homes, condominium townhouses and high-rise condominium towers. High density development is restricted along Yonge Street. The single family homes range in age from the original 1910 to 1950s construction (one and two-storey pre-war houses and modest one-and-half storey postwar houses). After the 1990s, very large replacement two-storey luxury homes were constructed by tearing down the original houses. It is in this neighbourhood that the term "monster homes" was first applied by Torontonians.

History

Willowdale was originally settled by Jacob Cummer, who immigrated to Canada from the United States in 1797. Cummer was a mill owner on the nearby Don River, a proprietor of a tinsmith shop on Yonge Street and a self trained doctor and veterinarian. Cummer was held in such high esteem by his neighbours that this area was originally known as Kummer's Settlement.

David Gibson, a distinguished land surveyor, was another leader in this community. Like most of his neighbours, Gibson participated in the ill-fated Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837. He was thus charged with high treason and escaped to the United States were he found employment as the First Assistant Engineer on the building of the Erie Canal.

Gibson returned to his Yonge Street farm in 1851, after being pardoned for his role in the Rebellion. He then helped to establish the "'Willow Dale"' post office, named after the many willow trees that once graced this district. Members of the Gibson family were still living in Gibson House in the 1920s when the residential subdivision of Willowdale began to take place. The Gibson House, circa 1851, is still standing in its original location at 5172 Yonge Street and is now a historic museum.

Demographics

Population

Home to 79,440 people, Willowdale is an ethnically diverse community, with 59% of all Willowdale residents being immigrants as of 2006. Major ethnic groups in Willowdale include: Chinese: 23.7%, Korean: 9.6%, and Jewish: 5.8%. While English is the mother tongue for 43.7% of the population, other languages with large numbers of speakers include: Chinese: 16%, Korean: 5.4%, and Russian: 5.1%.

Willowdale United Church

The first "church" in Willowdale was called the Cummer Chapel, located at the northwest corner of what is now Yonge and Churchill. This log meeting house was built in 1816 by Jacob Cummer on part of his farm. He and other early members of the church are buried in the cemetery which remains on the site, now on the east side of Yonge Street.

The Cummers, who were the first German loyalists and farmers from Pennsylvania, had Lutheran roots. However, they readily mixed in with and married people with Methodist and other roots. Thus the chapel was designated as non-denominational.

A large, yellow, brick and stucco church with a tall spire replaced the log building in 1856. It was called the Methodist Episcopal Church, and became part of the new United Church of Canada in 1925. Between 1931 and 1932, Yonge Street was widened and the front end of the church, facing west, was removed. The front door was relocated to the south side of the building.

Following World War II, many veterans and their families began to settle in Willowdale. In 1946, the Rev. Welburn Jones became the minister of Willowdale United Church and initiated a building program. In 1954 a substantial building was built on nearby Kenneth Avenue. In 1966, his successor, the Rev. Lindsay G. King, replaced him and completed the program. The Rev. King spent the rest of his ministry, twenty seven years, at WUC. After just over forty years of service, he retired—he prefers to say that he re-directed—to live in Thornhill to which he and his wife Jean (Turner) had moved in 1988.

While he was the minister of WUC, the Rev. King wrote a regular column for the community paper and he was frequently heard on radio and television, including the CTV and the CBC. Because of his life-long interest in bringing psychology, religion and health together, in 1973 he initiated the founding of the Family Life Foundation of Willowdale. It is a registered federal charity encouraging the development of healthy community and family life—including body, mind and spirit—regardless of race, creed or religion. Believing in re-directment and skilled in personal and family counseling, the Rev. King said that he would continue to volunteer his services to the FLF and the community—www.flfcanada.com—for the rest of his life on earth.  

Real Estate in Willowdale East Neighbourhood

Average Sale Price for C14 in June 2011: $543,571
Property crime: very high
Crime against people: average

Every year a few more of Willowdale’s original bungalows and two-storey homes are torn down to make way for luxury condos, townhouses and mini-mansions. There’s nothing mini about the area’s prices, though, with custom-builds commonly listed between $1 and $2 million; fixer-uppers on 50-foot-wide lots start at about $500,000. Two-thirds of the residents are first-generation Canadians, with a large population of Chinese, Koreans and Persians attracted, in part, to the area’s well-regarded schools, including Cardinal Carter and Earl Haig. Restaurants and retail shops are increasingly reflective of that diversity. Most shoppers find pretty much anything they need on Yonge Street. While the Yonge and Sheppard subway lines offer some relief for commuters, the congested crawl along main arteries during rush hours is rage-inducing.

HOUSING STOCK: Condos dominate Yonge, and several stylish townhouse complexes line Finch, Bayview and Sheppard. Doris Avenue marks the transition to detached luxury homes, where 1940s- to 1960s-era bungalows and backsplits sit side by side with newly constructed four- and five-bedroom homes.

BARGAIN ZONES: Prices can exceed $750,000 and easily stretch above the $1 million mark. Better value can be found farther from Yonge. South of Sheppard, the odd two- or three-bedroom house lists for just under $500,000, while Yonge Street condos start in the low $200s.

THE VERDICT: Yonge’s amenity-rich condos are often priced well below their downtown counterparts, and are attracting everyone from first-time buyers to downsizing seniors. Likewise, detached housing appeals to the Yonge and Eg crowd’s desire for spacious new homes for less than they’d pay farther south.

Real Estate in Willowdale West Neighbourhood

Average Sale Price for C07 on June 2011: $492,987

Property crime: very high

Crime against people: average

Willowdale has come a long way since it was a rural hamlet known as Lansing back in the 1800s. When Mel Lastman wore the chains of North York office, he lobbied endlessly to get the city centre built up and the Sheppard subway line dug down. His success led to a commercial and residential development boom in the one-time suburban enclave. This uptown area (with downtown prices) has the amenities of a bona fide city centre plus easy highway and transit access (though rush hour congestion is becoming increasingly aggravating for residents). There are blocks of dated apartment buildings along Bathurst, Sheppard and Finch, but most residences are immaculately kept detached houses. A dozen smaller parks and parkettes offer a break from the intense high-rise development along Yonge.

HOUSING STOCK: Roughly a quarter of the area’s many brick bungalows and backsplits were built between 1946 and 1960, though each year a few more original homes are torn down to make way for new development. The large lots, typically 50 feet wide by 130 feet deep, are prime candidates for stone and stucco mini-mansions or to be combined as building sites for ritzy condos and townhouses.

BARGAIN ZONES: As in Willowdale East, proximity to Yonge comes at a premium, but original bungalows closer to Bathurst and Finch can be had in the high-$400,000 range. Condos are a more affordable option: one-bedroom units on Yonge start at about $225,000.

THE VERDICT: Affordable condos appeal to first-time buyers, and the big homes on generous lots selling for less than they would closer to downtown make this a smart investment for people looking to step up the ladder.

Available Homes

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:

 
Mitchell Field Community Centre Mitchell Field Centre includes the area’s only indoor skating rink, with ice time divvied up between public skating, hockey leagues, and figure skating programs run by the Upper Canada Skating Club. 89 Church Ave., 416-395-0262.
Sheppard Centre and Empress Walk These two multi-storey malls, each topped with high-rises, house restaurants and banks as well as bargain and brand-name shops. A 60,000-square-foot Loblaws at Empress Walk is a major draw for discerning home chefs. Sheppard Centre: 4841 Yonge St., 416-226-5151. Empress Walk: 5095 Yonge St., 416-226-3332.

Spring Garden Avenue This street reflects the area’s Asian heritage. Packed with Japanese and Korean restaurants, the strip tempts diners with simple noodle bowls, fresh sushi and Korean barbecue.
Edithvale Community Centre The new facility, scheduled to open in 2010, will include a gym, indoor running track and dance studio. 7 Edithvale Dr., 416-392-7828.
Gibson House One of the city’s oldest homes, the Georgian building was completed in 1851 and lies, literally, in the shadows of some of the newest. Take a tour conducted by guides in period costume or enjoy the surrounding greenery. 5172 Yonge St., 416-395-7432.
Mel Lastman Square Mel’s namesake includes a pond that doubles as a skating rink in winter, a summer farmers’ market, an outdoor amphitheatre that hosts plenty of free shows and access to the six-storey North York Central Library. 5100 Yonge St., 416-395-7582.
York Cemetery An ideal, if somewhat macabre, spot for walking the dog or pushing the stroller. 160 Beecroft Rd., 416-221-3404

Nearby Restaurants

This tucked-away abode offers diners a rustic decor, a variety of authentic Italian dishes and ... (0.10 km away)

Bulgogee House

This quiet and quaint restaurant, located just a dash off Yonge Street, turns out bona ... (0.81 km away)

Black Sheep Pub

This traditional bar and pub touts itself as having the largest draft selection (15) in ... (0.93 km away)

Smokey Joe’s Café

Ales flow from the tap, music blares from the speakers and guests are awash in ... (0.93 km away)

Chez Laurent

This charming house turned restaurant seems out of place in the heart of busy North ... (0.94 km away)

Bar Burrito

This kid sister to the downtown location on College Street offers the same Mexican fare ... (0.95 km away)

Memphis Style Smokehouse

This rustic, down-home restaurant oozes Memphis—right in the core of North York. The walls are ... (0.96 km away)

Sheppard Centre

North York City Centre

Empress Walk

Major retailers

• Empire Theatres (originally Famous Players) (63,644 sq ft.)
• Staples Business Depot (originally Indigo Books and Music)

• LCBO (3,238 sq ft.)
• Loblaws Empress Market (60,100 sq ft.)
• Future Shop (originally SportChek ) (28,970 sq ft.)
• Wendy's and Fabricland (originally Tower Records) (3.934 sq ft. and 10,100 sq ft (940 m²). respectively)
• Toronto Dance Salsa

Bayview Village

Amenities

- North York Central Library

- St. John's Rehabilitation Hospital

- North York General Hospital

- Banks

• BMO

• Scotia Bank

• HSBC

• RBC

• TD Canada Trust
  

Transport

Willowdale is served by GO Transit bus routes, Toronto Transit Commission bus routes and subway lines, Viva (bus rapid transit), and York Region Transit.

Buses

GO Transit

• 19 Oakville Hwy 403 GO Bus
• 27 Milton Hwy 401 GO Bus
• 32 Brampton Trinity Common GO Bus
• 95 Oshawa Hwy 2 Express GO Bus
• 96 Oshawa Hwy 401 GO Bus

Toronto Transit Commission

• 7 Bathurst
• 11 Bayview
• 36 Finch West
• 39 Finch East
• 42 Cummer
• 53 Steeles East
• 60 Steeles West
• 84 Sheppard West
• 85 Sheppard East
• 97 Yonge
• 98 Willowdale-Senlac
• 125 Drewry
• 160 Bathurst North
• 196 York University Rocket

Viva (bus rapid transit)

• Viva Blue
• Viva Pink

York Region Transit

• 2 Milliken
• 5 Clark
• 23 Thornhill Woods
• 77 Highway 7
• 88/88A/88E Bathurst/Bathurst Express
• 91/91A/91B/91E Bayview South
• 99 Yonge
• 300 Business Express
• 301 Markham Express
• 302 Unionville Express
• 303 Bur Oak Express

Subway stations

Sheppard Line

• Sheppard-Yonge
• Bayview
• Bessarion

Yonge–University–Spadina line

• Finch
• North York Centre
• Sheppard-Yonge
  
  

People

Famous residents of Willowdale past and present include:

• NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Frog Fagan
• Ice hockey player Kirk McLean
• Ice hockey player Mark Napier
• Ice hockey player Steve Shutt
• Bassist and lead singer Geddy Lee of Progressive rock band Rush
• Lead guitar player Alex Lifeson of Progressive rock band Rush
• News anchor Ravi Baichwal of ABC Television
• Author Joseph Boyden
• Singer David Clayton-Thomas of the group Blood, Sweat & Tears
• Actor Corey Haim who was a star in the eighties and was in The Lost Boys
• Chief News Anchor and Senior Editor, Lloyd Robertson, O.C. of CTV television network's nightly newscast, CTV News With Lloyd Robertson

In Popular Culture

• The opening line of the song "The Necromancer" by Rush is: "As gray traces of dawn tinge the eastern sky, the three travelers, men of Willowdale [or Willow Dale], emerge from the forest shadow

Amenities

• Newtonbrook Secondary School
• Elkhorn Public School
• Pineway Public School
• Empress Walk
• Claude Watson School for the Arts
• Earl Haig Secondary School
• A. Y. Jackson Secondary School
• St. John's Rehabilitation Hospital
• St. Joseph's Morrow Park High School
• Brebeuf College School
• Tyndale University College and Seminary
• Highland Junior High School
• Zion Heights Junior High School
• Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College
• St. Andrew's Junior High School
• Owen Blvd. Public School

Schools in Willowdale East and West Neighbourhood

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