Moving To Willowdale
Team Oulahen
Situated in the center of North York, Willowdale is a lively residential neighbourhood that also has a plethora of shopping, entertainment, and food options along Yonge Street.
Situated in the center of North York, Willowdale is a lively residential neighbourhood that also has a plethora of shopping, entertainment, and food options along Yonge Street.
Situated in the center of North York, Willowdale is a lively residential neighbourhood that also has a plethora of shopping, entertainment, and food options along Yonge Street. In the last two decades, many high-rise apartment buildings have been built along Yonge Street, providing housing options for young professionals looking to settle down in an exciting area of the city that is more affordable than the downtown core. To the east and west of Yonge Street, the rest of Willowdale is comprised mainly of older houses that are perfect for families as they are close to a selection of wonderful schools. With its prime location, strong transportation options, and continuous development, Willowdale has become one of Toronto’s most prominent neighbourhoods.
Where is Willowdale?
Willowdale is a large area that spans from Bathurst Street to Bayview Avenue with Finch Avenue serving as its northern boundary and Highway 401 serving as its southern boundary. Yonge Street bisects Willowdale and is the business and shopping hub of the neighbourhood.
A Brief History of Willowdale
The Willowdale area was originally settled by Jacob Cummer, an immigrant from the United States that came to Canada in 1797. Cummer owned a mill near the Don River and began the first settlement in the area, which would eventually be known as Cummer’s Settlement.
The neighbourhood of Willowdale would start to take shape a few years later when land surveyor David Gibson helped establish the Willowdale post office in 1851. The name came from the willow trees that covered the district at that time. Gibson’s house still stands at 5172 Yonge Street and is now a historical site and museum.
The area was a postal village until the early 20th century when large scale residential development started in the region. The initial collection of houses built between 1910 and 1950 were modestly sized single-family homes. In the 1990s, there was another development boom in the neighbourhood where the smaller houses were replaced with large two storey luxury homes.
Throughout the years, the neighbourhood has become a popular landing destination for immigrants from all over the world creating a truly diverse population in the area. The languages most spoken at home in Willowdale are Mandarin, Farsi, Korean, Cantonese and Russian.
The Types of Homes in Willowdale
The original housing stock from the first half of the 20th century was a mix of charming bungalows and two-storey brick homes built on generously sized lots. Many of these original houses have been torn down in the last few decades to make way for larger custom luxury homes that take on a more modern design aesthetic.
High density development has largely been restricted to the area along Yonge Street. Here you will find many condominium townhouses and high-rise condominium towers. The area along Yonge Street has become a popular landing spot for young professionals who work in Downtown Toronto but want to maintain some distance from the downtown core. The easy access to the subway makes the commute from Willowdale to downtown quite easy.
Making the Move to Willowdale
The demand for property in Willowdale has risen dramatically over the last two decades making it one of the most in demand neighbourhoods in the city. If you are looking to sell your home in the area and downsize, now would be the ideal time to capitalize on the competitive market. When selling your house, home staging is an essential tool to help your home sell faster and for a higher price. Whether you are staging your home for a sale, looking to downsize, or just need to declutter your space, self storage can be a great solution.
Right now, Storwell Self Storage is providing my clients with an exclusive offer of 4 weeks of free self storage. Storwell has locations in Mississauga, Etobicoke and one in Scarborough that is just a short drive east of Willowdale at Markham Road and the 401. If you need storage for your next move, you can call or visit a Storwell facility in person to demo a unit.
Storwell Self Storage
85 Executive Ct, Scarborough, ON M1S 5W9
Phone: 416-534-5555
Things to do in Willowdale
Most of Willowdale is made up of quiet peaceful residential subdivision, but in the center of the neighbourhood Yonge Street provides a hub of shopping and entertainment that has plenty of activities for the residents of Willowdale. The North York Civic Center, located on the corner of Yonge Street and North York Boulevard, is the home to the North York community council and a series of other services. Just outside the Civic Center you have the famous Mel Lastman Square. The nearly 20, 000 sqft park has a garden court, an outdoor amphitheatre, and a reflecting pool that doubles as a public ice rink in the winter. Mel Lastman Square hosts a series of special events during the year including a farmers’ market.
Just north of Mel Lastman Square is the North York Center shopping mall which has a wide array of services, shops, and restaurants. If you want even more shopping options, you can head south to Yonge and Sheppard and visit the Yonge Sheppard Center. Along with shopping and dining options Yonge Sheppard Centre also has several useful services like a shoe repair, a dry cleaner, and an LA Fitness Facility.
Willowdale is also home to the Meridian Arts Centre, located on Beecroft Road. Built in 1993, the center has been a hub of entertainment in Willowdale putting on musicals, theatre productions and other performing arts. If you are a history buff you should head to the west end of Willowdale on Bathurst Avenue and visit the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre, which provides exhibits, programs, and workshops to provide knowledge and understanding about the holocaust.
Parks and Recreation in Willowdale
Willowdale has a great selection of parks and playgrounds giving residents many options for outdoor activities. Willowdale Park is located on Hollywood and Kenneth Avenue and is home to the North York Tennis Club which has four well-maintained clay tennis courts. Bayview Village Park is on the east side of Willowdale and has a pristine baseball diamond, a play structure, and three public tennis courts. Towards the northern section of Willowdale you have Edithvale Park, which has a baseball diamond, two basketball courts, a community skating rink, and a human-sized chess board.
The Mitchell Field Community Center is on the corner of Church and Dudley Avenue. The facility hosts many after school programs for children in the Willowdale area and has a plethora of features including:
The Best Schools in Willowdale
Willowdale is an attractive destination for families, in part because of the strong selection of schools in the area. The Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board both operate several schools in the Willowdale neighbourhood. Earl Haig Secondary School, located on Hillcrest and Kenneth Avenue, is one of the best high schools in the entire city. The school received exceptionally high grades in the Fraser Institute’s Annual Report Card for 2020 and was ranked as one of the top 25 high schools in all of Ontario. Northview Heights Secondary School located on Finch and Bathurst also received high marks from the Fraser Institute and is another great option for high school students.
There is a large selection of elementary schools in the Willowdale area, all of which are highly rated and would be great options. Some of the highest rated elementary schools in Willowdale are:
The Best Restaurants in Willowdale
Willowdale’s diverse population has led to an eclectic mix of cuisine options in the area. While the majority of the dining options in Willowdale sit along Yonge Street, Belle Bar and Restaurant is located on the westside on Finch and Bathurst. The family run restaurant serves up authentic and traditional Mediterranean and Russian cuisine. On Sheppard Avenue and Hove Street you will find Orly’s Restaurant and Grill, a comfy, simple restaurant that serves up Middle Eastern staples like shawarma and falafel. For authentic Japanese barbeque that rivals any other barbeque spot in the city, head over to Shinta Japanese BBQ on Yonge Street and Empress Avenue. If you are out for a late session of Karaoke near Finch subway station and need a place to eat, you can check out Huh Ge Ne, a classic Korean eatery that is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
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