Eatonville is a community that values family life and welcomes individuals, from backgrounds and cultural heritages. The residents of this neighbourhood often still identify it as part of Etobicoke, which’s understandable given the presence of the Etobicoke City Hall and City Centre within Eatonvilles borders on the West Mall, south of Burnhamthorpe Road. The reminders of Eatonvilles past can be seen in places like the Eatonville Public School on Rossburn Drive and the Eatonville Public Library, at 430 Burnhamthorpe Road.
History Of Eatonville, Toronto
Eatonville started off as a farming community in the early 1800s. One of the settlers, Peter Shaver, generously offered a piece of his land, at Bloor Street and Highway 27 for the school. Fondly called the “Swamp School ” it gained its nickname due to the abundance of frogs in the surrounding bushes and marshes.
In the 1800s and early 1900s Timothy Eaton, the founder of Eaton’s Department Store, acquired Peter Shavers homestead and neighbouring farms. He graciously donated a portion of his land to the school, which was later renamed “Eatonville” in his honor. Over time this entire area came to be known as Eatonville.
The Eaton Farm supplied meat, poultry, vegetables and dairy products to Eatons stores until around the 1950s when it was divided into plots. The rapid expansion of this community in 1955 led to the construction of today’s Eatonville School on Rossburn Drive close to where the original “Swamp School” stood.
Note; In 1980 Peter Shavers’ historic “Applewood House” was relocated to its site at 450 The West Mall where it serves as a museum showcasing its history.
Lifestyle
The area, along Bloor Street starting from Kipling Avenue and heading west, is a shopping hub with a variety of stores, food markets, restaurants and small independent shops. Moving further down Bloor Street to the West Mall area you’ll find Westmall Bloor Plaza which houses shops and professional offices.
Dundas Street is known for attracting people from the surrounding region due to its assortment of car dealerships, dining options and home improvement stores. Along Dundas Street are two shopping centres. Cloverdale Mall is a mall with department stores and over a hundred retailers. Throughout the year this mall hosts events such as craft shows, home shows, antique exhibitions, events for seniors and sidewalk sales. Honeydale Mall is a shopping destination anchored by a department store and several smaller retailers, in its mix of shops.
Eatonville, Toronto Parks & Facilities
The Neilson Park Creative Centre, situated at 56 Neilson Drive is a community arts hub run by volunteers as a profit organization. It serves as the base for art groups like the Etobicoke Art Group, Humber Valley Art Club, Heritage Rugcrafters of Etobicoke Etobicoke Quilters Guild and Etobicoke Handweavers and Spinners Guild. Various exciting events take place here throughout the year including art exhibitions, festivals and craft sales.
Applewood, also known as The Shaver Homestead at 450 The West Mall dates back to the 1850s. Was once home to the Shaver Family who were among Eatonville pioneer families. This historical dwelling has been transformed into a museum and a venue for community gatherings.
The Eatonville Public Library on 430 Burnhamthorpe Road hosts engaging programs such as baby time sessions, “Tales for Twos ” preschool storytimes and even a Tea and Books program where book enthusiasts can gather for discussions about their reads.
West Mall Park and East Mall Park along with Wedgewood Park and Cloverdale Park offer amenities like tennis courts, baseball diamonds and children’s playgrounds. Additionally West Mall Park features an ice rink and an outdoor swimming pool, for active pursuits.
Eatonville, Toronto Transit
Bus services running along Bloor and Dundas Streets, The West Mall, The East Mall and Burnhamthorpe Road offer connections, for passengers heading to Kipling station situated south of Bloor Street off Auckland Road. This station caters to both TTC and Go Transit commuters.
Drivers can easily access Highway 427 via on ramps at Dundas and Bloor Streets as Burnhamthorpe and Rathburn Roads within a few minutes. Bloor Street also serves as a route for motorists heading into downtown Toronto. Additionally Pearson International Airport is a ten minute drive from this area.
Eatonville, Toronto Elementary, Secondary High Schools
Eatonville Elementary and Secondary School was initially located at the intersection of Bloor Street and The West Mall, in 1870 thanks to the donation of land by the Timothy Eaton family. It earned the nickname “Swamp School” because of the frog ponds in the area. The current school, established in 1955 on Rossburn Drive was designed to accommodate a number of students. Our primary focus is on maintaining an inclusive relationship with our community of students, teachers and families! We strive to create a supportive atmosphere where we work towards our objectives and commemorate our achievements.
Eatonville, Toronto Homes
Houses located to the east of Highway 427, in Eatonville were constructed during the 1940s and 1950s featuring a variety of styles such as detached bungalows, one and a half storey homes and Cape Cod style two storey houses. It’s worth noting that many bungalows in this area are currently being replaced with designed custom homes.
On the hand homes situated west of Highway 427 were built in the 1960s and 1970s showcasing a mix of brick bungalows, semi detached houses and spacious detached two storey residences. The main streets of Eatonville like the West and East Malls along with Burnhamthorpe Road host a blend of apartments, condominium high rises and townhouses.