In Glen Park, a blend of individuals, from socio backgrounds come together to form a vibrant community. Dufferin Street is lined with homes owned by families while closer to Bathurst Street a sizable Jewish orthodox community resides.
Within Glen Park there is a district with income residents situated near the Allen Expressway. This specific area houses Canadians and features affordable rental accommodations.
The esteemed Glen Park Public School was recently honored with the Canada Award of Excellence by the National Quality Institute. This recognition highlights the schools commitment to standards and exceptional academic performance in its renowned French Immersion program.
History Of Glen Park, Toronto
Glen Park was initially settled by Sir Sanford Fleming, known as the father of time and the chief engineer of the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Railway. His property was situated south of Lawrence Avenue between Dufferin and Keele Streets. In 1856 Fleming divided his farm into the Balmoral subdivision marking it as North York’s planned subdivision. Despite his forward thinking approach Balmoral never progressed beyond its marketing phase.
In 1881 Colonel Fred Fleming, son of Sir Sanford Fleming, took over the family farm. Began importing and breeding Hereford cattle. Under his leadership Park Farm became renowned as one of Canada’s stock breeding farms.
The transformation of Glen Park from farmland to a neighbourhood began in the 1920s. Its significant period of growth came after World War II when numerous returning war veterans and their families made Glen Park their home. This surge in population led to the establishment of Glen Park Public School in 1948.
Lifestyle
The Lawrence Square Shopping Centre, located on Lawrence Avenue West, near the Allen Expressway features two known department stores and a sizable Italian grocery store. In addition to these anchor stores the centre houses independent shops along with professional and medical offices.
At the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and Bathurst Street lies the Lawrence Plaza, anchored by a discount store and a 24 hour food market. This plaza is home to discount and outlet stores that cater to both residents and visitors from nearby areas.
Exploring the shopping scene along Dufferin Street and Marlee Avenue reveals a range of offerings from food markets and Chinese eateries to car dealerships and automotive repair shops. Meanwhile Bathurst Street boasts an influence, with its mix of Kosher food establishments, restaurants, professional offices, a large supermarket and a prominent pharmacy.
Glen Park, Toronto Parks & Facilities
The community centre, at 35 Glen Long Avenue offers a gym, two bocce courts, preschool classes and meeting rooms. It is conveniently located near Glen Long Park, which boasts a hockey rink, a swimming pool, a bocce ball court and a playground for children. Additionally Viewmount Park and Wenderly Park in the area feature baseball diamonds and playgrounds for kids. Viewmount Park also includes tennis courts and a tennis club.
The Columbus Centre at 901 Lawrence Avenue West is a hub that celebrates art, culture, food, fitness and camaraderie. It stands as a representation of Canadian heritage in the diverse landscape of Metropolitan Toronto. The Columbus Centre houses wings dedicated to activities athletics with extensive multi use facilities spanning over 80,000 square feet as well as an art gallery showcasing contemporary and historical artworks from local to international artists. Moreover visitors can enjoy dining at the restaurant or café on site along with access to meeting spaces.
This neighbourhood is brimming with opportunities offered by its parks and facilities catering to all age groups. The parks here provide play areas for children along with sports amenities like skating rinks. With ten parks hosting a total of 36 facilities collectively averaging three facilities per park.
- Number of Parks: 10
- Number of Recreation Facilities: 36
Recreation Facilities in Neighbourhood Parks
- Playgrounds – 9
- Pool – 1
- Rink – 1
- Tennis Courts – 2
- Volleyball Courts – 2
- Basketball Court – 1
- Ball Diamonds – 3
- Sports Fields – 5
- Community Centre – 1
- Splash Pads – 2
- Sports Court – 1
- Outdoor Games Facilities – 6
- Trail – 1
- Gym – 1
Glen Park, Toronto Transit
Many residents living in Glen Park can easily walk to either the Glencairn or Lawrence West subway stations, situated between Bathurst and Dufferin Streets on bridges, over the Allen Expressway. These stations are part of the Yonge University Spadina subway line.
For those who prefer driving, Bathurst and Dufferin Streets serve as north south roads that offer a route south to Toronto’s waterfront and north to the suburbs. Drivers can access Toronto’s network of commuter highways via the Allen Expressway interchange located along Lawrence Avenue West at the edge of this neighbourhood.
There are a total of 198 transit stops in this area including Eglinton West Station. In Yorkdale Glen Park residents use a mix of vehicles and public transportation, for their commutes with traveling within the city and having commute times.
Commute Destination for Residents
- Commute within the city – 80%
- Commute to another city – 19%
Commute Types
- Vehicle – 54%
- Transit – 37%
- Walk/bike – 5%
Commute Times of Residents
- 15 to 29 minutes – 27%
- 30 to 44 minutes – 33%
- 45 to 59 minutes – 13%
- 60 minutes and over – 12%
- Less than 15 minutes – 13%
Glen Park, Toronto Elementary, Secondary High Schools
In the Yorkdale Glen Park area there are options available for students, including elementary and secondary special programs. The neighbourhood is served by a total of 10 schools, 6 Catholic schools, 5 private schools and 3 alternative/special schools. These institutions offer a range of programs such, as Advanced Placement, Montessori, All Male, Vocational, French Immersion, Fine Arts, International Baccalaureate and Special Education School.
- Public Schools: 10
- Catholic Schools: 6
- Private Schools: 5
Public
- ÉS Étienne-Brûlé
- Flemington Public School
- Glen Park Public School
- Lawrence Heights Middle School
- John Polanyi Collegiate Institute
- Baycrest Public School
- ÉS Toronto Ouest
- Joyce Public School
- Ledbury Park Elementary and Middle School
- ÉÉ Mathieu-da-Costa
Catholic
- ÉÉC Saint-Noël-Chabanel-Toronto
- Dante Alighieri Academy
- ÉSC Monseigneur-de-Charbonnel
- St. Charles Catholic School
- Regina Mundi Catholic School
- Sts. Cosmas and Damian Catholic School
Private
- Fieldstone Day School
- Sterling Hall School
- Leonardo Da Vinci Academy
- Fieldstone King’s College School
- Magnificent Minds
- Alternative/Special
- Yorkdale Secondary School (EdVance)
- Yorkdale Adult Learning Centre
- Magnificent Minds
Glen Park, Toronto Homes
In Glen Park you’ll find a range of houses, with shapes, colors and sizes. The charming white or pastel painted bungalows dating back to the 1940s feature decorative details like front bay windows and unique octagonal shaped windows. While many of these bungalows have aluminum siding, some also showcase asbestos siding that was popular for its fire properties during that time.
The neighbourhood also boasts larger brick bungalows constructed between 1955 and 1972 offering designs like ranch style, split level and raised bungalows.
Over the years since the 1990s there has been a trend of replacing Glen Parks homes with custom built residences that complement the spacious lots in this area.
In Yorkdale Glen Park you can find a mix of housing options. The neighbourhood maintains a population with around 32% of households having relocated within the five years and 11% within the last year. It features a blend of newer homes predominantly occupied by homeowners.