Hillcrest is an established neighbourhood, with streets lined with trees and charming houses that transport you far from the city lights. The centrepiece of this community is Artscape Wychwood Barns. A name that piques curiosity. What does it really entail? Is it an art space? A farm within the city? A gathering place for the community?
If you guessed all of the above you’d be spot on. Residents of Hillcrest benefit from access to the built St. Clair streetcar line sparking a rejuvenation of both Hillcrest Village and Wychwood Heights shopping areas.
History Of Hillcrest , Toronto
Hillcrest is located on the Davenport escarpment, which was shaped during the ice age more than 10,000 years ago. Indigenous peoples used to follow trails along the shoreline of Lake Iroquois recognized as Davenport Road.
Hillcrest now stands where the former Toronto Transit Commission streetcar repair barns were, occupying a 4.3 acre space between Wychwood Avenue and Christie Street south of St. Clair Avenue. The TTC repair barns were constructed between 1913 and 1921. Covered an area of 60,000 feet. Thanks to Artscape, a profit organization dedicated to revitalizing urban spaces through art these historic industrial buildings have been beautifully restored.
Starting in 2007 Artscape undertook a renovation project on the Barns with a vision to repurpose the Wychwood TTC barns into what’s now known as the Artscape Wychwood Barns—a collection of five interconnected brick buildings.
Lifestyle
Hillcrest Village is fortunate to have two business districts, along St. Clair Avenue West. Wychwood Heights lies to the east of Christie Street while Hillcrest Village is situated to the west. Both of these areas organize shopping events throughout the year.
Artscape Wychwood Barns, found at 601 Christie Street hosts a variety of arts events all year round. Food enthusiasts will be delighted by The Farmers Market at Wychwood Barns renowned as one of Toronto’s finest farmers markets. With 35-40 vendors offering produce such as strawberry jam, honey, dried chestnuts and Ontario black walnuts there’s a plethora of tempting treats available every Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm, during the summer season.
Hillcrest, Toronto Parks & Facilities
The Hillcrest Community Centre can be found within Hillcrest Public School on Bathurst Street. It boasts a pool and a gymnasium. North of the centre lies the Wychwood Public Library offering programs for local children throughout the year. Overlooking the city skyline and Lake Ontario from atop Davenport escarpment at the neighbourhood’s edge is Hillcrest Park featuring a wading pool, playground and four tennis courts.
Residents of Hillcrest have played a role in supporting Artscape Wychwood Barns development by contributing their time, money and resources to convert the Wychwood TTC streetcar repair barns into a vibrant community space on Christie Street south of St. Clair. Artscape Wychwood Barns serves as a 60,000 sq. Ft. Hub for artists with live/work spaces and hosts events like festivals, farmers market, greenhouse activities and communal bake oven gatherings. The park area offers plenty of amenities such as an ice rink, playing fields, stage for performances, chess tables, beach volleyball courts, water play area for kids to cool off in summer heat along with swings and climbers.
This neighbourhood is rich in opportunities with its parks featuring playgrounds, for children and sports facilities. In this area we have 10 parks that offer a total of 38 facilities. On average each park has 3 facilities.
- Number of Parks: 10
- Number of Recreation Facilities: 38
Recreation Facilities in Neighbourhood Parks
- Playgrounds – 11
- Tennis Courts – 10
- Basketball Court – 1
- Ball Diamonds – 2
- Sports Fields – 4
- Community Centres – 2
- Splash Pad – 1
- Sports Court – 1
- Trails – 2
- Arts/Performance Facilities – 2
- Fitness/Weight Room – 1
- Gym – 1
Hillcrest, Toronto Transit
Hillcrest has access to transportation. The streetcar operates along St. Clair Avenue West with bus routes along Oakwood Avenue and Bathurst Street. Davenport Road also offers some bus services. For drivers downtown is a few minutes away. It takes fifteen minutes to drive from this area to reach the Allen Expressway providing a connection to Toronto’s highways.
Within this neighbourhood there are 155 transit stops. The Old Cummer GO station serves as one of the rail stations in Hillcrest Village, where most commuters rely on vehicles and travel within the city.
Commute Destination for Residents
- Commute within the city – 70%
- Commute to another city – 30%
Commute Types
- Vehicle – 62%
- Transit – 33%
- Walk/bike – 3%
Commute Times of Residents
- 15 to 29 minutes – 27%
- 30 to 44 minutes – 24%
- 45 to 59 minutes – 14%
- 60 minutes and over – 24%
- Less than 15 minutes – 8%
Hillcrest, Toronto Elementary, Secondary High Schools
This area boasts elementary and secondary high schools, along with specialized programs for students. The neighbourhood is served by a total of 14 schools, 4 Catholic schools and 8 private schools. Some of the programs at these schools include Gifted/Talented Program, French Immersion, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Christian education options.
- Public Schools: 14
- Catholic Schools: 4
- Private Schools: 8
Public
- L’Amoreaux Collegiate Institute
- Hillmount Public School
- Cliffwood Public School
- Highland Middle School
- Pleasant View Middle School
- Cresthaven Public School
- A. Y. Jackson Secondary School
- Zion Heights Middle School
- Arbor Glen Public School
- ÉS Étienne-Brûlé
- ÉÉ Laure-Rièse
- ÉÉ Paul-Demers
- Cherokee Public School
- Dr Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute
Catholic
- ÉÉC Sainte-Madeleine
- ÉSC Monseigneur-de-Charbonnel
- St. Matthias Catholic School
- St. Cyril Catholic School
Private
- Darwin International Academy
- Toronto Berkshire Academy
- UT Preparatory Academy
- Toronto International College
- Queen’s Elite Academy of Canada
- Great Oaks Secondary School
- Bright Future Academy
- Heritage International School
Hillcrest, Toronto Homes
The houses in Hillcrest were originally constructed in the early 20th centuries. These homes, both attached and detached, exude an distinctive quality of that era showcasing a delightful variety of shapes and sizes. The streets are quaintly narrow lined with cars parked along the curb creating an intimate neighbourhood vibe beneath a canopy of cascading trees. Due to the lots of renovations and new constructions in the area opt for a contemporary aesthetic, with abundant windows to maximize natural light intake.