South Hill might not be as widely known as Rosedale or Forest Hill. It exudes the level of luxury and prestige. Positioned centrally it sits close to Toronto’s business and entertainment hubs as well as in proximity to several esteemed public, private and Catholic schools, in the area.
History Of South Hill, Toronto
The character of the South Hill area is shaped by Avenue Road Hill, a land feature that once marked the shoreline of Lake Iroquois. This lake’s cold waters retreated to form present day Lake Ontario 12,000 years ago as the last ice age came to an end. The escarpment left behind by Lake Iroquois was cloaked in a forest dotted with ponds, streams and waterfalls that adorned Avenue Road Hill until the 1900s.
Lifestyle
In South Hill shopping is mainly located on the outskirts of the neighbourhood to upscale areas, in Toronto. Despite this residents can easily reach shopping areas like Forest Hill Village, Yonge and St. Clair and Yorkville within a drive or, by using public transportation.
South Hill, Toronto Parks & Facilities
South Hill is situated on the side of Nordheimer ravine, a well liked spot, for fitness enthusiasts and nature lovers. The ravine is positioned beside Sir Winston Churchill Park, which boasts ten tennis courts, a playground for kids, a wading pool and a jogging trail.
The Brown School and Community Centre offers a pool and a gymnasium. Additionally, there are two tennis courts located at the back of the community centre.
Finding enjoyment in the parks here is quite simple. Parks in Forest Hill South provide playgrounds for children. In total Forest Hill South has four parks, with six facilities altogether. On average each park offers one facility.
- Number of Parks: 4
- Number of Recreation Facilities: 6
Recreation Facilities in Neighbourhood Parks
- Playgrounds – 3
- Trails – 3
South Hill, Toronto Transit
The South Hill area has public transportation options. The Avenue Road bus connects residents to the Museum subway station, on the Bloor Danforth subway line while the St. Clair streetcar links them to stations along the Yonge University Spadina subway line. For those driving in South Hill, easy access is provided to roads like Yonge Street, Avenue Road and Bathurst Street allowing for travel in and out of the city.
In Forest Hill South there are a total of 97 transit stops with St. Clair Station serves as one of the rail stations. Residents in this area use a mix of vehicles and public transit for their commutes within the city limits. Overall most people have commute times when traveling within Forest Hill South.
Commute Destination for Residents
- Commute within the city – 91%
- Commute to another city – 8%
Commute Types
- Vehicle – 49%
- Transit – 39%
- Walk/bike – 9%
Commute Times of Residents
- 15 to 29 minutes – 40%
- 30 to 44 minutes – 29%
- 45 to 59 minutes – 9%
- 60 minutes and over – 6%
- Less than 15 minutes – 13%
South Hill, Toronto Elementary, Secondary High schools
In Forest Hill South there are elementary and secondary high schools, along with specialized programs for both levels. This neighbourhood is served by a total of 10 schools, 4 Catholic schools and 2 private schools. The local educational institutions offer programs such, as All Female, French Immersion, International Baccalaureate and Male options.
- Public Schools: 10
- Catholic Schools: 4
- Private Schools: 2
Public
- Hodgson Middle School
- Jarvis Collegiate Institute
- Brown Junior Public School
- Forest Hill Jr and Sr Public School
- Forest Hill Collegiate Institute
- Collège français secondaire
- Deer Park Jr and Sr Public School
- North Toronto Collegiate Institute
- ÉÉ Gabrielle-Roy
- Oriole Park Junior Public School
Catholic
- ÉÉC du Sacré-Coeur-Toronto
- Holy Rosary Catholic School
- St. Michael’s College School
- ÉSC Saint-Frère-André
Private
- Bishop Strachan School
- Upper Canada College
South Hill, Toronto Homes
South Hill boasts some of the residences in Toronto. Many of the houses perched atop Avenue Roads hill offer breathtaking views of downtown Toronto with a peek at Lake Ontario.
The original South Hill homes date back to the early 20th centuries while newer townhouses have been added in the past two decades.
Besides residences, South Hill features rental apartment buildings lining both sides of Avenue Road at the top of the hill providing stunning views of the city to the south.