West Hill is a family friendly neighbourhood situated in the area of Toronto. The natural charm of West Hill stems from the presence of Morningside Park and Colonel Danforth Park which serve as the neighbourhood’s boundaries.
In addition to its beauty West Hill boasts a range of amenities, such as a community centre, public library, ample green spaces, a bustling shopping area and affordable housing options. Notable landmarks in the neighbourhood include the C.N. Railway tracks running along the edge and the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus, on Morningside Avenue.
History Of West Hill, Toronto
West Hills’ roots date back to 1879 when it received a post office from the government. Before that West Hill was considered part of the Highland Creek community.
The first inhabitants of West Hill were immigrants from County Cork who arrived in the 1840s fleeing the potato famine in Ireland. They settled in shacks in the Morningside and Lawrence Avenue area, which was nicknamed “Corktown” for a while. Many of these newcomers found employment during the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway along Toronto’s waterfront in 1856.
In 1906 a streetcar line connected West Hill to parts of Toronto attracting families to settle. This led to the establishment of West Hill Public School, in 1921. The modern day neighbourhood took shape between the 1940s and 1960s.
Lifestyle
Kingston Road is filled with both new and pre owned car dealerships, motels and small shopping centres that offer a variety of food shops, dining options and everyday convenience stores. At the West Hill shopping centre, on the corner of Lawrence and Kingston Road you can find a pharmacy, an electronics shop, a bank, a family friendly restaurant and a post office.
Over at the Morningside Mall situated at Morningside and Lawrence Avenues you’ll discover two levels of space along with a floor dedicated to professional offices. This mall boasts around sixty stores that’re both corporate run and independently owned.
Across from the Morningside Mall is Kingston Square which features a supermarket and discount department store as its anchors. Additionally there are fast food eateries, a beer store, video rental shop, telephone and auto service centres as a restaurant known for its roti and curry dishes alongside tropical juices.
At the neighbourhood shopping plaza located at Bennett Road and Lawrence Avenue stands Highland Farms supermarket, as its attraction. Here you’ll find businesses including a shop, pizza joint, travel agency, hair salon services provider,
and dry cleaning services.
West Hill, Toronto Parks & Facilities
The community hub, at Heron Park situated at 4285 Lawrence Avenue is a space that includes an indoor ice rink, a swimming pool, a wading pool, a playground and a baseball field.
Colonel Danforth Park, located on the edge of this area, rests within a valley and attracts cyclists, walkers and joggers. You can enter the park from both Kingston Road and Old Kingston Road.
Morningside Park borders the side of this neighbourhood. Offers a blend of lush hardwood forests, expansive meadows and remnants of an ancient apple orchard. The park features trails among cyclists and pedestrians. It’s also a spot for country skiing during the winter months. Access to Morningside Park is available via Morningside Avenue south of Ellesmere Road.
The abundance of parks and recreational amenities in this area makes it easy to have fun outdoors. West Hill boasts 18 parks with a total of 59 facilities. On average each park offers around 3 facilities catering to interests, like kids playgrounds, sports activities, dog friendly spaces and skating opportunities.
West Hill, Toronto Transit
The Lawrence Avenue bus takes passengers to the Lawrence East subway station, on the Bloor Danforth subway line. If you hop on the Kingston Road bus it’ll drop you off at the Guildwood Go Train station. From there it’s a twenty five minute train ride to downtown Toronto’s Union Station.
For drivers it’s only about a five minute drive from the Morningside Avenue on ramp to Highway 401. Kingston Road offers motorists a route into the city as an alternative.
West Hill has a total of 76 transit stops, including rail stations like Guildwood. Most people in this area rely on their vehicles for commuting with many staying within the city for work or travel purposes.
West Hill, Toronto Elementary, Secondary High Schools
West Hill boasts schools, specialized programs, for both elementary and secondary high school education. The community is served by a total of 13 schools, 5 Catholic schools and one alternative/special school. Notably the local educational institutions offer a variety of programs such as International Baccalaureate, French Immersion, Special Education School and Advanced Placement options.
- Public Schools: 13
- Catholic Schools: 5
Public
- Poplar Road Junior Public School
- Jack Miner Senior Public School
- Joseph Brant Public School
- Galloway Road Public School
- Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate Institute
- Académie Alexandre-Dumas
- West Hill Public School
- Eastview Public School
- Sir Wilfrid Laurier Collegiate Institute
- St. Margaret’s Public School
- William G. Miller Public School
- West Hill Collegiate Institute
- ÉS Ronald-Marion
Catholic
- ÉSC Père-Philippe-Lamarche
- St. Ursula Catholic School
- St. Martin de Porres Catholic School
- ÉÉC Saint-Michel
- St. Malachy Catholic School
- Alternative/Special
- Maplewood High School
West Hill, Toronto Homes
West Hill features a variety of bungalow and storey and a half residences dating back to the 1940s, 50s and 60s alongside townhomes and custom built houses. The properties in this area are larger than average with lots adorned with mature Pine and Maple trees.
The neighbourhood boasts a range of housing options. It maintains a population with 32% of households having relocated in the five years and 11%, within the past year. West Hill predominantly consists of homes. Accommodates both homeowners and renters.