Wexford is a community, with a mix of cultures. The diversity shines through on Lawrence Avenue, which’s home to a variety of food stores and restaurants representing parts of the world. You can find East and West Indian, Caribbean, African, Mediterranean, Greek and Italian establishments in this mix.
History Of Wexford, Toronto
Wexford first emerged in the 1840s as a village centred around “The Rising Sun Inn,” located at the corner of what is now Lawrence and Pharmacy Avenue intersection. The inn, owned by Richard Sylvester, from Wexford County, Ireland was a spot. In 1865 Sylvester established a post office within the inn. Named it Wexford giving the community its name. St. Judes Church, built in 1848 by farmers and still standing on the side of Victoria Park Avenue south of Lawrence Avenue remains a significant historical landmark from Wexford’s early days. This church is among Toronto’s churches. Wexford remained a farming community until the 1950s when it transformed into the neighbourhood we know today.
Lifestyle
Lawrence Avenue is filled with shopping centres that offer a range of restaurants and food stores from various cultures. Victoria Park Avenue has a shopping scene albeit, on a scale. Eglinton Avenue boasts a mix of stores, family friendly restaurants, car dealerships, factory outlets and shopping malls. The Golden Mile mall, located on the northside of Eglinton Avenue east of Victoria Park Avenue was once Canada’s mall back in 1954. Today it houses a department store and supermarket along with smaller shops and even a dental centre. Across from the Golden Mile mall is Eglinton Square, which focuses on community events like “Family NightClub for kids ” “Walk a Mall’ ‘ activities, as seasonal specials and events. The anchor stores at Eglinton Square include the Bay department store and METRO supermarket.
Wexford, Toronto Parks & Facilities
The biggest park in this area is Wexford Park offering a baseball field, sports grounds, a kids play area and lots of spaces. Wexford Collegiate Institute, situated at 1176 Pharmacy Avenue boasts a gym and an indoor pool where various programs by Toronto Parks and Recreation are held.
Finding enjoyment is simple with the parks and recreational spots around here. The parks in this neighbourhood include children’s play areas and sports facilities. Wexford Maryvale has a total of 12 parks, with 51 venues altogether. On average each park has 4 facilities.
Wexford, Toronto Transit
Bus routes running along Eglinton, Lawrence, Warden, Pharmacy and Victoria Park Avenues provide connections for passengers to reach Bloor Danforth and Yonge University Spadina subway stations. Drivers can easily access the Don Valley Parkway via the Eglinton and Lawrence Avenue, on ramps a drive away from Highway 401.
In Wexford Maryvale there are a total of 273 transit stops, with Lawrence East Station serving as one of the rail stations. The neighbourhood primarily consists of commuters who rely on their vehicles to travel within the city.
Wexford, Toronto Elementary, Secondary High Schools
Wexford Maryvale boasts schools, specialized programs, for both elementary and secondary high school levels. The area is served by a total of 14 schools, 8 Catholic schools, 4 private schools and 1 alternative/special school. These educational institutions offer a variety of programs such as International Baccalaureate, French Immersion, Montessori, studies, Advanced Placement courses and opportunities, in the Fine Arts field.
- Public Schools: 14
- Catholic Schools: 8
- Private Schools: 4
Public
- Victoria Park Collegiate Institute
- Manhattan Park Junior Public School
- General Crerar Public School
- George Peck Public School
- Terraview-Willowfield Public School
- ÉÉ Jeanne-Lajoie
- Buchanan Public School
- Wexford Public School
- ÉS Étienne-Brûlé
- Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts
- Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute
- Maryvale Public School
- Ellesmere-Statton Public School
- Dorset Park Public School
Catholic
- St. Kevin Catholic School
- St. Lawrence Catholic School
- St. Albert Catholic School
- ÉÉC Sainte-Madeleine
- ÉSC Monseigneur-de-Charbonnel
- Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic School
- St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School
- Precious Blood Catholic School
Private
- Sathya Sai School of Toronto
- Bond Academy
- Um Al-Qura Islamic School
- Bond International College
- Alternative/Special
- Parkview Alternative School
Wexford, Toronto Homes
Wexford is known for its bungalows and cozy storey and a half houses that were constructed back in the 1950s. These residences are nestled on lots, with their private driveways and garages. Additionally Wexford boasts a variety of high rise apartment buildings scattered along the outskirts of the neighbourhood.
In Wexford Maryvale you’ll find a range of housing options. The area maintains a population with 32% of households having relocated within the last 5 years and 12% having moved in just the past year. Characterized by homes, Wexford Maryvale is primarily occupied by homeowners.