Anna Michaelidis | Thorncliffe Park Real Estate

H I S T O R Y

The Thorncliffe Park area was originally settled by George Taylor in the early 1800's. The tradition at this time was to give your house a name and Taylor named his home "Thorn Cliff". In 1888, George Taylor's daughter Margaret and her husband Robert Davies - a prominent brewer - purchased the Taylor property and created Thorncliffe farms, which became one of the leading breeders of race horses in Canada.

After Robert Davies' death in 1916 his sons sold Thorncliffe farms to a group of investors from Baltimore Maryland. Thorncliffe's new owners operated a popular race track on this site from 1920 until 1952, when Thorncliffe was purchased by the Ontario Jockey Club. Thorncliffe was then resold to Thorncliffe Park Ltd., which developed the present day neighbourhood in the late 1950's and early 1960's.

O V E R V I E W

Located along the Don River Valley corridor, Thorncliffe Park is a self-contained, multi-cultural community that includes its own shopping mall, school, library, park, community centre, churches, and business centre.

Thorncliffe Park has traditionally been a starting point for many new Canadians. To help these new residents adjust Thorncliffe Park has its own neighbourhood office, located inside the Thorncliffe Park Plaza. This neighbourhood resource centre provides multilingual, social and recreational programs and services for members of the Thorncliffe Park community.

H O M E S

Thorncliffe Park has traditionally been one of Toronto's largest rental districts. This neighbourhood contains over thirty low-and high-rise rental apartment buildings, close to six thousand apartment units, and more than thirteen thousand residents.

Thorncliffe Park also offers home ownership opportunities with new condominium apartment buildings and townhouses located on Overlea Boulevard.

S H O P P I N G

The East York Town Centre is located right in the middle of the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood on Overlea Boulevard. This large shopping centre has over seventy stores in addition to a large number of professional and medical offices. The East York Town Centre also features a Bowlerama bowling complex.

The Overlea Mews, adjacent to the East York Town Centre, is a small strip plaza that includes local convenience-type stores.

R E C R E A T I O N

Nature lovers and fitness enthusiasts can enter the scenic Don Valley trail system via Ernest Thompson Seton Park. This park can be accessed between number #71 and #75 Thorncliffe Park Drive. The E.T. Seton Park trail links up with both Sunnybrook Park and Edwards Gardens.

The Jenner Jean-Marie Community Centre on Thorncliffe Park Drive is a modern facility that includes a gymnasium, meeting rooms, and a public library.

Leaside Park located at the south end of the neighbourhood features a large sports field, two baseball diamonds, an outdoor heated pool, and six tennis courts.

S C H O O L S

(P) Thorncliffe Park, 80 Thorncliffe Park Dr., (416) 396-2460

(P) William Burgess, 100 Torrens Ave., (416) 396-2490

(PH) Marc Garneau Collegiate, 135 Overlea Boulevard, (416) 396-2410

Legend:

(P) Public School
(PH) Public High School
(CA) Catholic School
(PR) Private School
(PC) Private Catholic School
(PJ) Private Jewish School
(C) College
(U) University

T  R  A  N  S  P  O  R  T  A  T  I  O  N

Bus service on Overlea Boulevard and Thorncliffe Park Drive connect passengers to the Pape station on the Bloor-Danforth subway line.

Thorncliffe Park commuters travelling by car enjoy easy access to the Don Valley Parkway/Highway 404 corridor which quickly connects motorists to downtown Toronto, and to a network of highways at the north-end of the city.

The Toronto neighbourhood text profiles, sketches and maps displayed on this website were published in "Your Guide to Toronto Neighbourhoods", are copyright Maple Tree Publishing and have been reproduced by the Toronto Real Estate Board under license.