Thorncliffe Park

Last updated

Thorncliffe Park
Neighbourhood
Thorncliffe Park in 2023.jpg
Aerial view of Thorncliffe Park in 2023
Thorncliffe Park map.PNG
The northwest portion is only sometimes considered part of Thorncliffe Park
Coordinates: 43°42′17″N79°20′47″W / 43.70472°N 79.34639°W / 43.70472; -79.34639
CountryFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
ProvinceFlag of Ontario.svg  Ontario
City Toronto
CommunityToronto & East York
Changed Municipality1998 Toronto from East York
Government
 •  MP Rob Oliphant (Don Valley West)
 •  MPP Stephanie Bowman (Don Valley West)
 •  Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin (Ward 15 Don Valley West)

Thorncliffe Park is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in the former Borough of East York.

Contents

The City of Toronto recognizes Thorncliffe Park's boundaries as the Don River on the south side; Leaside Bridge, Millwood Road, and Laird Drive on the west side; the West Don River on the east side; and Eglinton Avenue East on the north side. [1]

History

Aerial view of East York in 1942, with Thorncliffe Park Raceway visible to the south (bottom). The race track operated from 1917 to 1953. TorontoThorncliffeAerial1942.jpg
Aerial view of East York in 1942, with Thorncliffe Park Raceway visible to the south (bottom). The race track operated from 1917 to 1953.
East York Town Centre East York Town Centre - East York, Ontario.jpg
East York Town Centre

Thorncliffe Park is named for Thorn Cliff House, the first Toronto home of the industrious 19th century Taylor family. The house was located on 82 acres of farmland that British settler John Taylor purchased in 1831 at the Forks of the Don Valley, in present-day E.T. Seton Park. [2] Thorn Cliff remained the family home until 1888 and was demolished in the 1940s. [3] Taylor purchased the land from Samuel Sinclair. It was originally farmed by Parshall Terry, with settlement records for Thorncliffe Park going back to 1800, just seven years after the founding of the Town of York. [4]

With growing business interests in horse and cattle breeding, farming, lumbering, and milling throughout the mid-19th century, John Taylor’s sons increased the family’s land holdings to thousands of acres in the Don Valley and surrounding table lands. This included all the land between the future Leslie Street and Don Valley Parkway, to a half mile north of Eglinton Avenue East, including the future Flemingdon Park. Six hundred acres of this land became known as Thorn Cliff Farm. [5]

By 1888, a prominent Toronto businessperson and Taylor son-in-law named Robert T. Davies had purchased 600 acres of land including the original family home, Thorn Cliff. [6] Davies founded Thorncliffe Stock Farm, sometimes referred to as Thorncliffe Stable, which became a world-famous facility for breeding Clydesdales, standardbreds, and the largest thoroughbred stable in Canada. [7] Davies’s sons relocated the stables to Thornhill, Ontario after selling a significant portion of the farm in 1920 to American investors to operate a racetrack, doing business under the name Thorncliffe Park Racing and Breeding Association Ltd. [8] [9]

The racetrack was home to thoroughbred horse racing and harness racing from 1917 until 1952 when it was sold for real estate development. Today, the old racetrack site is commemorated by two streets named Grandstand Place and Milepost Place and the number of buildings that took on racetrack stable names like Churchill, Maple Glen and Wellow Glen.

The Thorncliffe Ski Jump, located west of the present day Ontario Science Centre, was opened by the Toronto Ski Club in January 1934 and operated until February 1941. Its last recorded event raised funds for the Canadian Red Cross and Norwegian War Aid Fund during World War II. [10]

In the 1950s, developers tore down the racetrack and created one of Toronto's first high-rise neighbourhoods. The neighbourhood embodies some standard urban planning ideas of the era – high concentrations of similar housing types, strict separation of retail and residential development, and the assumption that everyone has a car. Low-rise buildings are clustered inside the enclosure created by Thorncliffe Park and Overlea, while high-rise buildings line the outside of Thorncliffe Park. Retail establishments were concentrated in a single shopping mall, now called the East York Town Centre, between the two arms of Thorncliffe Park Drive at Overlea Boulevard. Smaller retail and service plazas have recently opened along Overlea Boulevard. Many residents on Thorncliffe Park Drive are at considerable walking distance from shops, although this problem is mitigated somewhat, even in winter, by well kept sidewalks and walkways and by frequent bus service.

Street names

Some of Thorncliffe Park's street names commemorate a former racetrack located there, or recognize the Town of Leaside's role in the development of the new community. [11]

Demographics

According to the 2016 Census, Thorncliffe Park has a population of 21,108, a 9.79% increase from 2011. The top 10 non-English mother tongues are Urdu (24.4%), Pashto (5.1%), Tagalog (Filipino) (4.7%), Persian (4.6%), Gujarati (4.1%), Arabic (3.5%), Bengali (2%), Greek (1.5%), Punjabi (1.4%), and Spanish (1.4%). [19]


According to the 2016 Census, Thorncliffe Park is an extremely diverse community, with the vast majority of its residents being Visible minorities, with many being immigrants. Just under one-third, 32%, of Thorncliffe Park residents were born in Canada, and over 18% of Thorncliffe Park residents immigrated into Canada between 2011 and 2016. [20]

Pakistani, Indian and Afghan Canadians make up 21%, 17.6% and 8.8% of the neighbourhood's population, respectively. [20]

In 2016, 46.6% of residents identified as South Asian, 20.5% identified as White Canadian, 8.45% identified as West Asian Canadians, 7.1% identified as Filipino Canadians, 5.2% identified as Black Canadians, 3.2% identified as Arab Canadians, 2.04% identified as Chinese Canadians, 1.42% identified as Latin American Canadians and 0.6% identified as Korean Canadians. [20]

Infrastructure

Transportation

Public Transportation

Toronto Transit Commission buses operate in the community. When the new Line 5 Eglinton line opens, the 81 Thorncliffe Park and 88 South Leaside buses will connect to Science Centre Station and Laird Station, respectively. [21] Thorncliffe Park Station will be a new stop on the Ontario Line, expected to open in 2030. Metrolinx is also building a maintenance and storage facility in the neighbourhood. The project requires the relocation of culturally-significant amenities and services, resulting in community members calling for a redesign of the project locally. [22]

Roads

The Overlea Bridge, formally known as the Charles H. Hiscott Bridge, was built in 1960 to cross the west branch of the Don River and connect Overlea Boulevard to Don Mills Road, linking Thorncliffe Park to Flemingdon Park. The bridge was named for former mayor of Leaside Charles Henry Hiscott (1956 to 1961). [23] Reconstruction is planned for the 2022-2025 period as part of the Renewing Overlea Boulevard project and will included widened sidewalks, the addition of cycle tracks and public art. [24]

Education

Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy 2023.jpg
Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy

Schools operated by the Toronto District School Board in Thorncliffe Park include Thorncliffe Park Public School, Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy, Valley Park Middle School, and Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute.

Recreation

R.V. Burgess Park R.V. Burgess Park in 2023.jpg
R.V. Burgess Park

Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation (PF&R) manages the Jenner Jean-Marie Community Centre and is responsible for the maintenance of R.V. Burgess Park, Leaside Park and Outdoor Pool, and E.T. Seton Park, which is a part of the Toronto Ravine System. The Thorncliffe branch of the Toronto Public Library operates in the neighbourhood. Leaside Park is home to the Thorncliffe Park Tennis Club. [25]

In culture

The neighbourhood has been depicted in the films Arrowhead [26] and Concrete Valley . [27]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East York</span> District of Toronto, Ontario, Canada

East York is a district and former municipality within Toronto, Ontario, Canada. From 1967 to 1998, it was officially the Borough of East York, a borough within the upper-tier municipality of Metropolitan Toronto. The borough was dissolved in 1998 when it was amalgamated with the other lower-tier municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto to form the new "megacity" of Toronto. Prior to its amalgamation, East York was Ontario's last remaining borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaside</span> Neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Leaside (/'liːˌsaɪd/) is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located northeast of Downtown Toronto, in the vicinity of Eglinton Avenue East and Bayview Avenue. It is one of the most expensive and exclusive neighbourhoods in the city. The area takes its name from William Lea and the Lea family, who settled there in the early years of the 19th century. The area first developed as farmland along with Toronto through the 19th century. It was incorporated as a town in 1913. In 1967, it amalgamated with the township of East York to form the borough of East York. In 1998, it became part of the city of Toronto.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Pitfield</span> Canadian politician

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Mills Road</span> Major north-south route in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario

Don Mills Road is a north-south route in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, passing through the former cities of East York and North York. It begins at O'Connor Drive near ramps to the Don Valley Parkway, and ends at John Street in Markham, where its name changes to Leslie Street. North of Steeles Avenue, the road is officially named as York Regional Road 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie Street</span> North-south route in Ontario, Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayview Avenue</span> Major north-south route in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaside Bridge</span> Bridge in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Leaside Bridge, formerly the East York Leaside Viaduct, and officially commemorated as the Confederation Bridge, is a truss bridge that spans the Don River in the City of Toronto, Ontario. Carrying six lanes of Millwood Road, it was built to connect the then Town of Leaside, including Thorncliffe Park, to the then Township of East York, and was completed on October 29, 1927. The construction time of only 10 months was record breaking at the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">True Davidson</span> Canadian politician and writer

Jean Gertrude "True" Davidson, CM, was a Canadian politician, teacher, and writer. She was the first mayor of the Borough of East York, Ontario, and she was one of Metropolitan Toronto's most colourful politicians in a career spanning nearly 25 years. She spent 10 years on the East York school board and 11 years as alderwoman, reeve and mayor on East York Council. During her time in municipal politics she ran in 11 elections and never lost.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaside Towers</span> Upscale Residential Apartment in Toronto, Ontario

The Leaside Towers are the tallest buildings in the East York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are a twin set of Brutalist-style apartment towers, with one facing north-south, and another facing east-west. Located at 85 and 95 Thorncliffe Park Drive near Overlea, it is the tallest building in East York prior to amalgamation.

The Don Mills LRT was a proposed light rail line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was part of the Transit City proposal announced March 16, 2007, to be operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). It was expected to cost approximately $675 million, with construction to begin in 2012, and an expected opening in 2016. It would have been the fifth of the seven Transit City lines to be complete after the Sheppard East, Finch West, Waterfront West, and Eglinton lines. Ridership was estimated to be 21.2 million trips in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorncliffe Park Raceway</span>

Thorncliffe Park Raceway was a Toronto-area racetrack that operated from 1917 until 1952. It was located east of Millwood Road, south of Eglinton Avenue East and the CPR's railroad tracks. It was the first home of the Prince of Wales Stakes. The name is retained today by the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert T. Davies</span> Canadian racehorse owner

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">East York Town Centre</span> Shopping mall

East York Town Centre is a neighbourhood shopping centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on Overlea Boulevard in the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Mills Trail</span> Cycling and walking trail in Toronto

The Don Mills Trail is a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) cycling and walking trail in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The trail runs south from York Mills Road, east of and roughly parallel to Leslie Street. The city built the trail on the roadbed of a former railway line, known as the Leaside Spur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leaside station (Canadian Pacific Railway)</span> Railway station in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Leaside station is a former railway station in Toronto that served Leaside and Thorncliffe Park. The Canadian Pacific Railway built the station in 1894 to serve the new community of Leaside, on a railway line leased from the Ontario and Quebec Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ontario Line</span> Rapid transit line under construction in Toronto

The Ontario Line is a rapid transit line under construction in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its northern terminus will be at Eglinton Avenue and Don Mills Road, at Science Centre station, where it will connect with Line 5 Eglinton. Its southern terminus will be at the existing Exhibition GO Station on the Lakeshore West line. The Ontario Line was announced by the Government of Ontario on April 10, 2019. As of August 2024, the estimated cost for the 15.6-kilometre (9.7 mi) line is CA$27 billion with an estimated completion in 2031. Originally, the cost was estimated at $10.9 billion with completion by 2027. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project took place on March 27, 2022. Upon opening, the plan is for the line to be numbered as "Line 3". This number was used by Line 3 Scarborough until its closure in July 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beth Nealson</span> First and last woman mayor of Leaside, Canada

Beth Nealson was a Canadian politician, community planner, and journalist. She was elected mayor of Leaside, Ontario, in 1962, making her the first woman mayor in Metropolitan Toronto. Known as "Mrs. Leaside", Nealson was also the last mayor of Leaside, which was amalgamated with East York township in 1967. In 1966, Nealson ran and lost against True Davidson for the mayoralty of the newly formed borough of East York, in a historic election billed by the Canadian media as "The Battle of the Belles". Before becoming mayor, Nealson served on the Leaside Education Board and the Leaside town council, and was vice chairman of the Ontario Division of the Community Planning Association of Canada. Beth Nealson Drive in Toronto is named after her.

References

  1. ↑ "Neighbourhood Profile Data". City of Toronto. 12 April 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ Kennedy, Scott (2017). "13: Donlands Farm and the Taylor Family". Don Mills. Dundurn Press. ISBN   978-1-4597-3682-5.
  3. ↑ Guthrie, Ann (2017). Don Valley Legacy: A Pioneer History. Boston Mills Press. ISBN   0-919783-15-5.
  4. ↑ Kennedy, Scott (2017). "13: Donlands Farm and the Taylor Family". Don Mills. Dundurn Press. ISBN   978-1-4597-3682-5.
  5. ↑ Kennedy, Scott (2017). "13: Donlands Farm and the Taylor Family". Don Mills. Dundurn Press. ISBN   978-1-4597-3682-5.
  6. ↑ Kennedy, Scott (2017). "13: Donlands Farm and the Taylor Family". Don Mills. Dundurn Press. ISBN   978-1-4597-3682-5.
  7. ↑ Kennedy, Scott (2017). "13: Donlands Farm and the Taylor Family". Don Mills. Dundurn Press. ISBN   978-1-4597-3682-5.
  8. ↑ Rempel, J.I. (1982). The Town of Leaside: A Brief History. East York Historical Society. ISBN   0-9691067-0-X.
  9. ↑ Guthrie, Ann (2017). Don Valley Legacy: A Pioneer History. Boston Mills Press. ISBN   0-919783-15-5.
  10. ↑ David Wencer, "Historicist: "All Ski Jumpers Are Not Intent on Suicide"". Torontoist, February 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ Pitfield, Jane (2000). "13: The Origins of Street Names". Leaside. Natural Heritage Books, A Member of The Dundurn Group. ISBN   978-1-55002-875-1.
  12. ↑ Pitfield, Jane (2000). "18: Selected Highlights of Leaside Council Meetings". Leaside. Natural Heritage Books, A Member of The Dundurn Group. ISBN   978-1-55002-875-1.
  13. ↑ Bradburn, Jamie (19 July 2014). "Historicist: The Battle of the Belles" . Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  14. ↑ Pitfield, Jane (2000). "18: Selected Highlights of Leaside Council Meetings". Leaside. Natural Heritage Books, A Member of The Dundurn Group. ISBN   978-1-55002-875-1.
  15. ↑ Pitfield, Jane (2000). "18: Selected Highlights of Leaside Council Meetings". Leaside. Natural Heritage Books, A Member of The Dundurn Group. ISBN   978-1-55002-875-1.
  16. ↑ Pitfield, Jane (2000). "Appendix B: Leaside Town Councils 1913–1967". Leaside. Natural Heritage Books, A Member of The Dundurn Group. ISBN   978-1-55002-875-1.
  17. ↑ "Renaming of a portion of Thorncliffe Park Drive west of Beth Nealson Drive" (PDF). City of Toronto. April 15, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Request to Rename a Portion of William Morgan Drive to Patriarch Bartholomew Way". City of Toronto. June 24, 1998. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Neighbourhood Profile Data - Thorncliffe Park". City of Toronto. 12 April 2022.
  20. 1 2 3 "Neighbourhood Profile Detail". City of Toronto. 2022-04-12. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
  21. ↑ "2022 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  22. ↑ Jessica Cheung. "Metrolinx facility driving out community hubs in Thorncliffe Park, residents worry". CBC News. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Charles H. Hiscott Bridge, Toronto | 1263051 | EMPORIS". Archived from the original on 2021-02-08.
  24. ↑ "Renewing Overlea Boulevard". City of Toronto. 15 February 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Tennis Courts Listings". City of Toronto. 25 August 2022.
  26. ↑ "Director digs deep to uncover urban life Arrowhead an archeological excursion into highrise life". Toronto Star , January 19, 1994.
  27. ↑ Mira Miller, "A movie about immigrating to Thorncliffe Park is getting its world premiere in Toronto". BlogTO, September 11, 2022.
  28. ↑ Bliss, Michael (2 December 2015). "Our Leaside includes Thorncliffe Park" . Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  29. ↑ Wong, Jan (3 April 2004). "All that space, the neighbours marvel" . Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  30. ↑ "East York's Leaside Tower in Thorncliffe Park, Toronto Mayor William Dennison and his wife stand by the window". Toronto Public Library Digital Archive. Toronto Public Library . Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Even while relaxing at home in his 22nd-floor Leaside apartment, Toronto Mayor William Dennison has an attache case full of work beside him". Toronto Public Library Digital Archive. Toronto Public Library . Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Fascinating Facts about East York". Toronto Public Library Board. 1996. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  33. ↑ Pitfield, Jane (2000). Leaside. Natural Heritage Books, A Member of The Dundurn Group. p. 478 of 608. ISBN   978-1-55002-875-1.
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