Yorkville

The Origins and Development of Yorkville

Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood has a long past that begins in the 1830’s. This is when Yorkville was subdivided by two men known as Joseph Bloor and Sheriff William Botsford Jarvis (Sheriff William was also the man who founded the Rosedale neighbourhood).

This neighbourhood was named after the forerunner of Toronto, the Town of York. Yorkville wasn’t officially incorporated until 1853 (almost 20 years after is subdivision). In 1883, Yorkville joined the City of Toronto and from then on the neighbourhood was known as the first village to be annexed. Even though Yorkville was officially apart of a large city, it has always maintained its own identity.

Throughout the years, Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood has undergone a variety of changes. In the 1960’s the neighbourhood was known as Toronto’s hippie haven, but then in the 1980’s it quickly turned into Toronto’s shopping mecca!

Today, Yorkville is known as one of Toronto’s most dynamic neighbourhoods! It offers the people of Toronto an exciting mix of luxury condominiums & apartment buildings, large commercial office towers, four star hotels, theatres, gourmet restaurants, an amazing shopping district that’s developed over 50 years, and most importantly Yorkville offers its residence beautiful Victorian real estate.

The real estate in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood was mainly built between 1870 and 1895. The majority of these houses were built with Victorian architecture. Many of these beautiful Victorian houses are listed in the Toronto Historical Board’s Inventory of Heritage Properties. These historical houses feature many unique decorative features, such as: ornamental brick patterns, gingerbread gables, cast iron fences, and richly landscaped gardens. The price of these houses vary from just over $500 000 Canadian to well over $1 000 000.

Shopping in Toronto’s Yorkville neighbourhood is a great experience. This shopping area is acclaimed as Canada’s preeminent shopping district, which features:

●       specialty stores

●       fashion boutiques

●       jewellery stores

●       antique shops

●       art galleries

●       independent shops

●       restaurants

This shopping district features over 100 exclusive shops and restaurants at your convenient disposal!

Recreational activities are easy to come by in the Yorkville neighbourhood. Depending on your personal interest, you may enjoy any or all of the following activities:

●       Take a stroll through Ramsden Park. This humongous park features: four tennis courts, an artificial ice rink, a children’s playground, and a wading pool.

●       Visit the local Public Library. The Yorkville Public Library is dedicated to provide its community with only the best programs and services, which include both children and adults!

●       To see the full history of the Yorkville neighbourhood, and even the entire City of Toronto, be sure to visit the George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art and/or the Royal Ontario Museum. Both museums offer unique experiences, which are sure to intrigue.

Whether you enjoy taking a stroll through the park, playing a game of tennis, or taking in some great knowledge through the local libraries and museums, you’re sure to keep busy while in the Yorkville neighbourhood!

Education is an important stage for all ages. Children can attend Jesse Ketchum Jr. & Sr. elementary public school, and the teenagers can attend Jarvis Collegiate Institute which is a public secondary school. There’s also the University of Toronto Schools, for anyone interested in private schooling.

Transportation out of the Yorkville neighbourhood is simple. The subway station is in walking distance from anywhere in Yorkville, and the subway will get you quickly across Toronto. For those who prefer to travel by car, Yorkville is only minutes away from downtown Toronto!