Description
Junior Schools
Calico
Chalk Farm
Dellcrest
Downsview
Maple Leaf
Middle Schools
Beverley Heights
Pierre Laporte
Secondary Schools
Downsview Secondary School
Nelson A. Bolen
Catholic
St. Conrad
Madonna
Private
St. James AcademyBest For
Families who enjoy an outdoor lifestyle close to Toronto’s largest urban park.
Overview
Downsview is one of the largest neighbourhoods in North York and includes its largest urban park, Downsview Park, situated on the former Canadian Forces base. It’s a great family neighbourhood because it’s like a mini-me of the mega-city – you have all of the conveniences of central Toronto with housing prices that are much more affordable for the average family.
If you’re looking at Toronto houses for sale, you may worry that living north of the core means sacrificing on services and amenities. That’s not the case. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Downsview offers its residents some of the best shopping and recreation in the GTA as well as first-class health care with the expanded new Humber River Hospital that’s affiliated with both the University of Toronto and Queen’s University. It has good schools and there’s a great balance between urban and natural spaces.
Downsview is located in the north part of Toronto. It runs from Highway 401 north to Sheppard, between Allen Road and Highway 400.
Photo of Downsview Park by Peter from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Why We Love Downsview
Living by the Park’s Got Its Perks
Downsview Park, already Toronto’s largest park, is undergoing a massive revitalization. One of the most important real estate projects ever under the Canada Lands Company's purvue, the master-plan includes the creation of new and revitalized parkland, five new residential neighbourhoods, commercial buildings and educational institutions that together will form Canada's only national urban park.
According to the official Downsview Park website, the new residential neighbourhoods will include: "five integrated urban neighbourhoods (that)... create a model of progressive sustainable urban development." The five neighbourhoods will be Staney Greene, William Baker, Sheppard, Chesswood and Allen. One of the largest residential developents already underway is Downsview Park, named for the park itself. A joint partnership between Mattamy Homes and Urbancorp, this new community will include close to 500 townhomes, around 550 mid-rise apartment units as well as 29 single-family homes.
five integrated neighbourhoods with a full range of land uses to create a model of progressive sustainable urban development. Five related neighbourhoods will be developed : Stanley Greene; William Baker; Sheppard; Chesswood; and Allen. - See more at: http://downsviewpark.ca/content/about-downsview-park-0#sthash.JBFjVeu7.dpuf
ive integrated neighbourhoods with a full range of land uses to create a model of progressive sustainable urban development. Five related neighbourhoods will be developed : Stanley Greene; William Baker; Sheppard; Chesswood; and Allen. - See more at: http://downsviewpark.ca/content/about-downsview-park-0#sthash.JBFjVeu7.dpuf
ive integrated neighbourhoods with a full range of land uses to create a model of progressive sustainable urban development. Five related neighbourhoods will be developed : Stanley Greene; William Baker; Sheppard; Chesswood; and Allen. - See more at: http://downsviewpark.ca/content/about-downsview-park-0#sthash.JBFjVeu7.dpuf
In addition to creating a unique urban park the development includes five integrated neighbourhoods with a full range of land uses to create a model of progressive sustainable urban development. Five related neighbourhoods will be developed : Stanley Greene; William Baker; Sheppard; Chesswood; and Allen. - See more at: http://downsviewpark.ca/content/about-downsview-park-0#sthash.JBFjVeu7.dpuf
Despite being one of the largest development projects ever in Toronto with Federal Government backing, at time of writing this, Ottawa seems to be flailing on the specifics after 15 years of planning. The exact future of the Downsview Park revitalization is not certain as the feds turn their attention to Rouge Park and debate selling off parts of Downsview. The hold-ups and close-lipped approach has local councillors fighting for Ottawa to hand over Downsview Park land.
That said, whether the master-plan gets fulfilled to 100% of it's original vision or not, there are a heck of a lot of perks to Downsview Park in its current state, particularly as it already underwent the first parts of the revitalization which launched to the public back in 2012. Downsview Park is already well-equipped with over 300 acres of natural land and developed spaces including family play and sports areas, camps and school programming, a Discovery Centre, the Canadian Air and Space Museum, a skate park, soccer leagues, arts and music programs and a ton of fun activities including paintball, roller derby, go-karting and even a circus school.
Plus, there are family events throughout the year including a fall festival and the popular trail of lights during the Christmas season. So any future development here will only improve what's already a great thing.
Shopping is Stellar
Downsview is probably the best neighborhood in Toronto for shopping amenities. It’s a short drive to some of the city’s most popular malls including Yorkdale and Sheridan plus smaller but well-stocked malls like Lawrence Square and Sheppard Plaza.