Under The Spotlight – Deer Park

Deer Park is different from many upscale Toronto neighbourhoods in that its homes are not isolated on the periphery of the neighbourhood. The residential streets spill out onto either Yonge Street or St. Clair Avenue, right into the heart of one of Toronto’s busiest shopping, entertainment, and business districts.

Deer Park’s commercial centre provides a good balance for this neighbourhood which is surrounded by lush green parkland, majestic trees, and the Vale of Avoca Ravine.

History:

Deer Park used to be referred to by the First Nations people as “Mushquoteh”, which means a meadow or opening in the wood where deer come to feed. In 1837, the Heath family purchased forty acres of land in “Mushquoteh”. Appropriately, they named their estate Deer Park.

By the 1850’s, the Deer Park area had grown to include a handful of country villas, a general store, a school, a cemetery, a race track, and a hotel that was located at the intersection of Yonge and St. Clair. Patrons at the Deer Park Hotel used to delight in feeding the deer that roamed on the hotel grounds.

The deer were long gone by the time Deer Park was annexed to the City of Toronto in 1908. Deer Park filled in very quickly after annexation. By the 1930’s the Deer Park neighbourhood was established as one of Toronto’s finest residential districts.

Houses:

Deer Park has a wonderful mix of detached and semi-detached houses that encompass a variety of architectural styles. Most of the original Deer Park houses were built between 1875 and 1920. Deer Park also contains a fair number of newer townhouses that blend in well with the older homes in the neighbourhood.

Deer Park has one of the largest selections of luxury condominium apartment buildings in Toronto. Most of these apartments have balconies with picturesque views of the park, the ravine or the city.

Schools:

Brown PS – French Immersion – Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6
Deer Park Jr. and Sr. PS – Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8

North Toronto CI – Grade 9 to Grade 12
Jarvis CI – Grade 9 to Grade 12

To find out which schools are associated with your prospective new home, please click here to access the TDSB Street Guide and enter the street name only.

Shopping:

The Yonge and St. Clair shopping district is known for its many fine restaurants. The high profile retailers in this area attract shoppers from all over the city.

Most of the local staple and grocery stores are located inside the St. Clair Centre and The Towne Mall or at the Delisle Court.

Recreation:

The RosehillReservoirPark, on Pleasant Boulevard, is one of Toronto’s prettiest parks. Wrapped around the park is a surfaced path that’s ideal for walking, jogging, and cycling. The top tier of the park has a large children’s playground and a wading pool. This part of the park is also decorated with a water fountain, a reflecting pool, and a waterfall.

Next to the RosehillReservoirPark is the DavidBalfourPark which includes a hiking trail through the wilderness of the Vale of Avoca Ravine. OriolePark is located at the northern tip of Deer Park. It has a playground, a wading pool, two tennis courts and access to the ïBelt Line’, a seven kilometre path that follows the route of Toronto’s old Belt Line Railway.

Transportation:

The St. Clair subway station is within walking distance of every home in Deer Park.

Motorists are approximately ten minutes from downtown, and twenty minutes from Toronto’s Expressways and Highways.

Please Note: The neighbourhood profile text and sketch were originally published in “Your Guide to Toronto Neighbourhoods”, © Maple Tree Publishing Inc., and have been reproduced under license.