Toronto is known for being a high pace, bustling city. It attracts young professionals from far and wide, especially as it continues to be the hub for a lot of thriving industries. With great events happening all throughout the year, lots of bars and restaurants at each corner and a vibrant nightlife — it’s no surprise the city attracts young people from across the country to work, study and play.
Despite that, let’s not forget that Toronto also features a lot of incredible neighbourhoods that cater to families. Outside the immediate downtown core, there are many areas that are within close proximity to schools, outdoor green spaces, recreational areas and lively shopping districts to get all your errands done (many even have free parking! Yay!)
If you’re looking to start a family or relocate your growing one to a neighbourhood in Toronto that’s fit to raising your kids, here are some of the top family-friendly neighbourhoods in the city:
The Beaches
With a name like “The Beaches” it is exactly what it implies — a little neighbourhood oasis right at the end of the city’s east end. While located not too far from the downtown core, this ‘hood offers great greenspace around Lake Ontario, including the park Ashbridges Bay which features a famous boardwalk for those to stroll along and appreciate the city skyline.
It’s home to a number of great schools like ÉÉC Georges-Étienne-Cartier and Norway Junior Public School, has a low crime rate and hosts a number of annual festivals (i.e. TD Toronto Jazz Festival) to help keep families entertained throughout the year. The area features semi-detached and detached Victorian and Edwardian classic homes with average market prices of about $1.4 million+. It’s a big investment but worth it for those looking for a diverse range of family-friendly amenities and strong sense of community that’s hard to come by in other areas of the city.
The Danforth East
Also located in the east end is the family-friendly neighbourhood of the Danforth. While it’s best known for being called home to many of Toronto’s Greek community, as well as playing host to the popular Taste of the Danforth festival — this neighborhood attracts many growing families as real estate is still quite reasonable compared to other parts of the city. In fact it’s so popular, that it ranked first for being the most searched Toronto neighbourhood by home buyers. It’s still possible to snag a semi-detached home with parking for under a million in pockets closer to Woodbine or Main, while the closer to Pape the average homes range from 1.2m to 2m.
The main strip is convenient for its shopping amenities and also in close proximity to a number of schools for your kids to be sent to. It’s location on the Bloor-Danforth line also makes it easy for commuters to head into the core if necessary, and it’s only a short bus ride to areas such as Ashbridges Bay in the Beaches, the perfect place for a weekend familying outing.
Davisville Village
Davisville is known to attract young families across the city for it’s greenspace and fantastic neighbourhood amenities ranging from recreational facilities, shopping and entertainment, featuring a number of bars and restaurants in the neighbourhood. The schools there are also some of the best in the city, with Maurice Cody PS being highly ranked. It even features many private school options including The York School and Toronto French School.
It’s midtown location makes it an easy commute for those looking to head into the core and for those looking to buy can find a number of fantastic single-family homes that date back to the early 1900s.
Allenby
The Allenby is a coveted uptown neighborhood that attracts a number of families into the area, as it features a number of notable schools including Allenby PS which is known for having a comprehensive French Immersion program. In terms of housing it features a healthy mix of detached 2-storey homes and bungalows, ideal for raising kids in the big city. The homes in the area are larger than most found, many of which are tudor style from the early 1940s. Like many of Toronto’s top neighbourhoods, the Allenby also features great shopping districts and amenities, many within walking distance and a short commute to the downtown core — approximately 20 minutes by car or TTC — for parents that need to get to their office jobs. For weekend family adventures, the Allenby is also home to a number of parks including Eglinton Park and Beltline Trail which are perfect for cycling or walking.
Bloor West Village
This west end neighbourhood combines that city and suburban feel all into one, while actually being quite close to the city’s core. Bloor West Village is conveniently located by High Park, one of Toronto’s most prized greenspaces, which is packed with recreational amenities for little ones like playgrounds and wading pools, and even includes the High Park Zoo, perfect for any weekend family adventures that’s totally free. The area itself offers families an array of public elementary and high schools, as well as libraries and recreation centres including Annette and Swansea Community Recreation Centres.
But the true charm of the neighbourhood comes from the “village” itself, which runs along Bloor from Jane to High Park. It features an array of entertainment and retail options, so families have everything they need right in their backyard. In addition to these local convenience, homes in the area are the prime size for raising a family in the city as well. The majority you’ll find there are 2-storey semi-detached and detached homes, built in the early 1900’s. For younger families, there are a number of condominiums and developments in the area as well that help with those with smaller budgets.
And there you have it, those are my top picks for family-friendly neighbourhoods in Toronto. If you’re still not quite sure which ‘hood is best for you and your kiddos, contact me today and we can go through your options!
