The Kingsway is a neighbourhood community that was designed especially for families. The houses and property lots are spacious, the streets are pedestrian friendly, and the schools, shopping, and recreation are all within walking distance.
Known for its tranquil setting, the Kingsway is settled among the forest of the Humber River Valley. The streetscape is filled with magnificent oak and maple trees that provide an ideal setting for the stately homes that grace this neighbourhood.
The Kingsway was originally leased by the Church of England to local farmers until 1908 when it was obtained by Robert Home Smith. It was through his vision of a family community that the Kingsway neighbourhood was founded.
Marketing for the Kingsway subdivision began in 1912. Initially, the outbreak of World War I and the lack of transportation routes across the Humber River Valley delayed home sales. Sales successfully resumed in 1924 after the Bloor Street bridge had been built.
Home Smith's strategy for the Kingsway was to emulate an English style garden suburb of the utmost integrity and splendour. The houses situated between Kingsway Crescent and Royal York Road, and from Bloor Street north to Kings Garden Road were developed as part of a separate plan of subdivision called "Kingsway Park". The houses in this area were constructed between 1924 and 1947 and comprise of some of the best models of Old English classical and vernacular architecture in the city of Toronto.
Many houses in the Kingway feature beautiful stone exteriors, complex tapestry brick patterns, as well as ornate stucco and half timbering designs. Some more features of these homes include solid oak doors, leaded glass windows, fanciful bay and oriel windows (a type of Bay window), and ornamental wrought iron railings and porch lamps.
The oldest homes in the Kingsway can be found along Government Road near Dundas Street. Some wonderful examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture can be found here, which were built throughout the later half of the 1800's and the early 1900's. A few contemporary bungalows, built in the 1940’s and 1940’s, are blended in with these older homes.
Kingsway Village shopping district, located on Bloor Street West, maintains the village theme of the neighbourhood. It has an exceptional combination of small specialty shops, chain stores, restaurants and professional and medical services. There are park benches positioned all along this route, along with black painted cast-iron street lamps and garbage bins that are enclosed in cast iron.
Dundas Street West, at the north end of the Kingsway, is a modest version Kingsway Village shopping district. The majority of shops are in strip plazas. These include a few home furnishing/design, landscaping shops, hobby and craft stores, an antique store and an art gallery. There is also the added bonus of a drive through dry cleaner that provides an in-car drop off and pick up service. The Kingsway Mills outdoor shopping plaza at 4242 Dundas Street West is an assortment of small chain stores, specialty shops, and a fine food store.
The Etobicoke Memorial Pool and Health Club, located at 44 Montgomery Road, delivers a variety of aerobic and aqua fit programming for adults. Right next door is the Central Arena, which has public skating, as well as organized ice and ball hockey leagues for children and adults.
Central Park, situated off Islington south of Dundas, is the home of the Etobicoke Lawn Bowling Club, which comprises of two bowling greens. There are also tennis courts and a sizeable baseball diamond.
Residents of the Kingsway enjoy a 10 kilometre paved trail that follows the Humber River. The trail provides a path for cyclists, walkers, and joggers all the way down to the Martin Goodman Trail on Toronto's waterfront.
The neighbourhood library is Brentwood Public Library, at 36 Brentwood Road North. Along with the English language collection, it has a large collection in French and Polish and a multitude of children's and adult programming. The Kingsway Theatre at 3030 Bloor Street West shows old and new films and offers membership for a low annual fee.
For transportation, the majority of the Kingsway residents walk to either Royal York or Islington subway stations, a part of the Bloor-Danforth subway line, on Bloor Street. The Islington station is a connecting route for the Mississauga Transit system as well as providing an express bus service to Pearson International airport. Car drivers can access downtown Toronto in approximately twenty minutes via either Bloor Street, or Lakeshore Boulevard. The airport is an estimated a ten minute drive from the Kingsway.
To search Listings in The Kingsway and surrounding areas click here
For more information on The Kingsway Real Estate click here
Schools in The Kingsway
