Allenby
[optima_express_toppicks id=”1778027″ sortBy=”pd” header=”true” includeMap=”false” status=”active”]
Located west of Avenue Road, south of Briar Hill Avenue, and north of Eglinton Avenue West, this charming neighbourhood provides the perfect nesting place for raising families, with its alluring and captivating homes, amazing shopping and recreational facilities, and excellent transport links.
ALLENBY HOME
HISTORY
Nothing adds more prestige to this neighbourhood than its history. Some of its earlier inhabitants were The Huron tribe, who had a village here from the 1400s until the early 1700s. Lyman. B. Jackes in his writings entitled “Tales of North Toronto” described the village as “a well organized and extensive community that had its centre in an artesian spring of pure water. The spring flowed where the modern water tower rears its head on Roselawn Avenue, just to the west of Avenue Road. The great tribal huts were on the site of the present-day Allenby Public School.”
Interestingly, the hill that Allenby Public School presently stands on is not natural but man-made, due to the practices of the tribe in concealing food stocks underground.
Fast forward 600 years, and Allenby is now a thriving, well founded, and desirable neighbourhood bursting with character!
REAL ESTATE & ARCHITECTURE
Allenby retains an architectural flair like no other! Built between the 1930s and ‘40s, the homes exude a Tudor design and equally larger-than-life lots, with the average being between 25- and 35-foot frontages. Notably, you cannot fail to miss the togetherness of the neighbourhood that results from the mirroring effect of the homes, which although similar are by no means identical! The neighbourhood typically features a wonderful melange of bungalows and two-storey detached homes. Notably, despite recent renovations, homeowners are still eager to preserve parts of the original woodwork and ornate details, retaining an old world charm. Nevertheless, many of the homes’ exteriors remain untouched and retain the 1930s and ’40s panache.
EGLINTON PARK NORTH BUILDING BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
RECREATION – LET’S DANCE!
Located in Eglinton Park, at 200 Eglinton Avenue West, The North Toronto Memorial Community Recreation Centre is a popular hot spot with Torontonians with its multi-use complex. Bolstered by a healthy amount of facilities and a variety of exciting registered programs to suit all tastes. it’s no wonder the Centre is regarded as one of Allenby’s great attractions!
If you or your little ones are interested in getting those jazz hands out, why not look through the rich menu the centre offers? The registered programmes offer dance classes in ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop, with courses both offering dance instruction and social dancing from an introductory level through to intermediate level. Also a must are the fitness and well being classes with Tai Chi, Pilates, and yoga on offer as a popular favourite.
Aside from the lively activities, there are in addition drop-in programs, which include box-ercise, a walking track, and aerobics. Facilities-wise, the centre offers impressive features including a gym, indoor and outdoor pools, aerobic and weight rooms, a walking track, and two artificial ice rinks used as tennis courts during summers.
BELTLINE TRAIL BY LOOZRBOY
THE BELTLINE TRAIL
For outdoor enthusiasts, the nearby Beltline trail is an experience worth having. With its tranquil and leafy surroundings, you can reminisce and leave behind life’s worries! Explore this hidden gem, whether it is by an early morning run, an evening walk, or walking the dog. Indulge in this natural beauty and bask in the calming silence that is nature.
WHERE TO SHOP
Think shopping in the streets of Paris’ Champs Elysées but with Toronto flair: Allenby offers a truly pleasurable shopping experience! Allenby’s Eglinton Way is one of the most fashionable shopping districts in Toronto. The neighbourhood sits within easy reach of many eateries, shops, and boutiques geared toward families with young children. If you love handmade and eye-catching statement jewellery, why not stop off at Vicky’s Jewellery for last-minute antique and quirky pieces to finish off your outfit, or indulge that sweet tooth with a little treat from Phipps Bakery Café on 420 Eglinton Ave. West? From shops like Kick Maternity, which sells sassy and trendy maternity clothing, and Little ones, selling great quality children’s wear to professional services, you are guaranteed to spend the ultimate day eating, strolling, and pampering yourself and the family on Eglinton Way. Want in on a little secret? All the above stores made Jeanne Beker’s Top 100 Shops!
LET’S TAKE A HOLIDAY STROLL DOWN EGLINTON WAY
The annual event hosted by the Eglinton way BIA has Allenby residents and friends come out to enjoy a perfect, fun-filled day, packed with lots of family activities and events to raise funds for Raising the Roof, a charity to help the homeless. It sees the closure of Elmsthorpe Avenue from the south side of Eglinton Avenue to create a kids zone, where clowns, magic, and music create a great family day out and a way to meet and mingle with other families. Also included in the bill are the numerous gourmet foods catered by Allenby’s finest eateries.
UPPER CANADA COLLEGE
EDUCATION
It goes without saying that one of the aspects that draw families to Allenby is the first-class education provided by Allenby Public School located on St. Clements Avenue. One of the finest institutions that the neighbourhood has to offer, it is ranked among the high achieving schools in Toronto. The school was opened in 1927 and is named after Lord Allenby a British World War One hero. It offers not only a well rounded education from kindergarten to grade six but additionally a French immersion programme.
Other schools in the neighbourhood are private schools including the girl’s day school St. Clement’s School and Upper Canada College, an independent boys-only day and boarding school.
Additionally, there are Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School, Glenview Senior Public School, Northern Secondary School, and North Toronto Collegiate Institute.
Similarly, there are a plethora of day care centres for parents to choose from. All providing excellent and reliable child care services.
TRANSPORT
Allenby is well served by bus routes Avenue Road 5 and 307 Eglinton Avenue West, which frequents nearby Eglinton Station on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. Similarly, the 32 Eglinton West bus goes directly to Eglinton Station.
For motorists, the Allen Expressway sits approximately ten to fifteen minutes away and fifteen minutes to Avenue Road to Highway 401. Central Toronto’s business and entertainment quarters are a mere twenty-minute drive from Allenby.
Additionally, as it is primarily a suburban area, the traffic calming zones located throughout the neighbourhood make Allenby a safe neighbourhood for drivers and pedestrians alike.
Interested in living in the neighbourhood? Browse the MLS Listings for the perfect house or condominium available in this area.
