Wychwood Park

Wychwood Park Neighbourhood
Wychwood Park Tree Lined Streets

Wychwood Park, a gated community nestled in the greater Wychwood area, is an exclusive and stunning neighbourhood. Tree-lined streets and large artist-inspired homes will be a sight to remember as you enter. With fewer than 100 homes in the area, Wychwood Park is a community where everyone knows each other. The irregularly shaped lots are unique, and they surround a central park with a pond and tennis courts, developed by architect Arthur Edwin Whatmough. The neighbours who live in Wychwood Park really appreciate and take good care of the areas, and they contribute their own money to keep the community clean, safe, and historical. With every house part of a heritage site, the residents must appreciate the history and tradition behind each home on the street. Minutes from attractions like the Wychwood Barns and St. Clair West, shopping and entertainment are just a few steps away, but greenery and a peaceful calm surround the neighbourhood. You get the best of both worlds in Wychwood Park.

Location

Wychwood Park is a small neighbourhood enclave north of Davenport Road, west of Bathurst Street. It was formerly a gated community part of Bracondale Hill, but is now considered by the City of Toronto as a part of the overall Wychwood neighbourhood. The area is a private community that’s defined by Alcina Avenue to the north, Davenport Road to the south, Wychwood Avenue, to the west and Burnside Drive to the east.  

Wychwood Park Plaque by Jamie
Wychwood Park Plaque by Jamie

History

Wychwood Park was originally founded by Marmaduke Matthews, a landscape painter who built the first house here in 1873 with intentions of creating an oasis for artists. He named his budding colony after Wychwood Forest in Oxfordshire, near where he grew up in England. Alexander Jardine entered the picture in 1877. He built the second house and bought 12 adjacent acres to add to the area. In 1888, the residents registered for a subdivision with the city in order to get their artist colony going. When Matthews died in 1913, a board of trustees was elected to take care of the grounds and community services. By 1917, Eden Smith (a renowned architect) built his house there and began designing other houses for the area. In 1985, the area became a Heritage Conservation District, although nowadays, there are few family ties left to the original houses, as new owners have come and gone throughout the years. But the area still preserves its original feeling and with its strict building regulations, it hasn’t grown beyond 100 houses hidden within its trees. 

Homes, Architecture, and Real Estate

Wychwood Park is an extremely unique and private area of the city, a special treat with greenery and quiet streets. Since Wychwood Park was designated an Ontario Heritage Conservation in 1985, many houses are listed as heritage properties, as reflected in their beautiful architecture, which reflects the English Arts and Crafts movement (1860–1910), featuring traditional English houses with naturally Romantic landscapes. Because many of these houses were built by architects and artists who have lived there for many years, the exteriors have traditional influences while the interiors are sun-filled and contemporary. Architect Eden Smith designed many houses, like 5 and 8 Wychwood Park. There are building restrictions imposed on this exclusive area in order to keep the historical significance and stunning appearances, and with this exclusivity comes a higher price (including property taxes). Wychwood Park does have over $110 million in real estate, and residents pay special park tax for living in this gated community as well as their own money to care for private roads and common land.

Wychwood Park Heritage Homes
Wychwood Park Heritage Homes

Local Trivia

Wychwood Park is home to many famous faces, like Bonnie Brooks (president of Hudson’s Bay Company), Libby Znaimer (journalist), and Gerald Owen (Globe and Mail editorial writer). The original house of Marmaduke Matthews, founder of Wychwood Park, can be found at 6 Wychwood Park, and Alexander Jardine’s house is at 22 Wychwood Park. Marshall McLuhan and Anatol Rapaport had also lived in the area.

Who’s Your Neighbour? 

With prices generally $1 million and up, the residents of Wychwood Park are upper-class and appreciate privacy, greenery, and small communities. Being close to the TTC, the Wychwood Barns, and St. Clair’s many restaurants, residents enjoy the city sites at walking distance but then have the serenity of their peaceful oasis. Business owners, lawyers, and career-driven residents abound.

Relax in The Park by Gary J Wood
Relax in The Park by Gary J. Wood

Parks and Green Spaces

  • The Wychwood Park area has one of Toronto’s ravines running through the heart of the neighbourhood, as well as Taddle Creek. A central park in the neighbourhood with tennis courts marks a community area.
  • Wychwood Barns Park: A green space that surrounds the former TTC Barns on three sides, it includes a children’s play area, sports field, ice rink (winter), fenced off-leash dog area, beach volley ball court, and picnic table. It’s home to 150 trees, 1,500 shrubs, and 900 perennials. The area at 601 Christie Street houses the Stop Farmer’s Market all year round, with some of the best fruits, vegetables, and farmer’s stands in the city.
  • Hillcrest Park: A 2.1 hectare park at Davenport Road and Christie Street with a ball diamond, dog off-leash park, basketball court, outdoor tennis court, community garden, wading pool, and children’s playground.
  • The Tollkeeper’s Park: On the northwest corner of Davenport Road and Bathurst Street, surrounding the Tollkeeper’s Cottage.

Recreation and Culture

  • Wychwood Barns Park is a hub for recreation and culture all year round. With one of the best farmers markets in the city, the Artscape areas consisting of artist live workspace, community theatres, event space, a children’s playground, ice rink, and picnic tables scattered across the park, it is the go-to for community programs in the area.
  • Joseph J. Piccininni Community Recreation Centre is west of Wychwood on St. Clair Avenue. It’s equipped with a 25-metre swimming pool, and has cardio, muscular strength, and weight equipment. It offers programs for people of all ages to improve their swimming skills.
Artscape Wychwood Barns
Artscape Wychwood Barns

Other Nearby Recreation and Fitness Centres

Libraries

  • Wychwood (Toronto Public Library), 1431 Bathurst Street, (416) 393-7683

Schools, Universities, and Colleges

  • Hillcrest Junior Public School, 44 Hilton Avenue, (416) 393-9700
  • Hillcrest Community School, 1339 Bathurst Street, (416) 392-0746
  • Children’s Art Studio Art Lessons for Kids, 601 Christie Street, (647) 808-8590
  • George Brown College, Casa Loma Campus, 160 Kendal Avenue, (416) 415-2000
George Brown College
George Brown College

Arts and Entertainment 

  • Wychwood Barns is the central hub for arts and entertainment in the area, with the farmer’s market, community gallery, Artscape Wychwood Barns complex, and other programs like Storytelling Toronto on Saturday mornings.
  • Theatre Direct is one of Canada’s leading professional theatres dedicated to a young audience. It uses two venues at Artscape Wychwood Barns on Wychwood Avenue and Christie Street.

Shopping

  • St. Clair West: This strip stretching between Avenue Road and Westmount has a plethora of shopping, including fashion stores like Peek-a-boo, high-end designer spots, thrift stores, bakeries, and a myriad of restaurants, cafés, and bars. It’s accessible by transit at St. Clair West station.
  • Bloor Street is south of Wychwood Park but not a far walk, and it’s accessible by transit. Bloor Street is famous for both its family-owned businesses and upscale boutiques. You can also find bookstores, restaurants, cafés, art supplies, salons and spas, electronic stores, banks, and grocers.
Shopping in Wychwood Park
Shopping in Wychwood Park

Restaurants

Transportation

  • By streetcar: The 512 streetcar runs from St Clair Station on Yonge Street to St Clair Avenue West and Keele Street, generally in an east-west direction. Streetcars leave St. Clair West Station (near Wychwood Park) approximately every three to seven minutes.
  • By subway: The Yonge-University-Spadina line runs north-south and has a stop at St Clair West station, a five-minute walk from Wychwood Park. The first trains leave St Clair West Station at 6:00 a.m.
  • By bike: There are bike lanes west of Wychwood Park in the Sir Winston Churchill Park and Casa Loma area that run up to Eglinton Avenue.
Artscape and Open Doors Toronto
Artscape and Open Doors Toronto

Local Organization

The Wychwood Barns Community Association is the independent, not-for-profit community organization that manages the Community Gallery and use of the Covered Street Barn in the Artscape Wychwood Barns complex. You can visit http://www.atthebarns.org/ for updated details on events and programs in the area.

Medical Centres and Doctors

  • Integral Healing Centre of Toronto, 1352 Bathurst Street (416) 530-0673
  • Dr. Halim, 32 Vaughan Road (416) 652-1695
  • Clair Vaughan Medical Clinic, 553 St. Clair Avenue W (416) 652-3307
  • Golden Fingers Dental Lab, 550 St. Clair Avenue W (416) 651-4881
  • Dr Rebecca Yacobi, 576 Christie Street (416) 658-6144

Police Station

13 Division, 1435 Eglinton Avenue W (416) 808-1300

Fire Station

Station #343, 65 Hendrick Avenue

Station #344, 240 Howland Avenue

Post Offices

Dupont Bathurst PO, 555 Dupont Street

Churches

  • Hillcrest Christian Church, 2 Vaughan Road (416) 654-0311
  • Wychwood-Davenport Presbyterian Church, 155 Wychwood Avenue (416) 653-6271
  • Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre, 637 Christie Street (416) 651-3849
  • Jesus First Ministries, 458 Dupont Street

Demographics

  • Wychwood area population: 4,182
  • Average household income of Wychwood Park: $104,551
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