The Kingsway

Classic West End Lifestyle

The Kingsway is rated as one of best settings in Toronto. When it was first was developed in the late 1920s, founder Robert Smith dubbed it, "a little bit of England far from England". He wanted to create an English style garden suburb, with each home designed by gifted architects, landscapers and craftsmen, and set in a suburban garden. Today, with its stunning architecture and tree-lined streets overlooking the Humber River ravine, the Kingsway is one of Toronto's most beautiful residential districts.

Residents enjoy a variety of quality shops, over 30 different dining establishments, pubs, bars, coffee shops, boutiques, a retro-cinema and professional services west along Bloor from Prince Edward Drive. There's a median street garden along this stretch, as well as cast-iron street lamps, park benches, and the planters full of flowers throughout three seasons.

Each September, I love the annual Taste of The Kingsway Festival, a food and entertainment extravaganza that attracts over 160,000 people. There are samples of international cuisines, beer and wine, a fashion show, boxing ring, artisans, crafts, clowns, midway rides, even a dog show. Another annual event is the Kingsway Summer Sidewalk Festival.

Dundas Street West at the north end is mostly plazas. These plazas, such as The Kingsway Mills, have excellent landscaping and home furnishing shops, as well as speciality, hobby and crafts stores.

There are many green spaces in the neighbourhood, including Central Park off Islington, and a true west end gem, the formal James Gardens. There are also 3 top notch golf clubs, lawn bowling clubs, 3 libraries, several community centres, and various parks including Etienne Brule that offer excellent walking and bike tails along the Humber.

The Kingsway demonstrate its community spirit through money the area raises for local charities, e.g. the St. Joseph Health Centre Foundation, The Gatehouse and the Dorothy Lay Hospice.