Let’s Catch Up At Earlscourt Park!

High Park North / The Junction, St. Clair West Village

 

Having easy access to green space is a high-value amenity that can draw urbanites to one Toronto neighbourhood over another. One interesting side effect of living through the COVID-19 pandemic was that it drove home just how essential escaping outdoors, exercising, and communing with nature is to our mental health. During those tough years (and thereafter) realtors like us saw ‘green space’ move up nearer the top of buyers’ ‘Must Have’ lists.

Let’s be honest – we’d all love to have a big landscaped park just a couple blocks away, right?

In the midst of this January cold snap, allow us a little daydreaming about the warmer months when our favourite parks are lush and blooming! One of our top picks for superior parks in the city is Earlscourt Park, which offers leisure and outdoor harmony for all seasons! It’s located at Caledonia Road and St. Clair Avenue West and spans 2.6-hectares (that’s 36 acres!). Earlscourt is perfect for getting fresh air and exercise and has something for everybody.

 


Photo courtesy of http://labyrinths.ca/

 

Lots To Do, All Year Round

For active folks, this park is the perfect destination. There are tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, multi-purpose sports fields, a track, volleyball courts, playgrounds, a wading pool, a splash pad, lovely walking trails, a gazebo, a field house, a community garden, tons of green space, and more.

There is even a fenced off-leash dog park, which is a huge boon for pet owners in the neighbourhood!

 

 

The park is home to tons of events and festivals throughout the year, like a haunted house and pumpkin parade at Halloween, a park cleanup, children’s programming in the summer, or a family ‘planting session’ in the Spring – just to name a few!

Perhaps the jewel of this park is the Giovanni Caboto complex which has a huge outdoor pool with a waterslide and tennis courts  (and a large artificial ice rink in the Winter months!)

The Joseph J. Piccininni Community Centre is just adjacent to the park. There is an indoor pool, a state-of-the-art fitness studio, gyms, meeting rooms and a host of programming for the young and the young-at-heart alike  There’s also an indoor soccer field, and courts to play bocce – a favourite”sport” of mine

 

 

The ‘Did You Know…’ Game: Fun Facts About Earlscourt Park

Earlscourt Park isn’t just a neighbourhood hub in the present day. This park celebrated its 100th anniversary on October 23rd , 2020 – how cool is that? Here is an interesting overview of the park, with some tidbits from its century-long history and aerial photographs.

This incredible mural was done in honour of the 100th anniversary, celebrating what this park means to this community. Speaking of paintings, check out the one below, entitled ‘Preston Villa’, depicting what the property looked like in 1893. Before the city bought the land and turned it into a park (thanks to the urging of the surrounding community), the land had been part of a personal estate. In fact, there is also a black pen version from the same perspective that was simply labelled ‘George Cooper’s House’. Interesting, right?!

 


*1893 sketch of Preston Villa (now Earlscourt Park) Davenport and Lansdowne Ave. Attributed to Owen Staples (1866-1949) Source: Toronto Public Library

 

As public transportation was built up through the 20th century, Earlscourt Park became a popular spot for group activities, like festivals, picnics, concerts and other events, because of its easy access by streetcar and train. If you are a history buff, you’ll enjoy this self-guided tour of Earlscourt Park. And when there was a housing crisis just after the Second World War, temporary homes were constructed in the park.

For the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games in 2015, the fields at Earlscourt Park were used as a pre-training venue.

 


*Image courtesy of Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games/Parapan Am Games

 

Did you know that in the 1960s the large outdoor artificial rink was used for competitive speed skating training for Toronto skaters? It was the largest artificial ice sheet at the time in Toronto.

It makes this park even more special when you consider the role it has played in this community for generations.

 

We’re so thankful for all the green space available for Torontonians to enjoy – always just a stroll or TTC ride away!

 


 

Can you imagine how fantastic life could be with such a selection of outdoor activities, all just beyond your front door?

Check out this jewel box of a listing we just LEASED at Scout Condos on St. Clair Avenue West!

We call it: A Contemporary 1+1 Condo On St Clair West Near The Stockyards

 

If you’re seeking the pleasure of domestic bliss perfectly paired with the comfort of connection, this second-floor perch on St Clair West just east of The Stockyards could be your next Home Sweet Home! Enjoy proximity to parks, transit at your doorstep, and almost any amenity you could want just a stroll away! When the foundation of a community is built on principles that promote walkability and accessibility in a dense, mixed-use neighbourhood, you’re getting much more utility and livability out of an area – at home, at work, and at play!

 


 

Here’s another listing we SOLD on Symington Avenue, just around the corner from Earlscourt Park! –> Spring Blooms Fresh Beginnings On Symington Avenue.

 

 


 

Ready to join the real estate race but don’t know where to start?  At Urbaneer.com we’re here to help, all without pressure or hassle. We know – it sounds cheesy, but…  we simply love what we do! With a multi-disciplinary education in housing, sound knowledge of the mechanics of real estate, and a sharp skill set in evaluating properties for over two decades, we’re here to guide you through all the factors which play into Toronto’s real estate market!

May we be of assistance to you, or someone you love?

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

~ The Urbaneer Team

Steven Fudge, Sales Representative
& The Innovative Urbaneer Team
Bosley Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage – (416) 322-8000

– we’re here to earn your trust, then your business –

Celebrating Twenty-Five Years As A Top-Producing Toronto Realtor

 

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