A Vintage Bungalow Perched On The Slopes Of Morningside Avenue

One of the greatest lures of Toronto is that it is comprised of a collection of neighbourhoods, each with its own vibe and characteristics, lending incredible texture to the overall fabric of the city as a whole. One such neighbourhood is sought-after Swansea in Toronto’s West end; this lovely, leafy residential enclave offers stellar amenities, the charm of village life, and access to some of the best green spaces in the city!

Welcome to 120 Morningside Avenue!

Sitting Pretty In Swansea

Living well within your four walls is important but having life-enhancing amenities just outside your door ranks just as high. Luckily, this picturesque property in Toronto’s Swansea neighbourhood provides some of the very best opportunities for work, recreation, and Home!

Lovely Swansea, with its quaint ‘village’ feel and active, welcoming community is arguably one of the most supportive enclaves in the city to put down roots and grow your domestic dreams! Beyond its charming architecture and lush scenery, settling in on Morningside Avenue offers access to all the amenities that make daily life a breeze, plus plentiful shopping and outdoor recreation opportunities!

Residents will tell you that some of the city’s best parks and green spaces are right here in Swansea – or just a stroll away! It’s bordered by expansive High Park to the east, Humber River to the West, and the shores of Lake Ontario to the south! We particularly adore scenic Rennie Park, which is arguably the heart of this tight-knit community. In addition to the restful and restorative qualities exuded by such lush green space, Rennie Park offers a myriad of recreational opportunities – year-round! In the warmer months, one can enjoy picnic areas, a playground, a wading pool, tennis courts, cycling paths, and more. In the winter, there is a looping skating pond and the outdoor ice rink, home to Swansea Hockey Association which happens to be the largest not-for-profit outdoor hockey league in North America. And the tobogganing is truly a speedy, sloping scene to behold!

Right on the edge of Rennie Park is the Swansea Community Centre and Pool, with tons of all-ages programming, specialty camps, swimming lessons, and fitness classes.

High Park is a 15-minute stroll away, and the options for outings are endless. Playgrounds, the zoo, picnic areas, off-leash dog park, tennis courts, outdoor pool, wading pool, and splash pad are just a few of the cool amenities you’ll find here.

Running errands is quick and easy, with No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, Global Pet Foods, Bulk Barn, and the LCBO all close to home. But it’s the small and independent shops that really bring out the flavour in this village.  Get your fresh catch at Snappers and Bloor Meat Market has got your carnivore cravings covered. Grab and go with a deliciously prepared meal at  Bread & Roses, Max’s or the newly established Pop’s Market.  And a bit off the beaten path, but well worth the stroll, The Cheese Boutique, is a local draw and dinner party fare ‘must.’ Your sweet tooth will be satiated by Janchenko’s melt-in-your-mouth pastries, the kid-friendly treats from Bake Sale or get really adventurous with ice cream at iHalo Krunch. Retail therapy (and lots of it) is all within walking distance in Bloor West Village. Fashionistas can pop tags at the much-loved Buck’s Hard Goods, the long-established Trixie’s Boutique, and the beautiful Fig Tree.

Whether grabbing takeout on the go, stepping out for date night, or meeting up with friends, there are loads of choices that you’ll definitely enjoy. Linger on the patio at Baka Gallery or the infamous Queen’s Pasta Cafe. And with CafeTO now in full swing, Bloor West Village is bustling with pop-up patio offerings from Bloom, Gatto, Bello Pizza, Flame Food & Design, Kinton Ramen, and Aztec Mine just to name a few! A must-have day-starter or evening-ender is definitely a rich cup of coffee from Coffee Tree Roastery. Your preferred pub may quickly become the Dark Horse – just up the street from 120 Morningside! We love to make plans for brunch at nearby Ma Maison or the much loved Sunshine Village Grill,

Having quality schools in the neighbourhood is one of the most coveted amenities – and even better if they are within walking distance. Reputable Swansea PS & JS which is for kids in JK-Gr 8, is under a 5-minute walk away. It’s a unique place to receive an education, with a historical building and nearby pond and forest that support hands-on outdoor experiential learning. Slightly further away, but still walkable is Humberside Collegiate, Western Tech, and Ursula Franklin Academy for high school.

If you’re someone who loves to get out on a weekend afternoon and explore the city, you know that access to transit is essential; it can, quite literally, alter the shape of your day. Plus, as any Toronto commuter knows, the fewer minutes spent walking to a transit stop equals more minutes spent in bed, with or without your loved ones! This property has an excellent Transit Score of 82, meaning that navigating through the surrounding ‘hoods – and all corners of the city – is a breeze on public transit! Subway and bus stops are a hop, skip, and a jump away, connecting you to the major arteries, like Bloor Street West. In fact, the 77 Swansea bus stops steps away right at Morningside & Windermere, and will whisk you up to  Runnymede Station lickety-split! If you enjoy the exercise, it’s just a 13-minute (scenic!) stroll to Jane Station! Let’s go!

Space, Character & Opportunity 

Just east of South Kingsway where Morningside Avenue rises over the Waller Avenue ravine, this charming 1930s bungalow is tucked away in a bucolic alcove that offers leafy views and plenty of privacy!

Don’t you love a vintage home that retains a lot of its original character? We do! And given the best qualities of any home can be found in its charming details and quirks, for those who intend to undertake a restoration this house has a superb scale and proportions. For example, our hearts go thumpety-thump when one crosses the threshold into a classic front hall. Just look at that woodwork and wainscotting! This is a hall that’s both pretty and pragmatic, where the natural flow of the hallway guides you to the heart of the home.

The formal living room is inviting and bright, bathed in light from an expansive front box bay window that offers views of the lush front garden with skyscape beyond. The proportions of this room – in fact, all of the principal rooms – are generous; there’s lots of square footage here to be customized to your liking! And the wood-burning fireplace has a lovely classic hearth! We love the extra-wide framed doorway into the dining room, which offers a sense of openness and flow without compromising the traditional delineations of these formal rooms. Gumwood wainscotting wraps the dining area and can accommodate a long farmhouse table or a generous round pedestal table – there’s lots of flexibility here!  Install some glass doors and it becomes a great ‘Work From Home’ Office. And as lovers of natural light, we appreciate the afternoons’ sunbeams streaming in from a pair of generous windows!

The eat-in kitchen is perfect for informal meals, with plenty of space to cook, eat, and mingle! We adore the tenant’s eye-pop of colour on the walls that add life to the graphic ceramic tiles, and their wood server lining one wall – what a great solution for creating more food prep and dining options while preserving the natural flow down the center of the room. Yup, good taste lives here! And for someone considering elevating the existing house with the intention of expanding at a later future date, we can see the wall between the living room and kitchen being removed with a peninsula with double-sided storage connecting the two zones. From the kitchen, the centre hall brings you to the stairwell to the lower level, two generous bedrooms, and a washroom, all of which are ample and well-appointed. Don’t you love the craftsmanship of the vintage linen closet with drawers?!

Looking for more living space? Perhaps a den, hobby room, or recreation space that you can really tailor to your needs without worrying about keeping it pretty for guests? Or a second suite for your multi-generational family? This bungalow is bursting with potential!  The lower level offers an extra 900 square feet of partially-finished space with 7’9″ ceilings, oodles of storage, a large laundry room, a two-piece bath, and a large open space that will have your imagination racing! (I mean, that separate entrance looks like you could fit a pretty huge TV through it, don’t you think?!) There’s a lower-level walk-out that takes you directly into the private rear yard, so a clever reimagination when waterproofing the foundation would be installing a wall of sliding doors to create a better indoor/outdoor connection and improve the utility of the gorgeous garden. It’s enchantingly enclosed by greenery on all sides, which means no nosey neighbours butting in at your next barbecue! And if you have a furry friend that loves to run, the yard is fenced in! How handy is that?

Finally, this home has plenty of parking! Pull up the private drive right next to the back door and carry those eight bags of groceries right into the kitchen! The attached garage – a premium feature – needs some work but it’s ready for reinvention as secure parking, a workshop, or a satellite Home Studio!

So tell us, does living well within your walls and roaming free in a low-density neighbourhood figure high on your wish list? This charming residence on its generous 34.5×120 foot lot offers tremendous opportunity and infinite possibilities. The current tenants – who are paying $1900 per month + utilities on a month-to-month rental would love to stay – even while you seek approvals from the Committee of Adjustment to expand with a substantial renovation or construct new (like the neighbour next door to the east) – or vacant possession is possible.

Could this gorgeous property be your next investment? Interested in booking a safe, private tour of the home following Covid protocols? Contact Cynthia Rose (cynthia@urbaneer.com) or Steven Fudge (steve@urbaneer.com).