About Summerhill
ONE OF TORONTO’S MOST DESIRABLE NEIGHBOURHOODS
A leisurely stroll in this established Midtown Toronto neighbourhood takes you through winding, tree-lined streets filled with turn-of-the-century homes marked by distinctive Edwardian and Victorian-style architecture.
Elsewhere in this quiet residential pocket you’ll find bakeries, coffee shops, boutiques, and other independently owned businesses.
- Location: The enclave is bordered by St. Clair Avenue to the north, Rosehill Reservoir and David A. Balfour Park to the east, Spadina Road to the west, and Ramsden Park lies to the south of Summerhill.
- Transportation: The neighbourhood is accessible via Summerhill Station and the number 5 and 320 buses on Avenue Road and Yonge Street, respectively.
- Who lives here: Summerhill’s discerning residents make this enclave synonymous with upscale Toronto real estate.
Homes & Properties in Summerhill
Summerhill real estate brings you some of the finest luxury homes for sale in Toronto. It is primarily known for its distinctive Edwardian and Victorian-style detached, semi-detached, and townhomes with brick façades. These homes are situated on large, leafy lots along the neighbourhood’s quiet, meandering streets.
Many of these homes were built between 1880 and 1915, and have been updated to include modern features like basalt tile flooring and Boffi white oak cabinetry.
The majority of Summerhill’s modern townhouses were built in the 1980s and 1990s.
Some of the older homes in the community are being purchased as tear downs to make way for new construction homes, often in the form of semi-detached and detached luxury homes.
Living in Summerhill
The neighbourhood gets its name from Regency Cottage Summer Hill House, a stunning piece of property commissioned by transportation magnate Charles Thompson in 1842. The house stood on a vast 200-acre estate perched on top of a hill.
The estate was also known for its exquisite garden, dance pavilion, and an amusement park called Summer Hill Spring Ground and Pleasure Park, which brought rides, games, and all kinds of entertainment to the public.
The estate was subdivided in the 1860s, although the development of present-day Summerhill wouldn’t begin until 20 years later, with the construction of the North Toronto Railway station on Yonge Street, which harbours the iconic Clock Tower.
Development revolved around the station, which would eventually become the Canadian Pacific Railway’s main station. When it closed in 1931, it ushered in a period of decline for the neighbourhood.
Today, the station is a study in historic preservation, and serves as a commercial establishment with the Summerhill LCBO, a renowned liquor store, as tenant.
The Summer Hill Coach House still stands on the grounds of the former estate now known as Summerhill Gardens, one of the most coveted addresses in the neighbourhood.
The enclave is also known for excellent schools, such as:
- Cottingham Junior Public School
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary
- Brown Junior Public School
- De La Salle College
- The York School
- The Linden School
Notable in the neighbourhood
Some of the top attractions in Summerhill are:
- David A. Balfour Park: Step out of the daily grind and reconnect with nature in this urban park near Yonge Street with reflecting pools, sparkling fountains, a lush garden, a children’s playground, and scenic trails that lead to a forested ravine.
- Summerhill LCBO: Celebrated as one of Toronto’s biggest and best stocked liquor stores, LCBO has a vast selection of wines, spirits, beers, and ciders from around the world.
Not into wine? Drop by anyway to admire the store’s fantastic architecture. Housed in the former North Toronto Railway Station, which was purchased and restored by developer Paul Oberman in 2002, LCBO is a famous Summerhill landmark.
Highlights include the Great Hall, or the waiting room of the old station, with 44-foot ceilings and the original light fixtures, which were designed to look like train wheels. The station’s ticket wicket drawers are remarkably intact, and there is a hidden staircase that has since been closed off.
- Boxcar Social: Residents congregate at this hip café, which serves coffee from top roasters like Parlor Coffee, The Barn, Say Coffee, and Phil & Sebastian. The Summerhill branch offers free cuppings on Saturdays.
Make Toronto your home: Explore luxury properties in Toronto
Find luxury homes for sale in Toronto. For more information on your residential options in Summerhill, call Toronto real estate agent Casey Ragan at 416.486.5588 or send an email to casey(at)remaxhallmark(dotted)com.