Bedford Park, Toronto
Encyclopedia
Bedford Park began as a farming hamlet north of Toronto
. The hamlet was a popular stopover for farmers making their way to market in the city. The neighbourhood was likely named after the Bedford Park Hotel, which opened in 1873 at the southwest corner of Yonge Street
and Fairlawn Avenue, just north of Lawrence Avenue
.
In 1890 Bedford Park was amalgamated with the hamlets of Davisville and Eglinton to the south, and incorporated as the City of North Toronto
. In the same year, the Metropolitan Street Railway of Toronto
began service to the area, encouraging residential development.
Bedford Park is bisected by Yonge Street, lying north of Lawrence Avenue and east of Avenue Road. The northern boundary is Brooke Avenue on the West side of Yonge, and Snowdon Avenue to the east of Yonge. The eastern boundary is Ronan Avenue. There is also a school at Yonge and Lawrence called Bedford Park Public School.
The original homes in the area were constructed between 1890 and 1940. Bedford Park was conceived as a middle class
housing development on the northern boundary of the city, with mid-sized detached and semi-detached homes. The relocation of the Rosedale Golf Club
in 1909 to the section of the Don Valley
northeast of Bedford Park brought about development of the (more moneyed) bordering neighbourhoods of Lawrence Park
and Teddington Park. This has skyrocketed the property values of Bedford Park homes.
Bedford Park's quiet streets, mature trees, good schools and parks, and proximity to Highway 401 and Lawrence
subway station attract young professionals and their families to the neighbourhood. Many of the original homes still stand, with a number having undergone extensive renovations. A portion of the original homes in the neighbourhood have been torn down and replaced with larger, more modern homes.
) to the south, and zigzags from northeast to southwest along Yonge Street
and Avenue Road.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The hamlet was a popular stopover for farmers making their way to market in the city. The neighbourhood was likely named after the Bedford Park Hotel, which opened in 1873 at the southwest corner of Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and Fairlawn Avenue, just north of Lawrence Avenue
Lawrence Avenue
Lawrence Avenue is a major east-west thoroughfare in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is divided into east and west portions by Yonge Street, the dividing line of east-west streets in Toronto....
.
In 1890 Bedford Park was amalgamated with the hamlets of Davisville and Eglinton to the south, and incorporated as the City of North Toronto
North Toronto
North Toronto was a town located in the northern part of the Old Toronto district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It occupies a geographically central location within the current boundaries of the city of Toronto. It is a relatively narrow strip, centred around Yonge Street; it extends from the CP...
. In the same year, the Metropolitan Street Railway of Toronto
Metropolitan Street Railway of Toronto
The Metropolitan Street Railway was the one of many operators of streetcars in the Toronto area. The franchise was granted in 1877 to the Metropolitan Street Railway of Toronto, but it began service on Yonge Street in 1885, starting just north of the city limits...
began service to the area, encouraging residential development.
Bedford Park is bisected by Yonge Street, lying north of Lawrence Avenue and east of Avenue Road. The northern boundary is Brooke Avenue on the West side of Yonge, and Snowdon Avenue to the east of Yonge. The eastern boundary is Ronan Avenue. There is also a school at Yonge and Lawrence called Bedford Park Public School.
The original homes in the area were constructed between 1890 and 1940. Bedford Park was conceived as a middle class
Middle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
housing development on the northern boundary of the city, with mid-sized detached and semi-detached homes. The relocation of the Rosedale Golf Club
Rosedale Golf Club
Rosedale Golf Club is a private golf club in Toronto. Founded in 1893, it was originally located in Rosedale, Toronto at the site of the current Rosedale Field...
in 1909 to the section of the Don Valley
Don River (Toronto)
The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
northeast of Bedford Park brought about development of the (more moneyed) bordering neighbourhoods of Lawrence Park
Lawrence Park, Toronto
Lawrence Park is one of Toronto, Canada's most affluent residential neighbourhoods, along with Rosedale, the Bridle Path, and Forest Hill. It is also one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Canada....
and Teddington Park. This has skyrocketed the property values of Bedford Park homes.
Bedford Park's quiet streets, mature trees, good schools and parks, and proximity to Highway 401 and Lawrence
Lawrence (TTC)
Lawrence is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located at 3101 Yonge Street at Lawrence Avenue....
subway station attract young professionals and their families to the neighbourhood. Many of the original homes still stand, with a number having undergone extensive renovations. A portion of the original homes in the neighbourhood have been torn down and replaced with larger, more modern homes.
City of Toronto Definition
The City of Toronto's neighbourhood definitions place Bedford Park within a larger neighbourhood, called Bedford Park-Nortown. The border of this larger area extend to Bathurst Street on the west, Highway 401 to the north, Hillhurst Boulevard (just north of Eglinton AvenueEglinton Avenue
Eglinton Avenue, originally known as the Richview Sideroad within Etobicoke, is an east-west arterial thoroughfare in Toronto and Mississauga, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Within Toronto, Eglinton Avenue is the only road which crosses through all six former boroughs...
) to the south, and zigzags from northeast to southwest along Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and Avenue Road.
Schools
- Bannockburn School- an independent Montessori school located on Bannockburn Avenue. Established in 1993, it provides Montessori programs for Toddler (18 months - 3 years), Preschool (3 – 6 years), and Elementary (6 – 12 years) ages.
External links
- Bedford Park neighbourhood profile at the City of Toronto website
- Bedford Park as Toronto Neighbourhoods
- Bedford Park early history
- Historic photos from around Bedford Park