Humber Heights-Westmount
Encyclopedia
Humber Heights-Westmount, also known as Humbervale, is a neighbourhood in Etobicoke, Toronto
, Ontario
. The neighbourhood is bounded by the west bank of the Humber River
, west to Royal York Road
and south to Eglinton Avenue West
. The Humber Creek divides the area into the northern 'Westmount' (originally the Etobicoke side of York Township's Weston) and the southern 'Humbervale' centred along Scarlett Road and La Rose Avenue. As the area is just north of the Iroquois Shoreline (limit of the ancient Lake Iroquois
) it is sometimes called Humber Heights.
The major arterial roads of the neighbourhood are Royal York Road
to the west, Scarlett Road, which travels north-west to south-east through the neighbourhood and Eglinton Avenue West
running east-west to the south.
Originally the Etobicoke side of York Township's community (later independent town) of Weston which began on the western (Etobicoke) side, the early community (now called Westmount) was centred around St Philip's Anglican Church at the top of Royal York Road, one of Etobicoke's first churches. Early settlers taking Rexdale Boulevard or Albion Road to Albion Township (now in Brampton) would pass through the area.
A very large amount of land comprising the majority of farms lots on both banks of the Humber River between Lambton and Weston were first purchased by the Scarlett family in the 19th century. The first Scarlett estate, 'Runnymede' near York Township's community of Lambton, was connected by an, originally private, road (now called Scarlett Road) to the three estates owned by his sons on the Etobicoke side; the street crossing the Humber River into Etobicoke near Eglinton Avenue (then called Richview Road, a small section with this name remains). As new families, many related to the Scaletts, purchased land in the area, the Etobicoke community of 'Humbervale' appeared in the late 19th century along Scarlett Road, parallel to the Humber River
, from the Humber Creek in the north to where Scarlett Road crosses over the Humber River to the south (near Eglinton and La Rose Avenues).
Development
Humbervale is best known as the site of Raymore Drive
, a street washed out during Hurricane Hazel
with the loss of many lives. Much low-density residential was built on former farmland as many immigrants from the former Soviet Union, especially Ukraine, settled in the rapidly urbanising Etobicoke during the 1960s. St Demetrius Byzantine Catholic church (1959) and school (1975) as well as a small commercial area were established on La Rose Avenue (parallel to and just north of the long undeveloped Eglinton Avenue) to serve the growing population. The original 1858 La Rose family farm house still stands on La Rose Avenue near Islington as well as a number of other historic buildings throughout the neighbourhood. A large collection of early photographs of Humbervale became one of the largest components of Etobicoke's 'History Room' when it was established in 1985 at Richview Library. Recent high-density development is now taking place along Eglinton Avenue such as the 'Royal York Grand' condominium.
Recreation
Churches
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...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The neighbourhood is bounded by the west bank of the Humber River
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
, west to Royal York Road
Royal York Road
Royal York Road, historically known as Church Street or New Church Street, is a north-south arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a concession road, 5 concessions west of Yonge Street, and runs through many residential neighbourhoods, most notably Mimico and the Kingsway...
and south to Eglinton Avenue West
Eglinton 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...
. The Humber Creek divides the area into the northern 'Westmount' (originally the Etobicoke side of York Township's Weston) and the southern 'Humbervale' centred along Scarlett Road and La Rose Avenue. As the area is just north of the Iroquois Shoreline (limit of the ancient Lake Iroquois
Glacial Lake Iroquois
Glacial Lake Iroquois was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed at the end of the last ice age approximately 13,000 years ago.The lake was essentially an enlargement of the present Lake Ontario that formed because the St. Lawrence River downstream from the lake was blocked by the ice sheet...
) it is sometimes called Humber Heights.
Character
The housing type varies from the 'mansions' of Yorkleigh Avenue and Westmount Park to the more modest; most are low-density single homes. A commercial stretch exists on La Rose Avenue including La Rose plaza which has many stores such as La Rose Bakery, La Rose Dollar Store, and Mel Rose Variety. La Rose Bakery is known among residents to serve excellent European food. Most of the children of the neighbourhood go to either Westmount Public School or All Saints Catholic School.The major arterial roads of the neighbourhood are Royal York Road
Royal York Road
Royal York Road, historically known as Church Street or New Church Street, is a north-south arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a concession road, 5 concessions west of Yonge Street, and runs through many residential neighbourhoods, most notably Mimico and the Kingsway...
to the west, Scarlett Road, which travels north-west to south-east through the neighbourhood and Eglinton Avenue West
Eglinton 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...
running east-west to the south.
History
Westmount & HumbervaleOriginally the Etobicoke side of York Township's community (later independent town) of Weston which began on the western (Etobicoke) side, the early community (now called Westmount) was centred around St Philip's Anglican Church at the top of Royal York Road, one of Etobicoke's first churches. Early settlers taking Rexdale Boulevard or Albion Road to Albion Township (now in Brampton) would pass through the area.
A very large amount of land comprising the majority of farms lots on both banks of the Humber River between Lambton and Weston were first purchased by the Scarlett family in the 19th century. The first Scarlett estate, 'Runnymede' near York Township's community of Lambton, was connected by an, originally private, road (now called Scarlett Road) to the three estates owned by his sons on the Etobicoke side; the street crossing the Humber River into Etobicoke near Eglinton Avenue (then called Richview Road, a small section with this name remains). As new families, many related to the Scaletts, purchased land in the area, the Etobicoke community of 'Humbervale' appeared in the late 19th century along Scarlett Road, parallel to the Humber River
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
, from the Humber Creek in the north to where Scarlett Road crosses over the Humber River to the south (near Eglinton and La Rose Avenues).
Development
Humbervale is best known as the site of Raymore Drive
Raymore Drive
Raymore Drive is a mostly residential street in the Weston neighbourhood of Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario. It runs next to the Humber River. On October 15, 1954, the area was severely affected by Hurricane Hazel. When the Humber River burst its banks and tore away a footbridge, the...
, a street washed out during Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane...
with the loss of many lives. Much low-density residential was built on former farmland as many immigrants from the former Soviet Union, especially Ukraine, settled in the rapidly urbanising Etobicoke during the 1960s. St Demetrius Byzantine Catholic church (1959) and school (1975) as well as a small commercial area were established on La Rose Avenue (parallel to and just north of the long undeveloped Eglinton Avenue) to serve the growing population. The original 1858 La Rose family farm house still stands on La Rose Avenue near Islington as well as a number of other historic buildings throughout the neighbourhood. A large collection of early photographs of Humbervale became one of the largest components of Etobicoke's 'History Room' when it was established in 1985 at Richview Library. Recent high-density development is now taking place along Eglinton Avenue such as the 'Royal York Grand' condominium.
Schools
- Scarlett Heights Entrepreneurial AcademyScarlett Heights Entrepreneurial AcademyScarlett Heights Entrepreneurial Academy is a secondary school within the Toronto District School Board whose curriculum is broadened through a Student Leadership Development Program. This program extends the base curriculum....
- St. Demetrius Elementary School is a professional primary school on La Rose Avenue. It is one of three UkrainianUkrainiansUkrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
schools within the Toronto Catholic District School BoardToronto Catholic District School BoardThe Toronto Catholic District School Board is the publicly-funded Catholic school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada, headquartered in North York. It is one of the two English boards of education in the City of Toronto, serving the former municipalities of Scarborough, North York, York, East York,...
. It was founded in 1975 as a result of the pastor of St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church, Rt. Rev. John Tataryn, who recognized the need to ensure the future of the Ukrainian Catholic community by providing its children with the opportunity to learn about and appreciate their unique heritage. The school was guided from its infancy stages to the present largely through the dedicated efforts of its founding principal, Sister Rachel Tataryn, SSMI, who served the school community in that capacity for many years. Today the school is an integral part of the St. Demetrius community, intimately linked with the Church, Demetrius Residence, and the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre. St. Demetrius Catholic School celebrated its 25th anniversary in the year 2000. - Westmount Junior School is a publicPublicIn public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individuals, and the public is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the Öffentlichkeit or public sphere. The concept of a public has also been defined in political science,...
elementary schoolElementary schoolAn elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
on Chapman Road near Royal York RoadRoyal York RoadRoyal York Road, historically known as Church Street or New Church Street, is a north-south arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a concession road, 5 concessions west of Yonge Street, and runs through many residential neighbourhoods, most notably Mimico and the Kingsway...
and Eglinton AvenueEglinton AvenueEglinton 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...
. It opened in January 1960. The school sits on a large parcel of land that is adjacent to park and recreational facilities. The six primary classrooms surround a large open area which is used for science and art activities. There is a computer lab set up within the resource center. The school has a courtyard that has a wide variety of plants. There are 21 teaching staff at the school. - All Saints Catholic Elementary School (est. 1962)
Institutions
- Riverside Cemetery
- Royal York Plaza
- La Rose Plaza
Recreation
- LaRose Park
- Scarlett Heights Park
- Top of Richview
- Westmount Park
- Weston Golf & Country Club
Churches
- St Philips Anglican Church (est. 1830)
- St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Humber Heights (est. 1951)
- St Demetrius Byzantine Catholic Church (est. 1959)
- All Saints Roman Catholic Church
- Westmount Gospel Hall