York University Heights
Encyclopedia
York University Heights, also known as Northwood Park, is one of the northernmost neighbourhoods in the city of Toronto
, Ontario
. The name of the neighbourhood is because it contains the main campus of York University
. This area is most popular with immigrants of Italian
and Chinese
descent who have established communities in the area. It is also home to many Jamaican, South East Asian and East Indian residents. It is located between Sheppard Avenue
and Steeles Avenue
east of Black Creek.
The majority of people in this neighbourhood live in high-rise buildings; however, it also contains a significant number of detached and semi-detached
residences, as well as a recent new urbanism
development, the Village at York. The southwestern part of the neighbourhood is part of the Jane and Finch
area.
townhouses, semi-detached
and detached homes. First residents moved into the first phase of approximately 550 homes in the summer of 2005 A second phase, which started construction in 2007, adds about 300 more homes but includes no new townhouses. It is located just south of the York University campus, north of Finch Avenue.
Characteristics of the Village:
The Village is served by a residents' group representing both renters and homeowners, which was incorporated in mid-2006. The Village at York Residents Association Inc. maintains its own website, containing news and local business listings.
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 name of the neighbourhood is because it contains the main campus of York University
York University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
. This area is most popular with immigrants of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
and Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
descent who have established communities in the area. It is also home to many Jamaican, South East Asian and East Indian residents. It is located between Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
and Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue
Steeles Avenue is an east-west street that forms the northern city limit of Toronto and the southern limit of York Region, Ontario, Canada. It stretches across the western Greater Toronto Area from Milborough Townline in Halton Region east to the Scarborough-Pickering limit. It runs for within...
east of Black Creek.
The majority of people in this neighbourhood live in high-rise buildings; however, it also contains a significant number of detached and semi-detached
Semi-detached
Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin...
residences, as well as a recent new urbanism
New urbanism
New Urbanism is an urban design movement, which promotes walkable neighborhoods that contain a range of housing and job types. It arose in the United States in the early 1980s, and has gradually continued to reform many aspects of real estate development, urban planning, and municipal land-use...
development, the Village at York. The southwestern part of the neighbourhood is part of the Jane and Finch
Jane and Finch
Jane and Finch is a neighbourhood located in northwestern North York, a district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The area is roughly bounded by Highway 400 to the west, Driftwood Avenue to the east, Grandravine Drive to the south, and Shoreham Drive to the north...
area.
Village at York
The Village at York is one of the last major new-home developments within the City of Toronto including condominiumCondominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
townhouses, semi-detached
Semi-detached
Semi-detached housing consists of pairs of houses built side by side as units sharing a party wall and usually in such a way that each house's layout is a mirror image of its twin...
and detached homes. First residents moved into the first phase of approximately 550 homes in the summer of 2005 A second phase, which started construction in 2007, adds about 300 more homes but includes no new townhouses. It is located just south of the York University campus, north of Finch Avenue.
Characteristics of the Village:
- It sits on land purchased from York UniversityYork UniversityYork University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
by the real estate developer Tribute Communities, within the boundaries of the city's secondary plan for York, and in some ways is still considered part of the university community. First-time buyers were given no-cost memberships to York's athletic facilities and privileges at its libraries. Many residents of the Village are York students and staff. - The development's design is loosely based on what is called "new urbanismNew urbanismNew Urbanism is an urban design movement, which promotes walkable neighborhoods that contain a range of housing and job types. It arose in the United States in the early 1980s, and has gradually continued to reform many aspects of real estate development, urban planning, and municipal land-use...
", the features of which include high density, garagesGarage (house)A residential garage is part of a home, or an associated building, designed or used for storing a vehicle or vehicles. In some places the term is used synonymously with "carport", though that term normally describes a structure that is not completely enclosed.- British residential garages:Those...
opening to laneways in the back, and plenty of balconies and terraces. - By being near the university it's very well served by public transit, including a Toronto Transit CommissionToronto Transit Commission-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
Bus Rapid TransitBus rapid transitBus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
route along the York University BuswayYork University BuswayThe York University Busway is the collective name for a series of bus lanes and bus only roadways leading from Downsview station to York University, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is used by the Toronto Transit Commission's 196 York University Rocket and York Region Transit's Viva Orange bus...
between the university and Downsview subway stationDownsview (TTC)Downsview is a station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at the intersection of William R. Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue West. The station is currently the northern terminus of its western branch, the Spadina line. It is also a ‘Vivastation’ on the...
. The York University Commons, about 500 metres from the Village, serves as a large regional terminal served by GO TransitGO TransitGO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
, York Region TransitYork Region TransitYork Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road....
, VivaViva (bus rapid transit)Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
, Brampton TransitBrampton TransitBrampton Transit is public transport bus operator for the City of Brampton in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and within the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. Brampton Transit began operations in 1974....
and Greyhound. - The neighbourhood will be served by two stations on the Spadina subway Yonge-University-Spadina (TTC)The Yonge–University–Spadina Line is the oldest and busiest subway line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is operated by the Toronto Transit Commission, has 32 stations and is in length. It opened in 1954, and had extensions completed in 1963, 1973, 1974, 1978, and 1996...
extension. York University stationYork University (TTC)York University is a planned station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. When built, it will be located on the grounds of York University’s main Keele campus, near Ian Macdonald and York Boulevards, and it's expected to open in late 2015...
will be located in the York University Commons, and Finch West StationFinch West (TTC)Finch West is a future station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which is under construction. It will be at the corner of Keele Street at Finch Avenue West, and it is expected to open in 2015.-Description:...
will have an exit at the corner of Keele and Four Winds Drive, less than 500m from the east end of the Village, according to the station layout recommended by the subway expansion environmental assessment. - The Village, though no longer on university-owned land, is considered part of the broader university area by city planners, and is a component of the York University Secondary Plan.
- A significant number of homes in the village offer -- or have been totally converted into -- student housing (the Toronto Star reported in the fall of 2007 that the Village had been "overrun" with students http://www.thestar.com/SpecialSections/SchoolsGuide/article/257819).
The Village is served by a residents' group representing both renters and homeowners, which was incorporated in mid-2006. The Village at York Residents Association Inc. maintains its own website, containing news and local business listings.