Hillcrest Guide

History

Hillcrest was first settled in the 1840's by Robert John Turner, a reformer from England. The Turner house, named "Bracondale" stood where Hillcrest Park is today.  By 1884, a small village grew up on the edge of the Turner estate, at the intersection of Christie and Davenport. This settlement became known as Bracondale Village. The Village consisted mostly of farmers and a few stores. Its first postmaster was Frank Turner, the son of Robert Turner.

In 1909, Bracondale Village was annexed by the City of Toronto. Shortly thereafter, Frank Turner's heirs subdivided the Bracondale estate and turned it into an exclusive subdivision named "Bracondale Hill Park".

The Turner family retained ownership of the Bracondale house until 1937, when it was sold to the City and demolished in order to make room for Hillcrest Park.

Present

The distinguishing feature of this mature, established neighbourhood is its location perched on the ridge of the Davenport escarpment; resulting in some of the prettier, quiet tree-lined streets in Toronto. 

Homes

The houses at the north end of Hillcrest were built in the late 1800's and early 1900's. These houses are loaded with turn of the century charm and character, and are a wonderful mix of shapes and sizes.  There is also a pocket of larger detached homes, built between 1910 and 1930, near Hillcrest Park. Some of these dignified residences were built with stone from the original Union Station, which was torn down after World War I.

Shopping

The Hillcrest shopping district is located on St. Clair Avenue West. These stores are mostly independent retailers that cater to the day-to-day needs of the local community.
The small convenience-type stores on Davenport Road, and Vaughan Road, also serve the Hillcrest community. These are mostly independently owned and operated that provide a personalized and friendly service to the neighbourhood residents.

Recreation and Leisure

The Hillcrest Community Centre is located in the Hillcrest Public School on Bathurst Street. This facility includes an indoor pool and a gymnasium. Just north of the Hillcrest Community Centre is the Wychwood Public Library, which offers year round programs for the neighbourhood children.

Perched atop the Davenport escarpment at the south perimeter of this neighbourhood, is Hillcrest Park.  This wonderful park offers a spectacular view of the city skyline and Lake Ontario. It has a wading pool, a children's playground, and four tennis courts.

Transportation

The streetcar runs along St. Clair Avenue West, while regular bus service runs along Oakwood Avenue and Bathurst Street. Davenport Road also has a limited bus service.  Motorists are just minutes from downtown. It is approximately a fifteen minute drive from this neighbourhood to the Allen Expressway, which connects commuters to Toronto's major highways.