Shopping

Antique stores, small greengrocers, and flower stores are all plentiful and within walking distance. There are also three big-name grocers close by: the new and expanded Loblaws in the St Clair Centre, Sobey’s on St Clair Avenue, and Longo’s (and the LCBO) in the converted Imperial building.

Dining

Boxcar Social, a café and bar, offers residents a curated, rotating menu showcasing the world’s best coffee roasters, winemakers, craft breweries, and whiskey distillers. For a casual dinner or pint of organic beer, head over to Wylie’s, the neighbourhood gathering spot. Also nearby is Scallywags (a great place to cheer on your favourite sports team), Holy Chuck for mouth-watering burgers, and Union Social Eatery for premium casual dining. There’s also a great selection of coffee shops, healthy food options, and bagel shops.

Schools

Cottingham Junior Public School has smaller classes for those in JK to Grade 6 with a very involved parent community. Brown Junior Public School (JK to Grade 6) offers French Immersion and has a community centre on the school for after school and weekend recreation activities.

The neighbourhood is home to several highly-ranking schools including Deer Park Senior Public School, De La Salle College, and York School, as well as the nearby Upper Canada College, Bishop Strachan School, and Branksome Hall.

Parks & Recreation

David A. Balfour Park, a 20.5-hectare park near Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue East, features a large open green space overtop of the Rosehill Reservoir with ornamental fountains, reflecting pools, a gated garden retreat, and a children’s playground. Nature trails lead from the park down into the ravine to the David Balfour Park Trail, which connects to the Beltline Trail.

There’s also Lionel Conacher Park next to Cottingham School, a small park that features a baseball diamond, a wading pool, and a children’s playground. The neighbourhood has a number of gyms as well, including Good Life, Balance, SpinCo, and Ultimate Athletics.

Accessibility

A huge advantage to living in the Yonge & St Clair area is the TTC access; the St Clair and Summerhill stations are well within walking distance, as is the 512 St Clair streetcar which has a dedicated right-of-way lane.

Homes

Yonge & St. Clair offers an interesting balance of long-established, historical properties with an abundance of new options. It is now characterized by a variety of condominium properties along the core transportation routes that have become a choice location for people who are downsizing from the adjacent neighbourhoods but want to stay connected to the area. Set back from the condos are a variety of homes that offer terrific access to the northern part of the downtown core. Amongst the townhomes, there are occasionally some opportunities to invest in a fully divided, large-lot home – but these are rare.