Leaside Community

• Toronto Real Estate

Leaside

Formerly part of East York, Leaside is an affluent neighborhood with a median family income 126% higher than Toronto Average. Leaside was initially planned to imitate the thriving Rosedale community in the early 1900s. Over a century of evolution, Leaside has become an upscale neighborhood with a distinctive character.

Community Overview

The boundary of the community of Leaside is an elephant shape facing south. It runs from Bayview Avenue on the west to mud creek and Don River merging on the south, Glenvale Blvd on the north, and west Don River/Laird Road/Millwood Road on the east. Leaside is very close to Downtown Toronto and only about 7km away from the downtown core.

1. Housing:

About 72% of residential real estate at Leaside was built before 1960. The original housing stocks consisted of bungalows and 2-story detached and semi-detached constructed mainly between the 1930 and early 1950. Most detached homes in Leaside have a frontage of 30 feet with a depth of 130 feet. Many elder houses were torn down and redeveloped into multi-million dollar modern homes. Several low-rise condo buildings and rental apartments are also along Bayview Avenue, Liard Drive, and Leacrest Road. About 28% of the residents are tenants throughout the community.

From MLS listings, in the past 90 days, Leaside Toronto sold 47 detached houses on average of $2,671,599; 12 Attached town home, Semi-detached and Link houses on average of $1,430,917; 3 Town homes on average of $1,045,000; 8 condos on average of $1,010,113.

2. Demographic:

Merely 18% of the population in the Leaside community is a visible minority. About 79% of the residents are of European Origin, and 24% are from North America. British Isles origins, English, Scottish, Irish, Canadian, German and French are top ethnic origins. The top birthplaces of all immigrants are the UK, USA, and China. Also, a higher proportion of the residents have a bachelor's degree and above.

3. Transportation:

Most residents use cars as their primary mode of transportation. The community borders Don Valley Parkway. Car commuters can quickly get on the route and conveniently travel in all directions. Around 24% of residents travel by public transit. Numerous buses run through the community and have bus stops along Bayview Avenue, Eglinton Avenue, Laird Road, Millwood Road, and Sutherland Drive. The south border of the Leaside is very close to Bloor/Broadway Road, where line 1 and line 2 subway have multiple stations on the street. Furthermore, Eglinton Crosstown LRT will have 2 stations on the north side of Leaside, further curtailing the commute duration to other parts of the cities.

4. Recreation:

Leaside has large greenspaces on the northeast and south ends of the community. The lower Don Parkland offers a 6.8km biking and walking trail along the Don River. Serena Gundy Park and Sunnybrook Park offer walking trails and high-quality sports fields for soccer, football, tennis, cricket, field hockey, and rugby. Leaside Memorial Community Gardens is a large recreation center that provides an indoor swimming pool, ice rinks, and a large auditorium. At the center of Leaside is Trace Manes Park, which is home to the Leaside Tennis Club and offers tennis courts, tots' playgrounds, a baseball diamond, and an outdoor natural ice rink. Nearby the park is Trace Manes Community Centre and Toronto Public Library - Leaside Branch.

5. Shopping:

SmartCenter Leaside is the most significant commercial space at Laird Drive and Wicksteed Road. Shoppers can find Bestbuy, Winners, Home Depot, Sobeys Supermarket, and many large retail stores. Anchored by Longes supermarket and Shoppers Drugmart, the Leaside Village Shopping Centre is just minutes south of the SmartCenter. Along Eglinton Avenue, several large department stores, such as Canadian Tire, Staples, and HomeSense, offer many home improvement opportunities. To search for a unique experience and special products, consumers may try distinctive restaurants, antique shops, and specialty stores along Bayview Avenue.

6. Schools:

Several elementary and middle schools serve the students from JK to grade 8, Northlea Elementary and Middle School covering Eglinton north, Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School covering the north of Millwood Road and east of Bayview Avenue for elementary students and covering all rest of the community for middle school students, Rolph Road Elementary School covering middle to west, and Bennington Heights Elementary School covering south of the community. Located at Bayview Avenue and Eglinton Avenue and founded in 1945, Leaside high school is the only secondary school for the community. The excellent school ranks around 18 over 739 high schools in Ontario. Leaside high school also delivers a French Immersion program to students.

Leaside is a high-demand community in Toronto. Many upper-income families choose this area because of many excellent schools, approximate to downtown Toronto, abundant green spaces, and the best shopping neighborhoods. If you plan to move to Leaside or you want to learn more about real estate investment opportunities in Toronto, please contact Toronto realtor agent Alan Zheng.