Lawrence Park is one of Toronto, Canada's most affluent residential neighbourhoods, along with Rosedale, the Bridle Path, and Forest Hill. It is also one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Canada.
It is bordered originally by Yonge Street to the west and Bayview Avenue to the east, and from Blythwood Ravine on the south to Lawrence Avenue on the north. Lawrence Park was one of Toronto's first planned garden suburbs. Began in the early part of the 20th century, it did not fully develop until after the Second World War.
Centred on Mount Pleasant Road, the neighbourhood grew slowly with medium-sized houses on narrow but deep lots. There are few commercial businesses, within a five minute walk. The closest grocery stores are close to Yonge and Lawrence. Toronto Transit Commission streetcars ran on Mount Pleasant and Yonge Street until they were replaced by the Yonge subway and buses in the 1970s.
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History
The assembly of Lawrence Park began in 1907 by the Dovercourt Land Building and Saving Company. They acquired the north parcel of the park from John Lawrence, after whom this neighbourhood is named. The president of the Dovercourt Land Company was Wilfred Servington Dinnick. It was under Dinnick’s direction that Lawrence Park was developed as a suburb for the “well to do”.
The first advertisement for Lawrence Park trumpeted it as an “aristocratic neighbourhood”, “four hundred feet above Lake Ontario, and Far from the Lake Winds in Winter”. However, Lawrence Park’s development was sporadic. The building of houses was interrupted by two world wars, a recession and a depression. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that this neighbourhood was completed.
Community
Lawrence Park is one of Toronto’s most exclusive residential neighbourhoods. It is located in a very peaceful and tranquil setting that includes gently rolling hills, several parks, a ravine, winding roads, many that don’t have sidewalks and a lush topography.
Lawrence Park’s shops, schools and recreational facilities are located on its periphery, which keeps traffic on the residential streets to a minimum.
Lawrence Park is directly adjacent to another affluent Toronto neighbourhood called Lytton Park. These two neighbourhoods are often confused with each other. Lawrence Park's western-most boundary is Yonge street. Lytton Park continues westward towards Bathurst Street.
The high profile shops and restaurants in the Yonge and Lawrence area, are well patronized by Lawrence Park residents. This shopping district includes fashion stores, children’s stores, sporting goods stores, gift shops, bakeries, gourmet dining, casual restaurants plus the ever popular coffee shops. Many of the residents belong to the prestigious Granite Club, a sports and recreation centre on Bayview Avenue north of Lawrence Avenue.
Homes
The number of shops and restaurants along Yonge Street, which are well patronized by the residents of Lawrence Park, and the accessibility of public transportation provided by the Yonge subway line makes Lawrence Park real estate a popular choice amount professionals and families alike. Homes can range from five hundred thousand to well over 1 million dollars.
Lawrence Park’s whimsical houses include a variety of architectural styles including English Cottage, Tudor Revival, Georgian and Colonial style designs. Most of these homes were built between 1910 and the late 1940’s. For the last few years parts of Lawrence Park have been redeveloped with some differing opinions, some call new homes magnificent homes that complement old and new, some call them simply monster homes that mar the old style common to the neighbourhood.
The Lawrence Park Ratepayers Association has been active for several decades. Its mandate is to promote all matters regarding the welfare of Lawrence Park and its preservation as a residential park. The LPRA serves the residents of the old City of Toronto bounded by Lawrence Avenue East, Yonge Street, Blythwood Road and St. Ives. Its annual newsletter and website provide information about activities and issues in the neighbourhood.
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Schools
* Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute
* Blythwood Jr. 2 Strathgowan Crescent (416) 393-9105 (public)
* Sunny View Jr. & Sr. 450 Blythwood Road (416) 393-9275 (public)
* Bedford Park Public School 81 Ranleigh Avenue (416) 393-9424 (public)
* North Toronto Collegiate Institute 70 Roehampton Ave. (416) 393-9180 (public HS)
* Northern Secondary School 851 Mt. Pleasant Road (416) 393-0270 (public HS)
* The Toronto French School 296 Lawrence Avenue E (416) 484-6522 (private)
* Crescent School 2365 Bayview Ave. (416) 449-2556 (private)
* Crestwood School 411 Lawrence Ave. E (416) 444-5858 (private)
* Crestwood College 411 Lawrence Ave. E (416) 391-1441 (private HS)
* Loretto Abbey 101 Mason Blvd. (416) 393-5510 (Catholic separate HS for girls)
* Blessed Sacrament 24 Bedford Park Ave. (416) 393-5226 (separate)
* York University's Glendon campus. 227
Transportation
Most Lawrence Park residents are within walking distance of bus routes that run along Yonge Street, Mount Pleasant Road, Bayview Avenue and Lawrence Avenue. The Lawrence subway station, located at the intersection of Yonge and Lawrence, is part of Toronto’s main subway line.
Both Bayview and Yonge Street connect to Highway 401 within a five to ten minute drive from Lawrence Park.
Links for Lawrence Park
Lawrence Park South neighbourhood profile
Profiles for this neighbourhood (2006):
Profiles for this neighbourhood (2001):
Summary profile for all of Toronto (2001): Lawrence Park North neighbourhood profile
Profiles for this neighbourhood (2006):
Profiles for this neighbourhood (2001):
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