LOCATION:
Between the Gardiner and Lakeshore, west to Etobicoke Creek, east to the tracks near Kipling.
EPICENTRE:
Browns’ Line and Horner Ave.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES:
Large lots, ravine, old suburbs, mature trees, many longstanding residents who have been around for up to fifty years.
DID YOU KNOW?:
Because Alderwood was once farm land, the streets were named after local farmer’s of the day. Farmer Brown’s farm became Brown’s Line and Farmer Horner’s farm became Horner Ave.
Alderwood’s not like the other Toronto neighbourhoods. It has the big trees, big parks and generous lot sizes, but there’s no main street that anchor the neighbourhood. The closest thing they have is Brown’s Line which is not remarkable. There is, however, a great collection of shops at the bottom of the street where Brown’s Line ends and meets Lake Shore Avenue including an indie coffee shop, a truly yummy empanada take-out, an authentic Mexican restaurant, and a fancy burger joint.
But Alderwood really isn’t about its commercial strip. It is more of a old suburban part of Toronto that has much better access to the city than the newer suburbs further away. As an inner suburb, it has all the pluses of the burbs – nice, big yards, more space, detached homes. Unlike other suburbs, you can easily get around to just about any where. The Gardiner and the 427, are easily accessible. And if you’re heading downtown, on transit, the GO station is not too far away. If you prefer a good mall, the ever-growing and improving Sherway Gardens is not far away.
With homes built largely in the 1950s, there is a large collection of bungalows. Now don’t let the word “bungalow” concern you if you are looking for space. Some of these bungalows are a decent size and have great layouts. The smaller, scrappier bungalows tend to be bought up by developers and replaced with a much larger, newer home.
Best of all, because it is an older suburb in South Etobicoke, it has a lot of mature trees in the neighbourhood giving it a calm, leafy feel. If you’re a gardener, the soil is rich and less clay-ish than other parts of the city. Plants love it here. And if you’re lucky, you’ll live close to the Etobicoke Creek, which is a great place to walk your dog in the ravine. You will be surprised by how much wildlife actually exists so close to the city. Just be careful with your small dogs. There’s coyotes in the ravine!