Forest Hill is the neighbourhood bordered roughly by the Cedarvale Ravine on the west, Avenue Road. on the east, St. Clair Avenue. on the south and Briar Hill Avenue on the north. One of the most affluent areas of the city, Forest Hill is famous mostly for its luxurious mansions, but there are a few taller buildings around its edges, particularly in the south-west.
The History of Forest Hill
Forest Hill was originally incorporated as a village in 1923, and later amalgamated by the province into the City of Toronto in 1967, along with the Village of Swansea. The village was named after the summer home of John Wickson; previously, it had been known as Spadina Heights (a name that continued to be applied to the neighbourhood into the twentieth century). Spadina Heights is a derivative of the First Nations (namely Ojibwe) word ishapadenah, meaning a hill or sudden rise in land. Rather than electing a mayor as in a city, the leading municipal official was the reeve of the village.
In the late 1960s, the City of Toronto planned to construct a highway that would run from Highway 401 to downtown Toronto via the Cedarvale Ravine and Spadina Road. Forest Hill and the Annex would be bisected by the proposed route, and numerous local houses would be sacrificed for the new expressway. This prompted local residents to rise to protest and raise the awareness of the greater public. The provincial government was forced to withdraw its support for the so-called Spadina Expressway in 1971.
The Forest Hill War Memorial was erected by Page and Steele Architects at Eglinton Avenue and Vesta Road in 1980, in memory of those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.
When the Village was amalgamated into the City of Toronto, the agreement granted local residents the right to have their garbage picked up from their doorstep rather than from the curb. It wasn't until 1993 that the public learned that this extra service cost $420,000 a year and was paid for by the municipal government. This time, the public opinion of other Torontonians forced the city to discontinue this favour to Forest Hill residents.
The neighbourhood's original boundaries were Bathurst Street to the west, Upper Canada College to the east, Eglinton Avenue to the north, and Lonsdale Road and a portion of Montclair Avenue to the south. Neighbourhoods north of Eglinton are sometimes - though not unanimously - regarded as Forest Hill. More than any other district in the central city, Forest Hill has become the site of spectacular new 'neo-traditional' homes built on a grand scale, usually with lawns to match.
Areas Within Forest Hill
Forest Hill Village is the commercial part of Forest Hill, a short block along Spadina Road, on either side of Lonsdale. Forest Hill extends roughly from Briar Hill Avenue in the north (the Upper Village, officially part of Forest Hill North) to Heath Street in the south (the Lower Village, officially the major part of Forest Hill South along Spadina Road between Bathurst Street/Cedarvale Ravine (whichever is further east) and Avenue Road. The designations Upper and Lower are based on height of land and not on positions on a map or along a watercourse.
Forest Hill Village was completely developed by the 1930s and is known for its upscale shopping and dining, although the actual mix of stores includes several modest enterprises. Forest Hill Village has attracted extensive residential development (especially of apartments), both within the original boundaries of Forest Hill and in adjacent neighbourhoods to which developers have now extended the Village and Forest Hill names.
The Upper Village was slower to develop because it had previously been occupied by the old Belt Line Railway, and then by industry. Its houses were built mostly in the 1940s and 50's. Many homes have been, or are being significantly renovated, with some being torn down completely to make way for monster 'neo-classical' homes.
Forest Hill North extends from Briar Hill Avenue in the north to Eglinton Avenue West in the south, and from Latimer Avenue in the east to Allen Road and Marlee Avenue in the north-west and south-west, respectively.
As the name would imply, Forest Hill South is directly south of Forest Hill North. It extends from Eglinton Avenue West in the north to Tichester Road in the south, and from Bathurst Street in the west to Elmsthorpe Road in the northeast and Avenue Road and the Oriole Parkway in the east. There is an additional stretch of Forest Hill South between Bathurst Street and Spadina Road, north of Lonsdale Road. South Hill borders Forest Hill South to the south.
Politically, the residents of Forest Hill North are represented either in the Eglinton-Lawrence ward or in the St. Paul's (west) ward. Similarly, the residents of Forest Hill South are represented in either the St. Paul's (west) ward or the St. Paul's (east) ward.
Forest Hill Real Estate
Neighbourhoods in Toronto are sometimes characterized by their housing types and/or streetscape. Forest Hill housing has dominant traits of the conventional suburbs housing type. Characteristics of low density, large lots (being car-oriented), as well as having segregated land uses are all evident in the neighbourhood.
The Upper Village is dominated by Tudor and Georgian styles, but the architectural styles range from French Colonial with terra cotta tiles to English country manors with sweeping lawns. Luxurious details such as sculpture gardens, porte-cochères, and imposing gated entrances are quite widespread. Forest Hill also contains a fair number of luxury condominium buildings located west of Spadina on Lonsdale Road.
The density in Forest Hill is fairly low as composed of mainly low-density housing. The housing is predominantly detached houses with some semi-detached and town homes. Although it is mainly low-density housing, the lots are not as large as the ones found in the suburbs. Forest Hill detached homes are mostly on smaller lots with houses closer to each other. Higher-density and mixed uses are found at the major roads and nodes of the neighbourhood mainly on Eglinton Ave, St Clair West and Spadina Ave. At those major roads, it is the only place we see different uses other than residential. here are grocery stores, convenient stores, coffee shops and offices in those areas.
Several elements that contribute to the unique character of the area are its sidewalks and local roads, as well as landscaping and natural environment. A majority of the area does not have sidewalks. Streets are often very wide within the residential interior of the neighbourhood. Additionally, the streets of the area are littered with many stop signs as well as a fair number of speed bumps.
Along with sidewalks and streets, landscaping and the natural surroundings are also a large part of the character of the neighbourhood. Landscaping is frequent at many homes. More often than not, properties have unusual trees and plants as well as intricate designed pieces of foliage that run along the front, sides as well as back of the houses. Simple yards are also well maintained at most homes.
Looking for the best of Forest Hill?
Parks
Schools
Please click here for a comprehensive list of schools in Forest Hill.
Restaurants
House of Chan: Dimly lit mainstay for steak, East Coast lobster and Chinese food, with vintage '60s Asian décor..
Ferraro 502: Family-owned eatery with wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta and salads, plus wines by the glass and a patio.
7 Numbers: Menus change nightly in this cozy space with wine bottle candelabras and Italian family-style dining.
Cafés
The Mad Bean: Imaginative haunt featuring pastries and organic coffee, plus weekend music matinees and local art.
Isle of Coffee: Cozy outpost offering espresso and tea drinks plus sandwiches and treats prepared in-house.
.Crosstown Coffee Bar: Charming coffee spot with smart décor and outdoor seating offering upscale drinks and light bites.