The area retains some of its original character from the 1880s, when it was developed by the Metropolitan Street
Railway as the northern end of its five-cent Bloor rail line. Some houses date from 1903, but most were built after
1912, when the area was annexed by the city. The narrow but deep lots and sensible Edwardian architecture are
reminiscent of Unionville. Though it's close to many things bright and beautiful-the Rosedale Golf Club, the Granite
Club, Toronto French School-the facilities within its own boundaries are more modest. Allenby Primary School, the
first in Toronto to offer French immersion, has been here since 1931 and is a selling point for many parents. Muir
Park and Blythwood Ravine are small but well kept, with a wide variety of native trees, including black cherry,
mulberry, crack willow and silver maple, some of which are the result of a 1996 naturalization effort. Burke Brook
and McDougall Stream run under much of the neighbourhood, making for unpredictable (and entertaining) topography,
such as the dip in the courtyard of the 3080 Yonge Street shopping plaza at the corner of Lawrence.
HOUSING STOCK: Brick and stone cladding is the order of the day, with renos and rebuilds taking their cues from the
older houses interspersed among them. Front-lawn landscaping and addresses spelled out on porticos are the norm.
BARGAIN ZONES: The best deals can be found in the former neighbourhood of Allenby, around Avenue and Eglinton, on
streets such as Castlefield and Burnaby. Prices increase as you get a little farther north and east.
THE VERDICT: It's the perfect neighbourhood for people (increasingly young families, according to the latest census)
who like the quietude and big-lawn openness of suburban life, with all the amenities and excitement of the big city
within a five-minute drive.
Lawrence Park North lawrence park map
There are some mighty fine homes here. Older houses-which tend toward the Tudor and Georgian close to the Rosedale
Golf Club and Riverview Drive Ravine, and Edwardian and Georgian the closer you get to Yonge-are quickly being
replaced by what could be referred to as mini-monster rebuilds (not quite as huge as their big brothers on Park Lane
Circle and the Bridle Path). Teddington Park Avenue, where Steve Stavro's old place is found, is an anomaly; the
streets on either side of it are much more modest. Though the area is steps from Yonge, the streets here are quiet
with surprisingly little traffic. John Wanless Public School is a major draw for families.
HOUSING STOCK: The options are well-preserved early-20th-century homes with a high incidence of Sub-Zero fridges
inside, and early-21st-century retro-grandiose piles with spare-no-expense attention to detail.
BARGAIN ZONES: Addresses west of Yonge, farther away from Rosedale Golf Club, are less pricey.
THE VERDICT: With Avenue and Yonge providing commercial activity, a library, a subway stop and a community centre,
Lawrence Park North is the sort of neighbourhood you only have to leave to go to work, see a movie, or visit friends
who live in other parts of the city.