About High Park North/Bloor West Village/Swansea/Runnymede

Bloor West Village is located between two neighbourhoods. To the north is Runnymede, a former streetcar suburb and to the south is Swansea, a former village dating to the 19th century. Bloor West Village is also considered the name of the immediate residential neighbourhood north and south of Bloor St. but in general, locals refer to the entire area as "High Park" or "Bloor West Village". Please refer to the maps for clarification.

Situated between Toronto’s Keele and Jane subway stations, Bloor West Village's charm includes a thriving commercial strip with more than 400 stores, restaurants and various retailers.

The residential area consists of mainly detached, semi detach homes which were built between 1912 and 1923, and are known for their early-20th-century design touches such as oak accents, fireplaces, and spacious front porches. Many homes offer 3-4 bedrooms which have made it a ferociously hot neighbourhood with young families needing access to the Bloor-Danforth Subway for commuting and family life.

In previous years, it would have been difficult to find modern condominiums In this neighbourhood, but in 2012, the area began to transform and intensify, brining some of the cities most exclusive condo developments along this highly sought after stretch of Bloor St West.

HIGH PARK

Outside the architectural charm of this neighbourhood sits one of the City of Toronto's biggest attractions, High Park. The park encompasses 400 acres, and is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state. The High Park Zoo is a small collection of animals where you can usually find American bison, Barbary sheep, capybaras, emus, Highland cattle, llamas, Mouflon sheep, peacocks, reindeer, wallabies and yaks in eleven paddocks. The zoo is open year-round from 7:00 a.m. to dusk.

SCHOOLS

RUNNYMEDE
- King George Junior Public School
- Runnymede Public School
- St Pius X Catholic School
- James Culnan Catholic School

SWANSEA
- Swansea Jr & Sr Public School
- Humberside CI
- Western Tech, George Harvey CI

High Park North
- Keele St PS
- Annette St Jr & Sr PS
- Garden Ave Jr PS
- Ferm Ave Jr & Sr PS
- Parkdale CI
- Humberside CI
- Western Tech

TRANSPORTATION

Two major transportation nodes are defined in the neighbourhood by subway stations at either end of Bloor Street (served by the Bloor-Danforth line), at Jane Street and Runnymede Road. Buses runs north from Jane Station and north and south from Runnymede Stations. Annette Street is served by a bus line from Jane Station. A night bus replaces the subway line during the early morning hours along Bloor Street. Bike Lanes have been incorporated into the neighbourhood as well along Runnymede st. This is something new and adds to the transit modes of the neighbourhood. This is a positive implementation because there has been an increase – from 1.75% to 3.13%- in the number of residents that use cycling as a mode of transportation.

Walk Score 94 - Walkers Paradise
Transit Score 85 - Excellent Transit
Bike Score 54 - Bikeable

Commute to Downtown Toronto
Car - 25mins
Bus - 31mins
Bike - 33mins
Walk - 60 + mins