The Bayview Hill
History:
The Bayview Hill neighbourhood was developed in the 1990s. Some smaller parcels of land were developed more recently in the 2010s. The Bayview Hill name is derived from the major street bordering the neighbourhood – Bayview Avenue – and also makes reference to the hill or high plateau of land that this neighbourhood is built upon.
Overview:
The formal entry points into this posh neighbourhood are marked by a series of landscaped meridians accented by stone pillars and wrought iron. The street light lamp poles are cast iron and the street signage is emblazoned in a forest green. Many Bayview Hill streets are named after streets in Toronto’s exclusive Forest Hill neighbourhood. Like Forest Hill in Toronto, The Bayview Hill has a hilly terrain, curvi-linear street pattern, expansive green lawns and a mature tree canopy.
Many families are drawn to this neighbourhood by the Bayview Secondary School on Bayview Avenue just north of Major Mackenzie Drive, which offers the highly prized and sought after International Baccalaureate program. The neighbourhood is very child friendly with dedicated bicycle routes and lots of parks, nature trails, and greenspace. There are many shopping options along the major streets that border this neighbourhood. Commuter highways are just a few minutes east and south of this neighbourhood.
Lifestyle:
Village Gate shopping plaza located at 9665 Bayview Avenue is a large outdoor plaza anchored by Bruno’s Fine Foods. This medium size plaza includes a mix of restaurants, banks, medical offices and professional services.
Richmond Hill Smart Centres located at 1070 Major Mackenzie Dr E, is anchored by a Walmart Supercentre, Food Basics and Shoppers Drug Mart. Rounding out the mix are a handful of banks and restaurants.
Homes:
The Bayview Hill housing stock consists of very large detached brick homes with a Georgian Revival style. These homes were built in the 1990s and early 2000s. Many of the homes are traditional red brick. The lots are a generous size, nicely landscaped and well treed. Every home has an attached or built-in double or triple car garage.
Recreation:
Bayview Hill Community Centre and Pool located at 114 Spadina Road has a five lane pool, a tots pool a gymnasium and communtiy meeting rooms. The adjacent Bayview Hill park has a sports field and childrens playground as well as pedestrian pathways.
Arts:
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts located at 10268 Yonge Street, operates an education series for students interested in theatre. Year-round performances at this state-of-the-art venue range from community based to professional entertainment.
The Bayview Hill Stats
Walkability:
Low
Bikeability:
Medium
Public Transit:
Low
Affordability:
Low
Greenspace:
High
Recreation:
High
Legend: Low, Medium, High
Commute Times
* All commuting times provided are approximate times only. Commute times may increase or decrease depending on where you live within the neighbourhood and the time of day i.e rush hour versus off hour commutes. Time estimates to public transit are based on walking distance or bus line connection whichever is quicker. All other commute times on the chart above are based on drive times.