Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by CREW Editorial
A city park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is called High Park. High Park is a park that combines natural beauty with leisure activities. It has a zoo, gardens, playgrounds, and sporting, cultural, and educational amenities.
With a distinctive oak savannah environment, one-third of the park is still in its original, natural state. The surrounding area contains two neighborhoods that share the park’s name: High Park-Swansea and High Park North.
The real estate centre in the area is often in high-demand due to the local attractions and amenities. Accordingly, homes for sale around High Park are often quite expensive, and can range from around $500,000 to well over $3 million.
Although the homes for sale in High Park are fairly expensive, there are many things about the neighborhoods around High Park that make them attractive for any kind of resident. The area is particularly good for raising children or taking in the natural scenery of the park.
Keep reading to read various details about real estate and other amenities in and around Toronto’s High Park area.
What Does High Park Have to Offer?
High Park North is a dignified residential neighbourhood, which is abundant in early 20th-century and late 19th-century Toronto architecture. This plays a significant role in its allure. These Victorian, Edwardian, and Tudor-style houses have recently undergone a lot of multi-unit housing conversions.
The park has a number of attractions, including the amphitheatre, hillside gardens, zoo, Grenadier Cafe, and Colborne Lodge Historical Museum. The park also features playgrounds, natural paths, a swimming pool, tennis courts, sports fields, and a hockey rink.
Every 30 minutes from spring to fall, a “trackless train”—a tractor pulling a number of carriages painted to resemble a red and white train—runs a tour of the park. The train stops close to Bloor Street, at the Bell playground, west of the Grenadier Cafe, at Grenadier Pond, and south of Colborne Lodge. The conductor of the train is where passengers can purchase tickets.
High Park Activities
Dogs are welcome in High Park, and dog owners in the neighborhood can often be found walking their dogs there. There are a few off-leash areas included, as well.
Fishing is permitted in Grenadier Pond, although fishermen must fish from specific shores. Visitors are encouraged to follow all of Ontario’s fishing regulations, as the pond itself is considered environmentally significant.
There are also gardening areas for those who wish to try their hand at horticulture. There are also areas where children can participate in educational activities related to gardening.
There are also many other activities available in High Park such as skating rinks, sports facilities, pools, and more.
High Park Attractions
There is an amphitheatre known as Canadian Stage Amphitheatre across from Grenadier Cafe in High Park, which stages performances by Canadian Stage.
Colborne Lodge is also located in High Park, which is a museum where special events are often held.
There is also the High Park Animal Attraction, a zoo that is home to a host of different animals including llamas, deer, cattle, and more.
In addition to the above-mentioned activities, there are also a number of public art exhibits and sculptures situated throughout High Park.
Transportation
There are subway lines, buses, and street cars that have access to the park through the Toronto Transit Commission.
Cars also have access to the park, with four entrances for vehicles to navigate the four main roads that cross through the park, which are not easy to miss.
Parking is available for free with some limits along Colborne Lodge Drive and beside the High Park Animal Attraction. There is also parking lot access located in the Southeast area of the park.
Food
There are a few restaurants located within the park, including the Grenadier Cafe, the Black Oak Cafe, and the All-Star Cafe.
There are also 15 picnic areas located throughout the mark and can be booked from the month of May through September.
Guests may only reserve one picnic area for a single activity on a single day, and they are encouraged to be courteous and leave the picnic areas in a clean state.
Natural Areas and Trails
There is a rare ecosystem that is partially situated within High Park known as the Black Oak savannah. The savannah is considered a threatened ecosystem which is also partially encompassed by other parks like South Humber Park and Lambton Park.
There are also a number of Japanese cherry blossom trees planted throughout the park which bloom fully sometime between April and May for a couple of weeks each year. There are houses in the area with spectacular treetop panoramic views.
A number of gardens are also located in the park, including Hillside Gardens, the hanging gardens, Maple Leaf Garden, and the sunken garden.
Other natural attractions in High Park include Grenadier Pond and a number of natural hiking trails.
Where Is High Park Situated in Toronto?
High Park-Swansea, which holds High Park itself, includes the region west of Roncesvalles Avenue, up to Bloor Street in the north, and to the Humber River in the west. East of Runnymede Road, north of Bloor Street, north to Annette Street and Humberside Avenue, and east to the CNR/CPR railway lines east of Dundas Street are all included in High Park North.
West Toronto Junction, a defunct community, used to encompass High Park North. These neighbourhoods, which primarily consist of detached or semi-detached residences, were created in the decades after 1900. A number of sizable residential complexes have been built in the region of High Park North as a result of extensive developer activity. The neighbourhood to the north and east of the park is commonly known as High Park.
How Expensive Are Homes in High Park North?
High Park North is one of Toronto’s most prestigious neighbourhoods since it is one of the city’s oldest, greenest, and liveliest communities. The region is as full of character as it is whimsical with its rich cultural heritage and abundance of gorgeous homes that date back to the late 19th century.
In 2022, the average price for homes for sale in High Park North was $1,582,973. Condominiums are sitting at an average price of $1,006,740, with the average detached home for sale in High Park going for $2,076,839.
How Expensive Are Homes in High Park-Swansea?
High Park-Swansea is home to the park itself and is similarly highly sought after compared to High Park North. Residents typically refer to this neighborhood simply as “High Park”. Open houses are often held for the luxurious homes for sale in the area.
Homes for sale in High Park-Swansea sell at an average price of $1,498,303 in 2022. Condominiums have an average price of $823,018, and detached homes have an average price of $2,337,462.
Max Prime Properties on the Charming Coveted Central Block
The Central Block area is home to some of the more sought-after areas in the High Park North area. Houses in this area are spacious and inviting, like this detached home 2.5-storey 5-bedroom house with 4 full bathrooms.
Other similar properties in the area include this detached 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom detached house listed for close to 2 million dollars, and this 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom for close to 3 million.
How many homes there are available in the central block will depend on the time of year, as well as the market conditions that change rapidly.
How Does High Park North Stack Up Against Other Areas in the Toronto Real Estate Market?
Toronto is home to a number of other affluent neighborhoods with similar demand for homes. Many other neighborhoods have home realty that sells for much more than the homes in High Park North.
Bridle Path
The Bridle Path contains the biggest properties in Toronto. It’s not uncommon to see gated houses and luxurious mansions. If you drive around Toronto, you might have come across a detour that leads you via the Bridle Path while travelling down Lawrence Avenue West.
York Mills
The York Mills neighbourhood incorporates Banbury, St. Andrews-Windfield, and Hoggs Hollow (the little-travelled region at the base of York Mills and Yonge Street, bordering Rosedale Golf Club). These properties are among the most sought-after in Toronto. There are numerous huge lots and newly built homes because these are some of the earliest “suburban” constructions in Toronto from nearly a century ago. These neighbourhoods have a wonderful balance of architecture and greenery.
Forrest Hill
Ted Rogers, the man who founded Rogers Communications, spent a long period of his life living in this neighborhood. West of Upper Canada College, in the tranquil area of Forrest Hill, is where Bishop Strachan School lies tucked away in the middle of the community.
Rosedale
One of the more well-known downtown neighbourhoods is Rosedale. Rosedale is the place to be if you’re seeking turn-of-the-century buildings, beautiful lots, rich Toronto history, and old money. The homes are the stuff of dreams, and the streets are fantastic. It’s also a prime location if you want to feel remote while still being close to downtown. There are two simple routes from the city to the farm or cottage.
Moore Park
Undoubtedly, the growth of Toronto’s elite 100 years ago provided an opportunity to develop lots with newer residences similar to Rosedale. One of the most popular neighbourhoods in Toronto is Moore Park. Since there are only a few roads that get to the region, no tourists ever seem to drive through the neighbourhood; instead, it is almost exclusively frequented by locals.
Yorkville
Many of Toronto’s most affluent condo owners are situated in Yorkville, Toronto’s luxury apartment district. Condos in Yorkville frequently sell for more than $3500 per square foot. You will witness one supercar after another as you go down any of these streets. The international elite enjoys spending their days here. There are excellent eateries and coffee shops all across Yorkville.
Lawrence Park and Litton Park
The neighbourhoods of Lytton Park and Lawrence Park are adjacent to one another. The boundaries of Lawrence Park can be a little confusing to visitors, but that doesn’t make the area any less beautiful. Excellent residences, top-notch schools, and a magnificent park system that extends all the way to the water can be found in Lawrence and Lytton Park.
Final Thoughts
High Park is a beautiful area with lots of attractive qualities that make it appealing to many different types of people. Accordingly, homes in this area are often in high demand and can fetch pretty hefty prices.
While the area has many exciting features and qualities, it may not be the best place if your home budget isn’t on the rich side. High Park is comparable to many areas of Toronto that are typically considered expensive to live in.
If you’re affluent and attracted to natural scenery, then High Park neighborhoods might be a great place for your next dream home. The neighborhoods are also quite easily accessible through the Toronto public transit system.
