Greenhills, York Neighbourhood Guide: Come Out and Play

Greenhills may not be stealing any real estate headlines just yet, but this residential naturescape may be Toronto’s best-kept secret. These relatively new homes are surrounded by expertly manicured parks and serviced by some of the area’s best recreational facilities and programs.

Greenhills is a relatively new development and therefore doesn’t enjoy the similar storied history of the neighbourhoods that surround it. 

Though some of the homes in Greenhills can be traced as far back as the 1960s, many of them weren’t erected until after the year 2000.

The housing stock available to prospective homebuyers is varied. There are homes here from the 1960s through to the 2000s to choose from. Greenhills also contains a sizable selection of small apartment buildings. 

The vast majority of the homes that line the streets of Greenhills are detached, single-family dwellings with two to three bedrooms. 

A relatively new development, Greenhills is in the process of defining a culture of its very own. But there are a lot of culturally focused outings that residents can take part in. 

The York Recreation Centre serves as a cultural hub. It puts on an impressive variety of arts programs all year long, including ballet, visual arts, and music lessons for all ages, and adapted arts for those over 17. The centre has summer camps too. 

Greenhills is unquestionably a fitness-friendly landing spot though. The vast selection of outdoor amenities, indoor fitness facilities, and recreational sports on offer define much of the culture of this fast-growing neighbourhood.

The residential streets of Greenhills were designed with peace and tranquillity in mind, though there’s plenty to spend your money on near here. The neighbourhood is surrounded on all sides by a number of premium retail districts. 

There are professional services and grocery stores to the south along Old Weston Road. Furniture and home decor shops can be found to the west of Black Creek Drive. There are even more home supply and renovation supply stores to the east and north along Castlefield Avenue. And of course, there are the hundreds of shops contained within Little Jamaica along Eglinton Avenue West.

If you’re searching for something to eat within the borders of Greenhills, you might be disappointed. That disappointment won’t last long though. A quick trip east along Eglinton Avenue West will unlock all the incredible, eclectic flavours found in what the locals call Little Jamaica.

Residents can also find more dining options by venturing north along Keele Street or travelling to the west side of Black Creek Drive. 

The vast and explorable green spaces of Greenhills are the neighbourhood’s primary draw. The area is bordered to the west and north by a combination of dense forests, functional public parks, and walking paths. 

North Keelesdale Park has a baseball diamond and Coronation Park has two basketball courts, a tennis court, and a splash pad. And all of it is accented by the Black Creek River that cuts through much of the neighbourhood and runs the length of Black Creek Drive. 

Recreational amenities are where the Greenhills neighbourhood truly shines. In addition to the offerings available at North Keelesdale Park, the area is home to a number of world-class fitness and sports facilities. 

The York Recreation Centre hosts child, youth, and adult programs like soccer, martial arts, basketball, and floor hockey. Chris Tonks Arena at 95 Black Creek Drive offers Learn to Skate programs, shinny hockey, league play, and both supervised and unsupervised public skates. 

Then there’s the New Generation Youth Recreation Centre. It’s connected to the York Memorial Collegiate Institute on Eglinton Avenue West and houses a large indoor pool, a gymnasium, a craft room, and a lounge. 

Greenhills may feel remote, but that’s part of the area’s charm. In reality, getting in and out of the neighbourhood is pretty easy for a motorist. A quick trip north along Black Creek Drive will take you to Highway 400, which connects to Highway 401 and the rest of the province. 

Public transportation options abound too. Bus service along Eglinton Avenue West connects commuters to Eglinton West Station in just over 15 minutes. From there you can enjoy all the benefits available along Toronto’s Yonge-University subway line.

Greenhills may not offer the most exciting nightlife or the most eclectic restaurants, but you’ll have trouble finding a more desirable location for the family that likes to stay active. World-class recreational facilities, sweeping green spaces, and tons of sports programs to choose from make Greenhills, York, a fitness-centric playground.