Hermitage Park, Ajax Neighbourhood Guide: Luxurious Living

Large homes, quiet open spaces, and parkland make this neighbourhood one of the most affluent and attractive districts in Durham Region. The Hermitage neighbourhood is situated north of Kingston Road and east of Church Street in the central-west region of Ajax and is one of the older neighbourhoods in Ajax. It features an abundance of large four-bedroom homes, making it one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in all of Durham Region. 

The green space of Hermitage Park is a popular gathering place for families and Pickering High School is within walking distance, making this neighbourhood an attractive option for families with kids.

The compelling saga of a historic mansion, which Hermitage is named after,  lends interest to this quiet family neighbourhood. The Hermitage mansion was originally the gymnasium at Pickering College until December 1905, when a fire tore through the building during the Christmas holidays. The building burned to the ground, save for the gymnasium, which was left standing. 

Following the fire, the land was purchased by E.L. Ruddy for a rumoured $4,324 and Ruddy renovated and transformed the gymnasium into a Greek Revival-style mansion. The illustrious home contained four bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen at the rear of the house, and two brick fireplaces were added to the opulent mansion.

In 1990, Hermitage Community Park was christened after the iconic Hermitage mansion, and the Hermitage neighbourhood also bears the name of this local landmark.

Hermitage is one of the most affluent neighbourhoods in all of Durham region and boasts large three and four-bedroom homes with brick exteriors and built-in garages, on large lots, usually selling within the $900,000 to $1 million range.

There are also townhomes mixed into the neighbourhood, and new construction continues in the area. Many of the large homes were built between 1990 and 2000, and some of the more mature homes were constructed in the 1980s.

If you enjoy hitting the greens, Riverside Golf Club is located nearby the Hermitage neighbourhood in Pickering Village. It is a nine-hole golf course set on scenic rolling green space

Bordered by a creek and rows of swaying trees, it’s a challenging course and suitable for beginners and more experienced golfers alike. The club regularly hosts golf tournaments for friends and family, sports teams, and corporations, and will even cater your event with a banquet.

The nearby  St. Francis Center on Church Street is easily visible in Pickering Village with its striking steeple that stretches skyward from the historic building originally built as a church in 1871. It showcases a stage, theatre seating for 150, a glass atrium, and a bar.

The St. Francis Center offers live theatre, concerts, and also plays host to a film circuit, part of the Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) film outreach program. The film circuit showcases Canadian and international films; this historic building adds to the ambiance of watching first-rate international cinema and documentaries.

Hermitage Centre provides residents with convenient shopping options in a small local neighbourhood plaza located at nearby Church Street North and Delaney Drive. There’s a pizzeria, Mac’s convenience store, M & M’s Meats, various other small retail stores, and parents can take note of a well-regarded daycare center in the plaza.

Hermitage residents can enjoy an assortment of unique dining establishments within walking distance. In nearby Pickering Village, Saunter’s Inn features German-Hungarian cuisine and has been serving home-cooked meals and German beer since 1987. 

Favourite menu items include Camembert cheese with raspberry sauce, bratwurst, cabbage rolls, and grilled salmon. The restaurant is set within the quaint and historic Pickering Village courtyard and a patio looks out onto the cobblestone courtyard.

Nearby Auntie’s Recipe is situated on Church Street South and serves up authentic Italian meals including pizza, panzerotti, and pasta. Located in the heart of Pickering Village, the restaurant has been serving the locals for over 20 years, and the reviews speak for themselves!

Families will enjoy Hermitage Park, which is centrally located in this neighbourhood behind Lincoln Alexander Public School and is a hub for families to gather and enjoy the facilities. The park is a rolling green space, featuring a network of approximately 800 meters of trails. The trails are flat and easy to navigate and provide the whole family with enjoyment on a sunny afternoon.

For the sports-minded, the park also rolls out a baseball diamond, soccer pitch, and basketball court. A tennis court is situated at the top of the hill in Wishing Well Park and an off-leash dog park provides hours of fun for pets. There is even outdoor exercise equipment available for residents who are looking to add some strength training to their fitness routine.

Top-class recreational facilities are just a stone’s throw away from Hermitage! The Audley Recreation Center is located in northeast Ajax, approximately a 10-minute drive from Hermitage. It is a modern state-of-the-art community center and features a gym, community room, six-lane 25-meter indoor lap pool, and leisure pool with therapy jets. The center offers unique fitness programs, such as cricket practice.  Book lovers will enjoy the local library branch at the centre, which also offers community programs. 

Outdoors, teens can join friends at the skateboard park. Basketball courts, tennis courts, and baseball diamonds beckon to the sports lover and walking trails provide for a leisurely stroll. 

In the winter, kids will enjoy the toboggan hill on the grounds. Younger kids will enjoy the splash pad and the huge playground, which showcases zip lines, and young moms can take advantage of the on-site daycare as they take a fitness class or swim laps. 

With 80 transit stops in Hermitage, travelling to the mall or to the Ajax GO station is an easy feat. 

Commuters will enjoy the convenience of Ajax GO station, located south of Highway 401 at the bottom of Westney Road.

If you’re driving, downtown Toronto is a short 30-minute commute via Highway 401.

Hermitage is a sought-after neighbourhood in a district that is enjoying increased popularity as city residents flock to the outskirts of the GTA for more affordable homes and open space.

The saga of the Hermitage mansion, which lends its name to the Hermitage neighbourhood, provides an interesting twist to this mature neighbourhood situated in central-west Ajax. With a well-known high school, a network of walking trails, and local shopping and dining within walking distance, Hermitage remains one of the most affluent and sought-after neighbourhoods in Durham Region.