Jane and Finch, North York Neighbourhood Guide: Diversity is Strength

Jane and Finch is a historic community with endless opportunities for shopping and other recreational activities. This multicultural neighbourhood has an abundance of trails, community centres, sports, and a library for all ages. You will even find a pioneer village that awaits your visit to experience what life was like when the area was young.

The Jane and Finch neighbourhood was originally the home of a First Nations tribe in the 1400s. From about 1400 to 1550, the tribe lived along the Humber River. During the 1700s and 1800s, German pioneers from Pennsylvania came with their cattle and Conestoga wagons pulled by oxen. They were followed in 1820 by Scottish and English settlers.

The community was known as Elia and it was during this time the Elia Schoolhouse and Elia Methodist Church were built. The church still stands on Finch Avenue today and was renamed Elijah. It’s all that remains of the early community. In 1878, William Snider opened a post office in his general store on the corner of Keele Street and Finch Avenue.  

The area remained a farming community until 1956 when developers bought the land. The Ontario Housing Corporation and North York Planning Department tried to make an “instant community” to help house Toronto’s incredible growth rate. This neighbourhood made up 40 percent of the city’s growth. Apartments and public housing were created, and in the 1970s residents and organizations banded together to improve and strengthen the area.

Houses in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood vary in style. You will find detached and semi-detached homes, along with split-level, bungalows, two-storey houses, and townhouses. The community is known for its highrise apartment buildings. 

The York Woods Library Theatre is a multi-purpose, state-of-the-art theatre found beside the York Woods Library on Finch Avenue West. It is well-loved and used extensively by the community, and has programs for all ages. 

Black Creek Pioneer Village holds seasonal events for everyone to enjoy, including the Spring Fair and Christmas on High Street.

There are three shopping malls at the intersection of Finch Avenue and Jane Street. 

The largest of the three, the Jane Finch Mall, is on the southeast corner. It has 70 shops and services, as well as national department stores. The Yorkgate Mall on the northwest corner has more than 60 stores and both professional and medical offices. The Norfinch Shopping Centre, on the southwest corner of the intersection, is known for a variety of fast food franchises and other eateries.

You can also visit the Jane-Sheppard Mall, a community favourite, as well as plazas and stores on Keele Street. 

A variety of restaurants and fast food franchises are found in the Jane and Finch area. Enjoy a sushi meal, or if you are in a rush order a Subway sandwich. Diverse restaurants such as  Genatsvale Georgian Restaurant (for Georgian cuisine,) La Luce Ristorante (for Italian,) or  Pho Mi Viet Hoa (for Vietnamese food) are in the area. The Element Lounge and Restaurant offers classic Canadian fare and a bar.

There are several parks in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood. Many of the small parks will have tennis courts, pools, sports fields, and playgrounds. An artificial ice rink can be found at Fountainhead Park. You can find skating or indoor hockey at Grandravine Drive and Gosford Boulevard.

The Benjamin Boake Greenbelt, found off Sheppard Avenue through Northwood Park, runs through the neighbourhood. It has a peaceful, beautiful 4.7-kilometre trail for biking and walking. The trail ends at Black Creek Pioneer Village. The village is open to the public and allows visitors to see what life was like for settlers in the 1800s.

There are three popular community centres in the area. On Jane Street, you will find the Driftwood Community Recreation Centre. It has programs for all ages, an outdoor pool, and a gymnasium. The Northwood Community Centre also has an outdoor pool and gymnasium. If you are looking for a Tiny Tot program, after-school programs, or the Jane and Finch Boys and Girls Club, you will find them all at the Yorkwood Community Recreation Centre. 

Looking for a good book? Yorkwoods Regional Library is on Finch Avenue West and has programs for everyone in the community.

You will also find sports fields, playgrounds, swimming pools, skating arenas, walking trails, mini-golf, and Black Creek Pioneer Village. The village has a visitor centre, restaurant, banquet hall, and 35 restored buildings.

Buses on Finch, Sheppard, and Steeles connect to the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line, while buses on Keele and Jane Street go to the Bloor-Danforth subway line. You can drive to Highways 400 and 401 in only five minutes and the hospital, shopping mall, and TTC station are 15 minutes away from the neighbourhood. The GO bus or train station can be reached in 30 minutes, and Toronto Pearson International Airport is 20 minutes away.

Jane and Finch is a community whose residents have persevered while it grew strong. With many community programs, parks, restaurants, and a historic pioneer village, this community is ready to welcome families of all ages and sizes. Jane and Finch embrace its multicultural traditions, festivals, and activities, and brings its residents together to grow as a community.