Clairlea-Oakridge, Scarborough Neighbourhood Guide: Convenient Communities

Home to schools, health centres, and high-quality sports facilities, both Clairlea and Oakridge are understated yet comfortable places to live. Clairlea is close to major shopping centres to the northeast and is known for the Providence Health Centre, which employs many residents. Oakridge is closer to the Danforth, which offers residents a rich array of dining options from Macedonian to Bengali and many more cultural cuisines. Both these neighbourhoods have reasonable access to the downtown core via Broadview and Danforth Avenues and are popular spots for commuters and local workers.

Once a crossroad of a pioneer village called Moffat’s Corners, Clairlea was developed into a suburban area in the 1950s. Until development occurred, it was primarily rural. Oakridge, south of Clairlea, developed similarly. The area evolved within the Scarborough Junction postal delivery area that replaced the original post office on Victoria Park and St. Clair Avenue, one of Clairlea’s bordering intersections. Connected to various railways, Scarborough Junction was home to some of Scarborough’s first residential neighbourhoods. Small communities grew after the 1900s, and after the Second World War, the area’s demographics boomed.  

Both Clairlea and Oakridge are positioned near major thoroughfares, St. Clair East and Danforth Avenues. This makes the neighbourhood attractive for people travelling in and out of the city for work. Homes in Clairlea date back to the 1940s and 1950s and include bungalows, and storey-and-a-half and two-storey houses. New development around Warren Woods Ravine introduced townhouses and semi-detached homes to the area. Some of the houses in Oakridge date back to the 1910s. Oakridge homes include a wide range of options with new development projects offering modern home designs and condominiums for potential buyers.

Clairlea and Oakridge are close to several local museums. Some of these include the Canadian Macedonian Historical Society, The Scarborough Museum, and the Birchmount Fire Hall Museum. These museums tell the history of Scarborough. The neighbourhoods are also close to The Second City on Danforth, a well-known theatre for improv and stand-up comedians. The Children’s Peace Theatre is inside nearby Taylor Creek Park. This theatre provides curating spaces for artists and their community members. It also hosts public events to spark civic engagement with the arts

The Eglington Square Shopping Centre is on the northwest corner of Clairlea and has a Metro grocery store, a Hudson’s Bay, a Coles, and a collection of other clothing and shoe stores. Closer to Eglington and Warden Avenues you’ll find several national retail stores such as Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Best Buy, Winners, and Lowe’s Home Improvement. The nearest shopping centre to Oakridge is Shoppers World Danforth. Here, you can find another Metro, a Lowe’s Home Improvement, Staples, Pet Value, and a wide selection of other nationally recognized retailers.

Many of Clairlea’s restaurants are in the commercial area around Eglinton and Warden Avenues. Some of these include JJJ Jerk Restaurant, serving Caribbean food, and Pho Saigon, which serves Vietnamese soups. Hamish’s Kitchen Restaurant is a popular spot for fish and chips, and also serves comfort foods such as onion rings and poutine. Further north in the Scarborough Town Centre you’ll find Quesada Burritos & Tacos, as well as a Boston Pizza. Oakridge has a rich selection of restaurants mostly located along Danforth Avenue. Some of these include Mayette’s Restaurant, Uncle Robert’s Restaurant, and Crossroads Macedonian, all located near the intersection of Danforth and Warden Avenue.

Clairlea Park houses the Scarborough Soccer Centre, an indoor sporting facility that hosts games and practices. Outside of the centre are two outdoor soccer fields, two tennis courts, open wooded fields, and a playground with climbing structures and a few paths. Clairlea has two small parks along Victoria Park Avenue, Tom McPherson Park, and Edge Park. The southeast corner of Clairlea marks the northernmost part of Warden Woods. This park has a long trail within dense forest, making it a perfect spot for running, riding your bike, or walking your dog. Warden Woods borders Oakridge to the north, connecting the two communities. Oakridge also has Taylor Creek Park on its eastern border. This park has a long, winding trail system stretching along the beautiful Taylor Creek. The creek lies inside a ravine giving the area a picturesque feel for those looking for an escape from the busy city.

The Scarborough Soccer Centre in Clairlea is home to several soccer organizations for people of all ages. Once a hockey arena, the complex was transformed to house pickup games and competitive soccer leagues. This centre is close to Seal Swimming, a popular swimming school for young children and people looking for lifeguarding certifications. Down in Oakridge, there is the Dentonia Park Golf Course, a low-key golfing spot enjoyed by families in the area. This course is a short trip west of the Oakridge Community Centre. The centre has a gym, a playground, a soccer field, and hosts fitness classes and the local Youth Council.  

Depending on traffic it will take around 40 minutes to travel from Clairlea to downtown Toronto. Drivers take O’Connor Drive and Broadview Avenue before turning onto Bloor Street East, which leads to the downtown core. Public transit from Clairlea involves taking a bus south to the Bloor-Danforth subway line. The train from Victoria Park Station travels east to the Yonge or St. George subway stations, which connect to southbound subway lines. Travelling downtown from Oakridge, which is further south than Clairlea, takes around 20 minutes faster by both car and public transit, as commuters will only have to travel along the Bloor-Danforth line.

A humble pair of communities, Clairlea and Oakridge are popular destinations for people looking for a low-key spot to live. Both areas have ample access to shopping and grocery stores with malls located on Eglington as well as on Danforth Avenue. What the neighbourhoods lack in arts and culture is made up for with state-of-the-art recreational facilities for soccer, swimming, and many other sports. These areas are close to major subway lines, and drivers only have a 40-minute drive to downtown Toronto in the worst-case scenario. Warden Woods and Taylor Creek Park round out these areas with pristine green spaces that make enjoying nature convenient for locals who enjoy the outdoors.