Sonoma Heights, Vaughan Neighbourhood Guide: Roomy Residences

Living in Sonoma Heights strikes a perfect balance between residential communities, natural parkland, and convenient shopping. The homes here are built on spacious lots and afford plenty of living space for their lucky inhabitants. There are plenty of options for grocery shopping and dining in this area, and it’s also close to highways for people who need to access downtown Toronto. One of the best parts about living in Sonoma Heights is its proximity to multiple green areas for outdoor recreation. This is also a great place to raise a family with many schools, parks, and a well-equipped community centre.

One of the first European settlers in this area was John Nicholas Kline. Arriving in 1848, Kline purchased 33 hectares of land and built a sawmill and a grist mill. In time, this land fell into the hands of other mill workers such as William, Fred, and Stark Howland. The Howlands were a successful family, occupying prestigious political positions and operating several mills across Ontario. By 1860, the town had a cobbler, carriage maker, doctor, saddler, and an undertaker. There were two hotels, a school, and a church. Major residential development came to this area after the 1950s in the northern community of Kleinburg and expanded southward to Sonoma Heights after the 1970s.  

Despite this area’s history of mills and farming, the present-day inhabitants enjoy large properties with spacious homes. Two-storey, detached homes are the norm in Sonoma Heights, and most lots have both front lawns and backyards. Every property has at least one tree on the front lawn. The streets are wide and almost all of them have sidewalks. It’s common to find double driveways in this neighbourhood, as well as garages fitting up to three vehicles. Homes in Sonoma Heights have ranging architectural styles but mainly stick to Victorian esthetics with rounded windows and gabled roofs. Many homes have front patios with decorative pillars.

This neighbourhood is close to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. The museum has one of the largest collections of artwork made by the Group of Seven, a group of Canadian landscape painters active from 1920 to 1933. This art museum is notable for its 40-hectare property with walking trails, a sculpture garden, and a cemetery for six members of the Group of Seven. Inside the building, the gallery has a permanent collection of Canadian artists including both Indigenous and settler creators. The nearest heritage centre for people in Sonoma Heights is the Pierre Berton Heritage Centre. The centre, converted from a church in 2012, is a multi-purpose community space.

The closest shopping centre for residents in Sonoma Heights is Islington Village Centre. This shopping area has a Food Basics for groceries and several other shops such as Electroshack, an electronics store, and a Scotiabank. There is a larger shopping centre south of Sonoma Heights near the intersection of Highway 27 and Langstaff Road. Here, shoppers will find a Walmart Supercentre, Pet Valu, and a blinds shop called Shutter Outlet. Other small stores in this area include Floral Event Boutiques, a florist, Equipt Fashion, a women’s clothing store, a dollar store, and an Adidas sportswear store. 

There’s a handful of restaurants near the Food Basics on Islington Avenue and Napa Valley Avenue. One of these restaurants is AVOS Churrasqueira Rotisserie Grill, serving Portuguese food. Across the mall, you will find barBURRITO offering Tex-Mex food. This venue is well known for its burritos, tacos, and quesadillas. Farther south on Islington Avenue you will find another group of restaurants near the intersection with Rutherford Road. Artigianale Ristorante & Enoteca is a classy Mediterranean restaurant serving oven-baked pizzas, meatballs, hamburgers, and pasta dishes.

This neighbourhood is a short distance southwest of the Ontario Greenbelt, making it easy to find trails for hiking. One of the closest natural areas is William T. Foster Woods. These woods have interconnecting trails that enter a wooded area. If you follow the trails long enough, you will reach Boyd North and Glassco Park. These properties encompass 700 hectares of land within the Humber River watershed. Both of these parks are north of Boyd Conservation Park and have sports fields, hiking trails, picnic sites, and public washrooms. Boyd Conservation Park has pathways near and crossing the Humber River, making it a picturesque place to spend time with friends and family.

The closest place to play hockey in Sonoma Heights is Al Palladini Community Centre. This centre has a 25-metre, six-lane lap pool with a Tarzan rope, whirlpool, family change room, and a viewing gallery. The fitness centre at Al Palladini has a cycling studio, a sauna, squash courts, and an indoor track. One of the nearest golf courses in Sonoma Heights is The Country Club. Opened in 1965, this 18-hole champion course was designed by Canadian architect Howard Watson. The clubhouse features outdoor patios, four meeting rooms, and two large banquet halls for large and small events.

The fastest way to downtown Toronto from Sonoma Heights starts by driving south to Rutherford Road, where you will turn right heading east. Soon, you will exit onto Highway 427, driving south until it changes into the Gardiner Expressway. After driving east on the Gardiner for a few minutes you exit onto York Street. This will lead you north into the downtown core. Heading downtown by public transit will start with a bus ride from Napa Valley Avenue and Marco Sgotto Avenue. This will take you south to Highway 7, where you will hop on another bus east to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. From here, you can ride the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line south to downtown Toronto.

This is a new community with a great selection of grocery stores, restaurants, and things to do. The McMichael Canadian Art Collection north of Sonoma Heights is an exciting gallery to visit and also has a large outdoor space with sculptures and hiking trails. This neighbourhood also has a community centre where you can play hockey, go swimming, or work out. Sonoma Heights is close to conservation areas with trails and picnic areas. It also has smaller parks with playgrounds and sports fields. The community is close to major commuter highways, making it an easy trip to downtown Toronto.