Lambton, York Neighbourhood Guide: A Picturesque Landscape

Situated on the east bank of the Humber River north and south of Dundas Street West, you’ll find the verdant neighbourhood of Lambton. The natural beauty of the area — with its hills, dales, and old oak trees — is shaped by the picturesque Humber River Valley.

Lambton is commonly thought to be divided into three pockets. Lambton Mills is the oldest section and is centred around Old Dundas Street. The area north of Dundas Street West is known as Lambton Park, while the wealthy residential community south of Dundas Street in the valley is known as Warren Park or Lambton Baby Point.

Homes in this neighbourhood are charming and reasonably affordable. Many homes have been recently renovated, which has attracted a solid demographic of growing families. Nearby neighbourhoods like The Junction and  Bloor West Village provide all the “downtown” feeling you could want, with lots of businesses and opportunities for dining and shopping.

The Lambton area gets its name from the successful flour mill, “Lambton Mill,” built by William Pearce Howland in 1845. While many of Lambton’s early residents were employed at the Lambton Mill, others found employment at the Canadian Pacific Railway yards north of Dundas Street.

The area east of Gooch Avenue was developed in the early 20th century as part of the expanding York Township. The area west of Gooch was developed after the 1950s, with the region only being fully developed during the 1970s.

Lambton was also known for its market gardens, which were situated on the fertile plain of the Humber River Valley. These market gardens were still operating until the 1950s when the Warren Park area was subdivided for residential development.

The architectural style of Lambton varies depending on each subdivision. The original small workman’s cottages and tiny homes were built in the early to mid-1800s for mill workers and their families. Some of them can still be found in the Lambton Mills area.

The Warren Park area, more commonly referred to as the “Valley,” is on a peninsula of land and also lays claim to some workman’s cottages. However, the vast majority of houses here are semi-detached brick homes that were built in the 1950s and ’60s, many of which provide stunning views of the Humber Valley.

Tudor-style brick and stone homes built in the early 1900s dominate the area north of Dundas Street in the Lambton Park pocket.

Those moved by artwork will enjoy the neighbourhood’s various street murals. The Walter Ruston murals located on 268 and 238 Jane Street depict historic scenes along the Humber River. The 238 Jane Street mural shows children enjoying a walk along the river as well as a vintage car and home, while the mural at 268 Jane Street shows Indigenous Peoples traversing the river in canoes.

The Anna Camilleri and Tristan R. Whiston Album mural situated under Dundas Street Bridge along Humber River Recreational Trail honours the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ2S+) individuals in sports while simultaneously confronting traditional representations of athletes and family.

The shopping in Lambton is spread out along Dundas Street West, Scarlett Road, and Jane Street. Coopers Mills is a small shopping plaza located at 4020 Dundas Street West. Jane Park Plaza at Black Creek Drive is the largest shopping plaza in the neighbourhood. Here you’ll find all your essentials such as a large grocer, a pharmacy, a video store, a beer store, a bank, a post office and a medical clinic.

There are a handful of quaint restaurants and cafés in Lambton, as well as a strip of options in the nearby vibrant Junction and Dundas West area. For tasty wood-fired pizza and traditional Italian fare, we definitely recommend Queen Margherita.

Crème Fraîche Market Café is a charming café and bakery boasting fresh, homemade pies, pastries, and preserves, with a passion for sustainability and staunch support of local Ontario farmers. Coffee Culture Café & Eatery is the perfect place to meet with friends for lunch or grab a quick java. The Jane subway station is a five-minute walk south.

There are plenty of green spaces in Lambton to check out, many of which offer scenic trails and stunning views overlooking the Humber River Valley.

Lambton Park is a picturesque park off Howland Avenue north of Dundas Street West and features a large stand of black oak trees. It also encompasses a 10-kilometre trail along the Humber River that passes through the blooming James Gardens.

Smythe Park, located off Scarlett Road, is designated as a wildlife protection area. The Black Creek winds its way through the centre of this park, where mallard ducks and Canadian geese frequent many marshes and ponds.

Étienne Brûlé Park is part of the Humber River Ravine, hosting paved paths and parkland that make this a hot spot for jogging, cycling, picnicking, seasonal fishing, and cross-country skiing.

In the middle of Lambton Park, you’ll find Lambton Arena, the home of the Warren Park Hockey Association and the York Figure Skating Club. Smythe Park also has plenty of recreation with two outdoor swimming pools, two tennis courts, two baseball diamonds, and a modern children’s playground.

A popular recreational destination among residents, especially those in the valley, is the Lambton Golf and Country Club. Located off Scarlett Road, this club has been a neighbourhood landmark since it first opened in 1902 and features a beautiful course traversed by Black Creek and the Humber River.

Lambton residents are well served by public transit. TTC offerings along Jane and Dundas offer relatively painless connections to various stations on the Bloor-Danforth subway line. The Dundas Street West bus also provides a connecting route to the Kipling subway station and GO Train stations.

For those commuting by car, highways are easily accessed, and the Toronto Pearson International Airport is a short 15 minutes away. Getting into the downtown core takes about 20 minutes.

If you’re someone who appreciates community, local schools, parks, fresh air, and the beauty of one’s natural surroundings, Lambton is well-suited to you. This neighbourhood is a mélange of cultures, classes, and lifestyles with varying subdivisions that may easily match your lifestyle and affordability. 

With its hilly terrain, you’ll love this quiet community of quaint commercial establishments and picture-perfect detached homes concealed under a lush canopy of mature maples and oaks with the Humber River Ravine at your doorstep.