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Tailor-made for upper-middle-class
families, High Park–Swansea has few
entry-level homes. In 2005, 6 Mossom
Place sold for $975,000

Real Estate Guide › West

High Park - Swansea

Average 2008 sale price:

$544,423

Property crime:

very low

Crime against people:

very low

Neighbourhood map:

See map

In some neighbourhoods, a single major civic asset overshadows all others, and adds incalculable value to houses and apartments for at least half a dozen blocks in every direction. The asset here is the city’s largest public green space, High Park. John Howard, an English-born architect, painter and city surveyor, became the greatest benefactor in Toronto history when he donated both his 400-acre park and his home, Colborne Lodge, in 1873. In the early 1890s, newly built roads to the park allowed bankers and other luminaries to construct their homes on nearby Indian Road and High Park Boulevard. The nabe offers some of the best lots in the city, both alongside the park and on Riverside Drive. Swansea, the region to the west of the park, is a cohesive community, with its own town hall and the city’s smallest public library.

HOUSING STOCK: Brick and stone mansions on High Park Boulevard and Indian Road give way to Swansea’s smaller but very smart brick and stone homes close to the park. The more modern two-storey abodes are in the extreme southwest, close to the scenic but loud QEW.

BARGAIN ZONES: In general, the best deals are on the stretches of Southport and Windermere that run along the Queensway.

THE VERDICT: Made for dogs and kids, the area attracts families wanting to mitigate big-city life with contained rustic charm. With shopping and entertainment in Bloor West Village to the north and Roncesvalles to the east, there’s no reason to leave (except to go to work to pay that big mortgage).

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:
Bark & Fitz The high-end canine boutique has become a de facto hangout in this dog-friendly area. 1959 Bloor St. W., 416-916-6207.
The Cheese Boutique A neighbourhood stalwart for fromage fans. 45 Ripley Ave., 416-762-6292.