Neighbourhood Guide
Bloor West Village: Overview
One of the greatest Toronto nooks, is Bloor West Village. With a charming, family oriented, pet friendly attitude, this neighbourhood provides for every lifestyle need and want within a short walking distance. Centred around the shopping along Bloor St. West, the houses are nestled along tree-lined streets and were mostly built from 1910’s to the 1920’s.
There is an incredible luxury to leaving the car behind for a day and strolling, stopping for a great coffee and pastry from a local bakery or a great burger on a patio or homemade pasta with an excellent glass of red. With over 400 shops, BWV provides for every little thing – from shoes and clothes, haircuts and spa treatments to custom built furniture and unique home flooring. These shops also hold the historic honour of being the first group of shops in Canada, if not globally, to unite and form the first ever Business Improvement Association.
Some of the shops and restaurants are Toronto icons, like Queen’s Pasta – open for 15 years; or the Village Playhouse, successfully running plays for over 35 years. The Humber Cinema was one of the oldest movie theatres in Toronto and has recently been re-opened, playing all the current films.
Other recreation is only a hop away too – High Park with its swimming pools in summer, skating rinks in winter, off leash dog area, farmers market, café, zoo, gardens and paths is a 400 acre green oasis. The Annette Recreation Centre has an indoor pool for the winter months.
Great schools and an incredibly easy commute round out the desirability of this neighbourhood. With an average commute downtown of just 30 minutes by transit or 15 minutes by car; or 5 minutes to the major highways, moving in and out of the city for work or play is a breeze. There are many schools to choose from both public and private, and daycares are abundant.