Moving north for the next installment of our virtual tour of the city’s neighbourhoods, we’d like to introduce our readers to Fairbank. Located in York-Crosstown, you can find this area of the city where Eglinton Avenue West and Dufferin Street intersect. We anticipate this neighbourhood will grow exponentially once the Eglington Crosstown Line is complete. The LRT project, set to connect 19 kilometres of Eglinton from Weston Road to Kennedy Station, will make Fairbank a major destination in the future. It’s just one of the reasons why relators are calling it Toronto’s next hot neighbourhood.

Like many of the neighbourhoods before it, Fairbank was once sprawling farm land settled by a man named Matthew Parsons. By the mid-1800s, the land that’s now the corner of Eglinton and Dufferin had started to develop, with its own post office, retail stores, school house, and church. Some of its earliest buildings are still there today, including the Fairbank United Church. This part of town has the railway to thank for its development into the 20th century. Eventually, this rail line was converted into an early street car route once the city began to unroll operations further north.

Now, the neighbourhood is home to many families who appreciate its rolling hills and curving streets lined with a mixture of post-war brick bungalows, new developments, and apartment buildings. At its very centre, the highest hills in Fairbank offer a spectacular view of the surrounding area.

Fairbank Breakdown

Our regular readers will know this section of our guide will outline the latest census information of our spotlighted neighbourhood. We’ve used facts and figures sourced from the City of Toronto and other government databases in order to create a reliable snapshot of current demographics.

  • There are roughly 9,851 people living in the area as of 2011, which is a 10% decrease from 2001
  • That places its population density at 6,397 people per square kilometre
  • The average family income is roughly $59,779 a year
  • The majority of residents live in single-detached homes with their families (49%)
  • 3 public schools fall within its boundaries
  • It has a large population of people with Italian, Portuguese, and West Indian heritage

Neighbourhood Notables

Castlefield Design and Decor District — Home to some of Toronto’s most expensive and stylish décor warehouse and showrooms, the Castlefield Design District is a shopper’s paradise. There are a variety of interior design and furniture stores, peppered with other retail stores and bakeries, making it an ideal place to shop when looking for inventive, stylish new ways to renovate.

Fairbank Memorial Community Centre — This multi-level facility offers the neighbourhood a variety of programs, including workshops, recreation activities, and clinics. It’s located at the heart of the community at the corner of Eglinton and Dufferin, at the edge of the Fairbank Memorial Park.

We hope this short guide has given you a better understanding of this part of our city. Like we mention in every installment, there’s no better way to get to know a neighbourhood than with first-hand experience, so we invite you to check out the Castlefield Design District one weekend to see it for yourself. As always, if you’ve already committed to the move, we’re ready to help make Fairbank your new home. Get in touch with us to learn about our moving services, and we’ll make sure your move is the easiest one yet.