Bayview Woods-Steeles
Old Cummer Bridge
68 Pineway Boulevard
*Note: While the path to the bridge is paved, it is not level. Follow the trail from Pineway Boulevard and you will find the Old Cummer Bridge. This arched bridge was once the main crossing point of the Don River in this area. Only a small stretch of the original Cummer Avenue still exists today, running from Leslie Street to the Old Cummer GO Station. This small portion of road and the bridge were cut off from Cummer Avenue when it was straightened in the 1960s. A new, wider bridge was built further north to accommodate vehicle traffic. The old bridge was set to be demolished, but has now been repaired and is part of the trail system.
Pineway Park
110 Pineway Boulevard
Pineway Park features a children's playground and small open play yard.
Cummer Park Community Centre & Skatepark
6000 Leslie Street
Cummer Park Community Centre offers several amenities, including a squash court, indoor pool, and indoor track and fitness room. Also in the centre is an indoor skating rink. Outside is the Cummer Skatepark, built in 2001, and the oldest built by the City of Toronto. This 1,440 square meter facility is designed to replicate elements of the street including stairs, railing, benches and curbs. It is open for public use during daylight hours only. Also on site are tennis & basketball courts, a baseball diamond and children's playground.
Saddletree Park
50 Saddletree Drive
Saddletree Park features a small basketball court and children's playground.
Bestview Park
115 Bestview Drive
Bestview Park is a 3.6-hectare park near Steeles Avenue East and Leslie Street featuring a ball diamond, three lit outdoor tennis courts and children's playground. Paved paths connect the park to the East Don Parklands and the Don River. There are also approximately two kilometres of dirt trails located within the natural areas in Bestview Park.
Garnier Park
4 Garnier Court
A wooded 6.1-hectare park at Bayview Avenue and Steeles Avenue East, Garnier Park connects to the Don River East branch which flows along the west side of the park.
Ruddington Park
75 Ruddington Drive
Ruddington Park features three lit public tennis courts and a children's playground set in open green space.
Lester B. Pearson Elementary School
7 Snowcrest Avenue
Lester B. Pearson (1897-1972) lived in the neighbouring Newtonbrook community. He was educated at the University of Toronto and Oxford University. He served in the First World War, and began his career in politics in the 1920s. Pearson was involved in the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, and was the President of the United Nations General Assembly. His work with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Suez and settling the Suez Crisis led to him being the first Canadian to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Pearson was elected as the leader of the Liberal Party in 1958, and was Prime Minister from 1963 to 1968. The legacies of his government include the Canadian Pension Plan, universal healthcare, the maple leaf Canadian flag, and Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. This school was named for Pearson when it opened in the 1960s.
Cummer Farmhouse
44 Beardsmore Crescent
*Note: Private Property. Please observe this home from the sidewalk only. The original Cummer farmhouse was built in 1850, and looked out over the family's 50-acre farm and mill. Jacob Cummer, in addition to running a mill on the Don River, was at varying points in his career a tinsmith, shingle manufacturer, insurance agent, and Willowdale's first postmaster. When he built this home, the Georgian neo-classical style building was far less expansive that we see today. Additions to the house were made in 1910, and further expanded in the 1930s. The work done at this time modernized the building and, while attempts were made to balance the new with the old, the extensive work disqualified the home from heritage designation. Nevertheless, it is listed as an important property by the North York Historical Society.
East Don Parkland
Accessible from north side of Cummer Avenue, east of Beardmore Crescent
The East Don Parkland is part of a long chain of parks following the East Don River. The East Don Trail snakes through these ravines and green spaces providing a beautiful opportunity for hiking and biking. In the fall you can often find salmon swimming upstream to spawn. The Don Valley has undergone extensive conservation efforts over the past few decades to create this beautiful urban green space and will continue to improve in the future. This entrance off Cummer Avenue is partway through the trail. From the bridge, you can also see the Don River.
Explore Bayview Woods-Steeles
Now is the time for residents to experience all that tourists have been raving about for years. Discover shops, stops, places and spaces on city main streets. Stay curious, Toronto.
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Explore FREE Public Art Across the City. Toronto's Year of Public Art 2021-2022 is a year-long celebration of Toronto's exceptional public art collection and the creative community behind it.
We hope that you enjoyed exploring this Toronto neighbourhood and found many other points of interest along the way. While StrollTO highlights some of the 'hidden gems' in the neighbourhood, there may be others that could be included in a future edition. Would you like to share a point of interest that you discovered in the neighbourhood? Email us at [email protected].
Neighbourhood Stroll
This residential neighbourhood is found at the northernmost edge of the city, and within its suburban streets lie scenic parklands and the history of the modern community. While most of the industry that made up the business hub along the Don River are long gone, some if its vestiges can be seen as you travel throughout Bayview Woods-Steeles. Great local businesses await on Bayview Avenue, Steeles Avenue East, and Finch Avenue East.
- Old Cummer Bridge
68 Pineway Boulevard
*Note: While the path to the bridge is paved, it is not level. Follow the trail from Pineway Boulevard and you will find the Old Cummer Bridge. This arched bridge was once the main crossing point of the Don River in this area. Only a small stretch of the original Cummer Avenue still exists today, running from Leslie Street to the Old Cummer GO Station. This small portion of road and the bridge were cut off from Cummer Avenue when it was straightened in the 1960s. A new, wider bridge was built further north to accommodate vehicle traffic. The old bridge was set to be demolished, but has now been repaired and is part of the trail system.
- Pineway Park
110 Pineway Boulevard
Pineway Park features a children's playground and small open play yard.
- Cummer Park Community Centre & Skatepark
6000 Leslie Street
Cummer Park Community Centre offers several amenities, including a squash court, indoor pool, and indoor track and fitness room. Also in the centre is an indoor skating rink. Outside is the Cummer Skatepark, built in 2001, and the oldest built by the City of Toronto. This 1,440 square meter facility is designed to replicate elements of the street including stairs, railing, benches and curbs. It is open for public use during daylight hours only. Also on site are tennis & basketball courts, a baseball diamond and children's playground.
- Saddletree Park
50 Saddletree Drive
Saddletree Park features a small basketball court and children's playground.
- Bestview Park
115 Bestview Drive
Bestview Park is a 3.6-hectare park near Steeles Avenue East and Leslie Street featuring a ball diamond, three lit outdoor tennis courts and children's playground. Paved paths connect the park to the East Don Parklands and the Don River. There are also approximately two kilometres of dirt trails located within the natural areas in Bestview Park.
- Garnier Park
4 Garnier Court
A wooded 6.1-hectare park at Bayview Avenue and Steeles Avenue East, Garnier Park connects to the Don River East branch which flows along the west side of the park.
- Ruddington Park
75 Ruddington Drive
Ruddington Park features three lit public tennis courts and a children's playground set in open green space.
- Lester B. Pearson Elementary School
7 Snowcrest Avenue
Lester B. Pearson (1897-1972) lived in the neighbouring Newtonbrook community. He was educated at the University of Toronto and Oxford University. He served in the First World War, and began his career in politics in the 1920s. Pearson was involved in the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, and was the President of the United Nations General Assembly. His work with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Suez and settling the Suez Crisis led to him being the first Canadian to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Pearson was elected as the leader of the Liberal Party in 1958, and was Prime Minister from 1963 to 1968. The legacies of his government include the Canadian Pension Plan, universal healthcare, the maple leaf Canadian flag, and Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. This school was named for Pearson when it opened in the 1960s.
- Cummer Farmhouse
44 Beardsmore Crescent
*Note: Private Property. Please observe this home from the sidewalk only. The original Cummer farmhouse was built in 1850, and looked out over the family's 50-acre farm and mill. Jacob Cummer, in addition to running a mill on the Don River, was at varying points in his career a tinsmith, shingle manufacturer, insurance agent, and Willowdale's first postmaster. When he built this home, the Georgian neo-classical style building was far less expansive that we see today. Additions to the house were made in 1910, and further expanded in the 1930s. The work done at this time modernized the building and, while attempts were made to balance the new with the old, the extensive work disqualified the home from heritage designation. Nevertheless, it is listed as an important property by the North York Historical Society.
- East Don Parkland
Accessible from north side of Cummer Avenue, east of Beardmore Crescent
The East Don Parkland is part of a long chain of parks following the East Don River. The East Don Trail snakes through these ravines and green spaces providing a beautiful opportunity for hiking and biking. In the fall you can often find salmon swimming upstream to spawn. The Don Valley has undergone extensive conservation efforts over the past few decades to create this beautiful urban green space and will continue to improve in the future. This entrance off Cummer Avenue is partway through the trail. From the bridge, you can also see the Don River.
Accessibility information: Old Cummer Bridge is visible along the trail accessible from Pineway Boulevard. This path is paved but not level. Trails accessible from Bestway Park and the East Don Parkland at Cummer Avenue are visible from the sidewalk, but the trails themselves may not be paved, level or maintained. All other points of interest are visible from the sidewalk or road.
The StrollTO itineraries may follow routes that do not receive winter maintenance. Please review winter safety tips and for more information contact 311.
Soundtracks of the City
From global superstars to local favourites and ones to watch, the Soundtracks of the City playlists all feature artists who have called Toronto home. Whether it’s a lyric about the neighborhood, an artist representing a cultural community, or a tie-in to the StrollTO itinerary itself, all the music reflects connections to an individual ward or the City as a whole.
Music was chosen based on an artist’s Spotify presence and each song’s broad appeal, as well as its associations with the cultures, languages and ethnicities that reflect Toronto’s neighborhoods and diverse music scene. Soundtracks of the City combines 425 songs that feature more than 500 different local artists or acts, showcasing songs in 23 different languages.