Hillcrest Village

Robin Kingsburgh Artbox
Leslie Street and Ravel Road
In our busy day-to-day city lives, we have become disconnected from nature and lost our sense of wonder for our Universe. 'Look Up!' with its bright and whimsical colours will draw our attention away from our state of disconnection and bring us back to being present within our local urban environment.

Toronto Public Library - Hillcrest Branch
5801 Leslie Street
The Hillcrest Toronto Public Library branch features a large collection in Chinese and a small collection in French for children. There is also a park area on its east side and a plaque installed to recognize the contributions of Campbell B. Hughes (1913-1990), a Canadian editor and publisher. The library is also next to a local strip mall with various stores.

Cresthaven Park
37 Cresthaven Drive
This 2.7-hectare park features four lit outdoor tennis courts and clubhouse, a children's playground and an open green space.

A.Y. Jackson Secondary School
50 Francine Drive
A.Y. Jackson Secondary School is named after the famous Canadian painter and one of the founders of the Group of Seven. It opened in 1970, with its Brutalist architecture resembling a Cold War-era fortress. The school has a number of notable alumni, including former National Hockey League (NHL) player Adam Graves and K-Pop star Henry Lau.

Cliffwood Park
280 Cliffwood Road
This 2.6-hectare park features a multipurpose sports field, a ball diamond, three outdoor tennis courts, and a children's playground.

Duncan Creek Park
3700 Don Mills Road
Duncan Creek Park is a 24-hectare park featuring 17 bike trails, a pedestrian bridge, and a children's playground. It is also home to the two kilometre Duncan Creek trail, a popular bike and jogging route. Duncan Creek emerges from the ground near Don Mills and flows north through the park, where it joins the Don River east branch near Steeles Avenue East.

McNicoll Park
215 McNicoll Avenue
McNicoll Park is a 2.8-hectare park that features a lit multipurpose sports field, three lit tennis courts, a basketball court, a children's playground, and a splash pad. It is just east of Skymark Park and south of Duncan Creek Park.

CITE Building, Seneca College Newnham Campus
1750 Finch Avenue East
Seneca College's Centre for Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (CITE) opened at its Newnham campus in 2019 and was the College's largest construction project to date. In collaboration with different Indigenous communities and elders, the building is infused with Indigenous designs and historical references throughout the site. Thirteen columns line the front facade of the building; each column is emblazoned with a name (mnido, mkwa, ziissbaakdoke etc.) representing the 13 moons of the Indigenous lunar cycle. The western entrance on Finch Avenue features a magnified version of the signature page and map from the 1787 Toronto Purchase land deal between the Mississaugas of the Credit and the British crown. The interior centerpiece is the colourful Circle of Indigenous Knowledge, a 30-foot diameter terrazzo medallion insert in the ground floor designed by Anishinaabe artist Joseph Sagaj. It features a turtle in the center, a reference to Turtle Island which represents the continent of North America in many Indigenous cultures, enclosed by 18 symbols and elements that represent the First Nations Peoples of the Great Lakes, the Metis, and the Inuit of the Arctic.

Odeyto Indigenous Centre
1750 Finch Avenue East
The Odeyto ('the good journey' in Anishinaabe) is a teaching, learning and gathering space at Seneca College that signifies the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental journeys of Indigenous students. The building's striking exterior resembles a canoe resting on its side and represents a stop on the journey for post-secondary Indigenous students. Its curves are meant to create a warm womb-like interior, where 28 wooden ribs curving along the top and side represent the full lunar cycle and a woman's moon time. The eastern and western doors are painted red and aligned to the summer solstice, with a neon sign saying 'Don't be shy' in Cree syllabics by Cree artist Joi T. Arcand. Odeyto has a computer lab, kitchen, lounge space, offices, a dedicated area for Indigenous elders and even a medicine garden with a bee colony. Its outdoor spaces can also be adapted for use in traditional ceremonies and teaching. Meant to be a home away from home for Indigenous students this multipurpose facility is also accessible to members of the broader Indigenous community.

Zion Primitive Methodist Church Cultural Centre
1650 Finch Avenue East
Zion Primitive Methodist Church Cultural Centre is a noteworthy example of a simple and typical rural church fashioned in the Gothic style. The building's simple rectangular form is enlivened by red-patterned white brick buttresses, chimneys, and an arched belfry. The former church was built in 1873 by the Methodists of L'Amaroux, whom the nearby neighbourhood of L'Amoreaux is named after, and was acquired by the Borough of North York in 1971. It reopened as a cultural centre in 1998, celebrating North York's heritage and serving to promote culture and the arts in the community. The site sits in restful solitude and contrasts against the high rise towers that surround this little reminder of Toronto's rural past.

Skymark Park
3500 Don Mills Road
This 3.2-hectare park at Don Mills Road and Finch Avenue East features a multipurpose sports field and a children's playground. Another park, Willesden Park at 88 Willesden Road, is located just west of Skymark Park at Brahms Avenue.

Explore Hillcrest Village

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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Don't Miss

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

Hillcrest Village is a quiet residential community with hillside landscapes, Duncan Creek, and numerous parks for residents to enjoy natural splendour. Stroll along this neighbourhood's main streets - Leslie Street, Finch Avenue East, Don Mills Road, and Victoria Park Avenue - to find plenty of local businesses, including an exciting selection of Chinese and Korean restaurants, cafes and bakeries.

Main Streets: Leslie Street, Finch Avenue East, Don Mills Road and Victoria Park Avenue
  1. Robin Kingsburgh Artbox
    Leslie Street and Ravel Road
    In our busy day-to-day city lives, we have become disconnected from nature and lost our sense of wonder for our Universe. 'Look Up!' with its bright and whimsical colours will draw our attention away from our state of disconnection and bring us back to being present within our local urban environment.
  2. Toronto Public Library - Hillcrest Branch
    5801 Leslie Street
    The Hillcrest Toronto Public Library branch features a large collection in Chinese and a small collection in French for children. There is also a park area on its east side and a plaque installed to recognize the contributions of Campbell B. Hughes (1913-1990), a Canadian editor and publisher. The library is also next to a local strip mall with various stores.
  3. Cresthaven Park
    37 Cresthaven Drive
    This 2.7-hectare park features four lit outdoor tennis courts and clubhouse, a children's playground and an open green space.
  4. A.Y. Jackson Secondary School
    50 Francine Drive
    A.Y. Jackson Secondary School is named after the famous Canadian painter and one of the founders of the Group of Seven. It opened in 1970, with its Brutalist architecture resembling a Cold War-era fortress. The school has a number of notable alumni, including former National Hockey League (NHL) player Adam Graves and K-Pop star Henry Lau.
  5. Cliffwood Park
    280 Cliffwood Road
    This 2.6-hectare park features a multipurpose sports field, a ball diamond, three outdoor tennis courts, and a children's playground.
  6. Duncan Creek Park
    3700 Don Mills Road
    Duncan Creek Park is a 24-hectare park featuring 17 bike trails, a pedestrian bridge, and a children's playground. It is also home to the two kilometre Duncan Creek trail, a popular bike and jogging route. Duncan Creek emerges from the ground near Don Mills and flows north through the park, where it joins the Don River east branch near Steeles Avenue East.
  7. McNicoll Park
    215 McNicoll Avenue
    McNicoll Park is a 2.8-hectare park that features a lit multipurpose sports field, three lit tennis courts, a basketball court, a children's playground, and a splash pad. It is just east of Skymark Park and south of Duncan Creek Park.
  8. CITE Building, Seneca College Newnham Campus
    1750 Finch Avenue East
    Seneca College's Centre for Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (CITE) opened at its Newnham campus in 2019 and was the College's largest construction project to date. In collaboration with different Indigenous communities and elders, the building is infused with Indigenous designs and historical references throughout the site. Thirteen columns line the front facade of the building; each column is emblazoned with a name (mnido, mkwa, ziissbaakdoke etc.) representing the 13 moons of the Indigenous lunar cycle. The western entrance on Finch Avenue features a magnified version of the signature page and map from the 1787 Toronto Purchase land deal between the Mississaugas of the Credit and the British crown. The interior centerpiece is the colourful Circle of Indigenous Knowledge, a 30-foot diameter terrazzo medallion insert in the ground floor designed by Anishinaabe artist Joseph Sagaj. It features a turtle in the center, a reference to Turtle Island which represents the continent of North America in many Indigenous cultures, enclosed by 18 symbols and elements that represent the First Nations Peoples of the Great Lakes, the Metis, and the Inuit of the Arctic.
  9. Odeyto Indigenous Centre
    1750 Finch Avenue East
    The Odeyto ('the good journey' in Anishinaabe) is a teaching, learning and gathering space at Seneca College that signifies the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental journeys of Indigenous students. The building's striking exterior resembles a canoe resting on its side and represents a stop on the journey for post-secondary Indigenous students. Its curves are meant to create a warm womb-like interior, where 28 wooden ribs curving along the top and side represent the full lunar cycle and a woman's moon time. The eastern and western doors are painted red and aligned to the summer solstice, with a neon sign saying 'Don't be shy' in Cree syllabics by Cree artist Joi T. Arcand. Odeyto has a computer lab, kitchen, lounge space, offices, a dedicated area for Indigenous elders and even a medicine garden with a bee colony. Its outdoor spaces can also be adapted for use in traditional ceremonies and teaching. Meant to be a home away from home for Indigenous students this multipurpose facility is also accessible to members of the broader Indigenous community.
  10. Zion Primitive Methodist Church Cultural Centre
    1650 Finch Avenue East
    Zion Primitive Methodist Church Cultural Centre is a noteworthy example of a simple and typical rural church fashioned in the Gothic style. The building's simple rectangular form is enlivened by red-patterned white brick buttresses, chimneys, and an arched belfry. The former church was built in 1873 by the Methodists of L'Amaroux, whom the nearby neighbourhood of L'Amoreaux is named after, and was acquired by the Borough of North York in 1971. It reopened as a cultural centre in 1998, celebrating North York's heritage and serving to promote culture and the arts in the community. The site sits in restful solitude and contrasts against the high rise towers that surround this little reminder of Toronto's rural past.
  11. Skymark Park
    3500 Don Mills Road
    This 3.2-hectare park at Don Mills Road and Finch Avenue East features a multipurpose sports field and a children's playground. Another park, Willesden Park at 88 Willesden Road, is located just west of Skymark Park at Brahms Avenue.

Accessibility information: All points of interest are visible from the street. Most of this stroll takes place on streets and paved paths, however, there may be some unpaved paths and uneven surfaces along Cresthaven Park, Cliffwood Park, Duncan Creek Park, McNicoll Park, and Skymark Park. There may also be additional barriers, including but not limited to stairs, steep inclines, and narrow passageways, along or at other destinations.

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.