About the Area
• The neighbourhood, commonly known as OV, is bordered by Eglinton Avenue West to the north (Briar Hill–Belgravia), Dufferin Street to the west (Caledonia–Fairbank), St. Clair Avenue West to the south (Corso Italia and Bracondale Hill), and Winnett Avenue and Arlington Avenue to the east (Humewood–Cedarvale).
• Oakwood-Vaughan is one of Toronto’s most up and coming neighbourhoods. In the past 5 years the reputation of the neighbourhood has shifted from crime ridden to desirable.
• Oakwood–Vaughan was part of the former City of York before the amalgamation of Toronto in 1998. The neighbourhood’s northern half is nicknamed Five Points for the intersection of Oakwood Avenue, Vaughan Road, and Belvidere Avenue.
• The western half was called Northcliffe and is more recently known as Northcliffe Village.
• A portion of Little Jamaica is located on the northern border of the neighbourhood, situated along the southside of Eglinton Avenue West between Oakwood Avenue and Marlee Avenue.
History
• Oakwood-Vaughn is a very up and coming area! There were often negative thoughts among Torontonians when thinking about Oakwood-Vaughn. It’s reputation was that it was a crime ridden area of the city. In the last 5 years the neighbourhood’s association has drastically improved the area. It is now thought of as a close and fairly inexpensive place to live.
• Oakwood was developed as a streetcar suburb of Toronto.
Homes
• The most common ethnic background for people living in OakwoodVaughan is Italian and Portuguese. This is because of it’s close proximity to Corso Italia. There are also a significant number or Caribbean shops and restaurants in the area.
• The majority of homes in Oakwood-Vaughan were built in the 40’s-70’s. There are many bungalows and semi-detached homes. The area is largely populated by family homes.
Schools
• Oakwood Collegiate Institute
• Regal Heights
• Vaughan Road Academy
• Fairbank Middle School
• St Thomas Aquinas
• D’Arcy McGee
• St Alphonsus
• Rawlinson Community School
• JR Wilcox Community School
Recreational Facilities
• Built in 1997, Oakwood Village Public Library is located on Oakwood Avenue and Holland Park Avenue. However, the Maria A. Shchuka Public Library, which was re-rebuilt in 2003, is also located on the neighbourhood’s periphery at Eglinton Avenue and Northcliffe Boulevard.
• Oakwood–Vaughan is home for many artists and their families, and has officially been designated as an arts district. It is also an area which houses two community-based facilities: Art Starts and The Oakwood Village Library and Arts Centre. Statistics Canada data indicates that 8% of the area’s residents are employed in art or recreation compared with the 5% average for the City of Toronto.
• The Oakwood Village Arts Festival, held annually in June, is brings the community together around arts by providing a public platform for local artists and musicians. As a curated festival revolving around the theme of village, this event features theatre, dance, music, creative writing, art exhibits, interdisciplinary works and public discussions.
