A Neighborhood Guide For Moving To Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford-Maryvale is an exciting neighbourhood situated on the west side of Scarborough. The area is a
mix of peaceful residential spaces and a bustling industrial zone. The neighbourhood is known for its
cultural diversity and is a popular landing spot for immigrants coming to the city. Wexford-Maryvale is a
perfect destination for families who are looking to buy their first home in welcoming and tight-knit
community while still being near the city centre. If you plan on moving to Scarborough, Wexford-
Maryvale is a wonderful place to live.
Where is Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford-Maryvale is located on the western border of Scarborough. The neighbourhood sits between
Victoria Park Avenue and Birchmount Road with Highway 401 acting as the northern boundary and
Eglinton Avenue acting as the southern boundary. Taylor Massey Creek Runs right through the centre of
the neighbourhood.
Getting around Wexford-Maryvale
Bus services along Eglinton, Lawrence, Victoria Park, Pharmacy and Warden Avenues connect passengers
to stations on the Bloor-Danforth subway line, while the Ellesmere Road bus links up with the Yonge-
University-Spadina subway line. Motorists can get downtown in just under twenty minutes via the Don
Valley Parkway, which can be accessed off Lawrence Avenue, just west of Victoria Park Avenue. Highway
401 on-ramps at Victoria Park and Warden Avenues are conveniently located at the north end of the
neighbourhood. The Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail line is currently under construction and will run right through the south side of Wexford-Maryvale. The Crosstown line will add to Wexford-Maryvale’s already impressive amount of transportation options. The line is set to open in late 2023.
A brief history of Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford began in the 1840s as a crossroads community centered around “The Rising Sun Inn,” which
was situated on the south-west corner of Lawrence and Pharmacy Avenue. The inn was owned by
Richard Sylvester, who hailed from Wexford County, Ireland. Sylvester named the local post office after
his home town and that became the official name of the community going forward. A historical
landmark left over from Wexford’s pioneer days is St. Jude’s Church, situated on the east side of Victoria
Park Avenue, south of Lawrence Avenue. This church was built in 1848 by local farmers and is one of the
oldest standing churches in Toronto.
The area just north of Wexford, but south of what is now Highway 401, was first settled as a faming
hamlet in the mid 1800s. This neighbourhood was named Maryvale after the Maryvale farm, which was
noted for the breeding of racing horses. This farm was situated on the site of the present day Maryvale
Public School. A horseshoe from the old Maryvale farm is mounted on a commemorative plaque in the
foyer of the Maryvale Public School.
Wexford and Maryvale were some of the first parts of Scarborough to be developed. In 1953, Wexford,
Maryvale and the rest of Scarborough, were severed from York County, forming the regional
government of Metropolitan Toronto. In 1998, the city was merged with the rest of Scarborough and the
five other municipalities of Metropolitan Toronto, forming the new "City of Toronto.” Around this same
time, Wexford and Maryvale were combined to form the larger neighbourhood, Wexford-Maryvale.
The types of homes in Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford- Maryvale contains mostly bungalows and storey-and-a-half houses built in the 1950s. These
homes are situated on good-sized lots that feature private driveways and a garage. The area also has a
large number of low and high-rise apartment buildings, located on the peripheral streets of this
neighbourhood, which helps diversify the housing options.
Making the move to Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford-Maryvale is a perfect destination for young families that want to settle down in a quiet
residential neighbourhood while still being in Toronto and taking advantage of everything that the city
has to offer.
If you are looking to move to Wexford-Maryvale but need to sell your current house first, you should be
staging your home to make it more appealing to potential buyers. Home staging often requires you
removing some pieces of furniture from your home to help with clutter and improve the overall flow of
the house. Self-storage is an invaluable tool when home staging.
Right now, Storwell Self Storage is offering my clients an exclusive offer of 4 weeks of free self-storage
for their home staging needs. Storwell has locations in Mississauga, Etobicoke, and one location in
Scarborough, which is just a short drive east of Wexford-Maryvale near Markham Road and Highway
401. If you need self-storage for home staging, you can call a representative or visit a Storwell Facility in
person to demo a unit.
Things to do in Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford-Maryvale has a tremendous amount of shopping options. Lawrence Avenue is brimming with
small shopping plazas that contain a multicultural mix of restaurants and food shops. The shopping along
Victoria Park Avenue is similar to Lawrence Avenue although on a much smaller scale. Eglinton Avenue
offers a mix of big box stores, family style restaurants, car dealerships, factory outlets, and shopping
centers. The Golden Mile situated along Eglinton Avenue is one of Canada’s first industrial parks, an area
planned and zoned specifically for industrial use. The centerpiece of the Golden Mile is the Golden Mile
Shopping Mall on the north side of Eglinton Avenue east of Victoria Park Avenue. The Golden Mile was
the largest shopping mall in Canada when it opened in 1954. Today this mall is anchored by a large
department store and a supermarket, and also includes a handful of smaller retailers and a dental
centre.
Aside from shopping, there are a whole host of other fun activities to do in Wexford-Maryvale. The
Toronto Premier Gymnastic Centre is located on Birchmount Road and Lawrence Avenue East. The
centre offers a variety of recreational gymnastics programs for children of all ages. V.I.P. Pool and Bar
Snooker Club located on Ellesmere Road and Warden Avenue is an exciting spot that offers a broad
range of entertainment options. The club has a combination of English snooker tables, American pool
tables, and a table tennis room along with a trendy decorated sports bar. The Dolphin Gaming Bingo Hall
is located on Eglinton Avenue East and is Toronto’s premier destination for bingo and other Vegas style
games.
Parks and recreation in Wexford-Maryvale
While Wexford-Maryvale is near a major metropolitan centre, it also has wonderful access to nature and
greenery. Wexford Park is one of the largest parks in the neighbourhood and it has two baseball
diamonds, two soccer fields, and a heavily wooded trail that’s perfect for walking, jogging, or biking.
Ashtonbee Reservoir Park is located just south of Wexford Park and is unique in that it has two full-sized
cricket pitches. McGregor Park is located on Lawrence Avenue East and Warden Avenue and includes a
baseball diamond with flood lighting, three well-maintained tennis courts, and an outdoor pool that is
part of the McGregor Park Community Centre. The McGregor Park branch of the Toronto public library is
also located right next to the park and community centre. There are several other great parks in the
Wexford-Maryvale area including:
- Maryvale Park
- Ellesmere Park
- Willowfield Gardens Park
The best schools in Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford-Maryvale has a wonderful selection of schools making it an ideal landing spot for families with
young children. The main high school in the neighbourhood is Sathya Sai School of Toronto on the corner
of Warden and Ellesmere Road. Sathya Sai is the top rated high school in the province according to the
Fraser Institute. Two other great high schools in Wexford-Maryvale area are Wexford Collegiate School
for the Arts and Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute.
Wexford-Maryvale also has a strong selection of elementary schools. Some of the most highly rated
elementary schools in Wexford-Maryvale include:
- Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic School
- Buchanan Public School
- George Peck Public School
- Wexford Public School
- George Peck Public School
The best restaurants in Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford-Maryvale’s diverse and multicultural community is reflected in the neighbourhood’s
restaurants. The area has a lively food scene with cuisines from all over the world. Here are a few of the
best restaurants to try out in Wexford-Maryvale:
Charminar Indian Cuisine - This is a down-to-earth local chain known for its South Indian
specialties, with over thirty different kinds of biryanis.
D Spot Dessert Cafe - This casual, contemporary eatery offers a big selection of desserts along
with savory crepes and pizzas.
Top Gun Burger - This is a basic pit stop for piled-high burgers and fries with creative ingredient
combinations and milkshakes.
Makkal Chon - This Korean eatery serves BBQ meat and veggie wraps in a laid back setting with
wood-beamed ceilings and pendant lights.
Aleppo Kebab - This Middle Eastern restaurant specializes in kebab wraps and dishes with rice,
plus spring rolls.
Moving to Wexford-Maryvale
Wexford-Maryvale is a vibrant neighbourhood with a lot to offer. Families will love the area because of
the strong selection of schools, wonderful housing options, and great parks. The area is also incredibly
attractive to young professionals because of the abundance of new condos and apartment buildings with
significantly cheaper rents than downtown Toronto. With a plethora of transportation options, Wexford-
Maryvale is also a very commuter-friendly neighbourhood. In the last few years, Wexford-Maryvale’s
popularity has grown tremendously, so if you are planning on moving to the area, act fast.
