The Beaches, Toronto

The Beaches is a lakeside neighbourhood in east Toronto made up mostly of low-rise residential streets, with a mix of detached and semi-detached houses and some condo apartments. The street layout is largely a grid of residential blocks running toward Lake Ontario, with a commercial strip along the main avenue and green space near the waterfront. Density is moderate. Most of the housing is low-rise, and condo buildings make up a smaller share. Most homes sold were built between 1926 and 2013, so older houses sit alongside newer construction. Detached houses made up 43% of homes sold in the last 24 months, semi-detached houses 25% and condo apartments 19%. A total of 416 homes sold in that period, and the median sale price was $1,567,500. The typical home sold had 3 bedrooms. Homes sold quickly, with a median of 11 days on market, and 23 homes are for sale right now. No train or subway stations are on record inside the area. Getting around relies on the surrounding road network and transit lines, including Queen Street East with its streetcar service, Kingston Road, the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway, which connect the area to downtown and other parts of the city. Shops and services are concentrated along the main commercial strip. They include cafes, grocery stores, restaurants and pharmacies, along with other everyday services. Parks in the area are Ashbridge's Bay Sports Club, Balmy Beach Park, Beaches Park, Glen Stewart Park, Ivan Forrest Gardens, Jeff Sloan Park, Kew Gardens and Pantry Park. Community centres are Balmy Beach Community Recreation Centre, Beaches Recreation Centre and Beaches Sandbox. The Toronto Public Library - Beaches branch is also inside the area. Schools inside the area are Balmy Beach Community School (Toronto DSB), Kew Beach Junior Public School (Toronto DSB), St Denis Catholic School (Toronto CDSB) and Williamson Road Junior Public School (Toronto DSB).