Homes for Sale in Centennial Scarborough, Toronto

History:

Centennial Scarborough Toronto Real Estate is a neighborhood also known as Port Union. It is located in the south-east corner of Toronto, within the former suburb of Scarborough.

The neighborhood is bounded by Kingston Road to the north, Port Union Road to the east, the Lake Ontario shoreline to the south, and Highland Creek to the west. The neighborhood originated as the small lakefront town of Port Union in the 19th century, within the area now known as West Rouge, until 1974 part of the Township of Pickering. It was later developed as a suburban bedroom community after the Second World War. Since the 1990s, the industrial lands along the waterfront have been transformed into new subdivisions, along with a paved walkway and bike path along the shore of Lake Ontario. The neighborhood has many mature trees, parkland, and a waterfront. It is an affluent neighborhood with 93% homeownership.

The original village of Port Union was founded in the early to mid-1800s immediately south-east of the current-day intersection of Port Union Rd and Lawrence Avenue. While currently part of Toronto, the original area of the community was within Pickering Township. By 1865 the community had a post office.

In 1974, as part of the municipal government reforms that introduced the Regional Municipality of Durham, the West Rouge area of Pickering (bordered by Port Union Rd in the west, the Rouge River in the east, and Twyn Rivers Drive in the north) was annexed by Scarborough, which in turn was amalgamated into Toronto in 1998.

Overview:

Centennial Scarborough Toronto Real Estate is a neighborhood bound on the south by the railway and to the west by Colonel Danforth Park – a well-wooded ravine valley that ushers the Highland Creek on the last leg of its journey into Lake Ontario.

This area grew from Port Union, which runs along the water starting below Lawrence and extending just east of Port Union Road the Go Train station.

This is a very lush area with a combination of linear and sweeping streets, lined with beautiful mature trees. West Centennial typically has larger more mature properties, while East Centennial is a new area with more symmetrical street layouts, newer homes (circa the mid-60s to late 70s), and some newer developments now in the North East pocket. At the southern point of this neighborhood is nestled older Port Union with a quaint historical flavor and some of the finest stands of pine trees in the City of Toronto. 

Homes:

This Centennial Scarborough Toronto Real Estate neighborhood features a playful mix of architectural styles with elements of English, Spanish and Swiss designs woven into the tapestry of the houses found here. Many of the houses date from the 1940s and ’50s and include frame cottages, ranch-style bungalows, split-level homes, and two-storey houses. There are also a fair number of new, custom-designed houses here. The vast majority of buildings are single detached homes, while townhouses make up most of the remaining housing stock. Around 45% of properties in this neighborhood were built between 1960 and 1980, while many of the remaining buildings were constructed in the 1980s and the 1990s. This area offers mainly three bedroom and four or more bedroom homes. Nearly 95% of the units in the neighbourhood are occupied by homeowners while the remainder are rented.

Centennial lies to the north of Lawrence and runs East to Port Union Road. The western portion was the first to be developed in the pre-1960s with large homes on expansive properties. In the early ’60s to late 70’s the eastern part of Centennial was further developed with smaller more uniform lots and smaller homes as well. Top languages are spoken, other than English and French, are Tagalog, Tamil, Italian and Polish.

Port Union Village – a new home subdivision located south of Lawrence Avenue features a waterfront inspired collection of semi-detached and detached houses as well as townhomes. These houses feature decorative architectural accents such as sweeping front porches, second-storey front decks, and whimsical turrets that are designed to take advantage of Port Union Village’s prime location overlooking Lake Ontario.

Lifestyle:

Centennial Scarborough Toronto Real Estate offers a relaxed atmosphere and will appeal to home buyers who enjoy spending time outdoors. This area features a fair amount of greenery as there are numerous tree-lined streets. There are approximately 20 public green spaces nearby for residents to enjoy, including Lower Highland Creek Ravine and East Point Park, and they are especially well-distributed, making them very easy to reach. This neighborhood is reasonably quiet overall, as there isn’t a lot of street noise or city clamor – although there are still several louder sections, especially close to the railway line, Highway 2A or Highway 401.

Parks, Recreation & Culture

Port Union is home to several municipal parks operated by the Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division. Major parks in the neighborhood include Adams Park, which is located on Lawson road. It is a very popular park.

Adams Park, which features baseball diamonds and a soccer field. Adams Park has a toboggan hill in the winter, a soccer field in the summer, and two playgrounds. It also includes two baseball diamonds that are regularly used by neighborhood youth. Adams Park, is situated just west of Port Union Road on Lawson Road, is a popular neighborhood landmark for families. This park contains a wading pool, a children’s playground, sports fields, baseball diamonds, flower gardens, and many excellent picnic spots.

The Centennial Park, a park that contains a grassy area with a children’s playground, located next to the sports fields at Centennial Road Junior Public School at 225 Centennial Road. This should not be confused with the major recreational facility located in the former city of Etobicoke.

The Port Union Recreation Centre and Public Library, is located at 5450 Lawrence Avenue East, is a multi-use facility that includes a fitness center, a seniors center, two activity rooms, and a large banquet hall. A public library is situated in the west wing of this center.

• Tony Stacey Centre for Veterans Care and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 258 are both located on Lawson Road in the neighborhood.
• Port Union Waterfront Park along the lakeshore between Port Union Road and Highland Creek.
• Centennial Park Conservatory consists of three greenhouses and 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) of plants including a cactus house, a tropical house, and a show house that features seasonal displays. It is located in Centennial Park, in the former City of Etobicoke. This conservatory is cared for by Toronto Parks who also run Allan Gardens. Admission is free.
• Etobicoke Olympium, a large athletic center that was built in 1975.
• Centennial Park Ski & Snowboard Centre a small alpine skiing hill created on top of an old garbage landfill. It features one t-bar and a conveyor lift, serving one intermediate slope, one beginner slope, and a snowboard slope. It is one of two ski hills located within the boundaries of Toronto, the other being the North York Ski Centre.
• Centennial Hill was the site of a municipal dump and the south end was used as a transfer station.
• Centennial Park Stadium a 3,500 seat capacity stadium that is primarily used for athletics, soccer, and occasionally for kabaddi.

Other parks near the area:

• Port Union Waterfront Park
• Bill Hancox Park
• Charlottetown Park
• Wanita Park
• Port Union Village Common Park
• Sir Oliver Mowat CI Pool & Grounds

Shops, Restaurant and Services

Families will appreciate the proximity to primary schools, which are within walking distance from most, if not all, homes for sale in this part of Toronto. In contrast, high schools are not very numerous and thus tend to require an extended walk to get to. At the primary level, there are both public and private schools. Concerning food, property owners in Centennial Scarborough will value that a grocery store is always only a rather short walk away. Residents benefit from around 10 restaurants and coffee shops as well.

Centennial Plaza, located on the north-west corner of Port Union Road and Lawrence Avenue, features a deli and bakery, a hardware store, a video store, a flower store, a hair salon, a travel agency, professional offices, a pet store, an animal clinic, a coffee shop, beer and liquor stores, restaurants, convenience stores, a medical center, professional offices, and fast-food restaurants.

The Lawson Road Plaza is a small shopping plaza serving the daily household needs of the residents located at the north end of this neighborhood. This plaza includes a food market, a restaurant, banks, a hair salon, a dry cleaner, and a gas station.

Transportation

Bus services along Lawrence Avenue, Lawson Road and Port Union Road connect passengers to the Rouge Hill Go Train station situated on Lawrence Avenue, west of Port Union Road. The Go Train provides a connecting route to downtown Toronto’s Union Station and the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line.

Motorists can quickly access the Highway 401 on-ramp off Port Union Road or Highway 2 at Kingston Road. These commuter highways usher motorists to Toronto’s business and entertainment districts.

Colleges and Learning Sites

Colleges

Centennial College’s five campuses are home to eight schools. Part-time Learning courses and programs are available at all locations and online learnings.

1. Ashtonbee Campus – Ashtonbee is home to the School of Transportation and is one of the largest automotive and aircraft technology training centers in Canada. It’s also home to selected Community and Health Studies programs.

Campus Maps: Floor Plan | Parking Map | Address: 75 Ashtonbee Rd., Toronto, ON M1L 4N4

2. Downsview Campus – Centennial College’s new Downsview Campus facilitates the relocation of our long-running Aviation Technician programs, as well as the related aircraft and equipment from the Ashtonbee Campus Hangar in Scarborough. The new campus provides additional instruction space for the existing programs, as well as new programs in Aerospace Manufacturing delivered by our School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science.

Campus Maps: Floor Plan | Parking Map | Address: 65 Carl Hall Road, Toronto, ON, M3K 2C1

3. Morningside Campus – Nestled in the Rouge Valley Conservation Area, the Morningside Campus is an environmentally friendly building home to the School of Community and Health Studies, as well as selected Engineering Technology and Applied Science programs

Campus Maps: Floor Plan | Parking Map | Address: 755 Morningside Ave., Toronto, ON M1C 5J9 

4. Progress Campus – Progress is home to the Schools of Business and Hospitality, Tourism, and Culinary Arts. Here you’ll also find Advanced Manufacturing and Automation Engineering Technology programs, as well as many Child Studies and Community Service programs.

Campus Maps: Floor Plan | Parking Map | Address: 941 Progress Ave., Toronto, ON M1G 3T8

5. Story Arts Centre – The Story Arts Centre is a cutting-edge campus for the arts and the perfect place to tap into your creativity. Housing the School of Communications, Media, Arts, and Design, it has everything you need to let your inner genius out.

Campus Maps: Floor Plan | Parking Map | Address: 951 Carlaw Ave., Toronto, ON, M4K 3M2 

Learning Sites

In addition to our full-service campuses, Centennial College has a learning site.

Eglinton Learning Site – The Eglinton Learning Site is dedicated to International Education students enrolled in the School of Advancement’s English Language Learning program as well as Part-time Learning students seeking professional development within the city. View our Eglinton Learning Site Part-time Learning offerings.

Community Employment Services – Centennial College graduates, alumni, and the job-seeking public are all welcomed to the employment center for job search-related seminars, assistance with Second Career applications, individualized employment advising, job placements, and apprenticeships.

Performing Arts Commons at Daniels Spectrum – Daniels Spectrum is home to Centennial College’s Performing Arts programs.

Schools

Centennial is a  family-oriented neighborhood that boasts excellent schools at all levels, an active community association, a library, and several parks for kids.

Centennial Scarborough has 5 Public schools, and 4 Catholic schools, in this neighborhood, your kids can get a great education.

PUBLIC SCHOOL

Charlottetown Junior Public School

Address: 495 85 Charlottetown Blvd, Scarborough, ON M1C 2C7, Canada

“Charlottetown Jr. P. S. is a dynamic elementary school with a tradition of academic excellence and collaborative parent involvement. Established during the Centennial celebrations of 1967, and located in the area northwest of Port Union Road and Lawrence Ave., the school serves 460 students from Kindergarten to grade 6. The students at Charlottetown benefit from the many traditions that have been established including: band and strings program, character development recognition assemblies, sports, arts, drama and music extra-curriculars, Camp Kearney, and the annual Winter Fair.” As originally published by Charlottetown Junior Public School

Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate Institute

Address: 5400 Lawrence Ave E, Scarborough, ON M1C, Canada

“Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate, founded 47 years ago, is built on a solid foundation of academic achievement, community involvement, alumni support, and excellence. Students are provided with a wide range of learning experiences, both academic and co-curricular so that they are prepared for any post-secondary option they may choose. Excellence in teaching is the cornerstone of Mowat. Teachers are caring professionals who are committed to creating an atmosphere in which students can develop a positive self-image, become independent learners, acquire skills for future employment, enjoy the pursuit of academic excellence, participate in extra-curricular activities, and demonstrate respect for themselves and others.” As originally published by Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate Institute

West Hill Collegiate Institute

Address: 350 Morningside Ave, Scarborough, ON M1E 3G3, Canada

“West Hill CI is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Centre of Innovation. We endeavor to create 21st-century employees that have skills in the key growth STEM sectors through our instructional focus on Inquiry, Problem Solving, Critical thinking, Collaboration, and Communication. West Hill C.I. has a proud tradition of excellence in academic, artistic, and athletic endeavors, with numerous awards, citations and championships garnered over the years. At West Hill. C.I., students enjoy a wide variety of co-curricular pursuits related to their academic, artistic, cultural, and athletic interests. The many opportunities offered here at West Hill C.I. will help you become a well-balanced individual.” As originally published by West Hill Collegiate Institute

É Élém Académie Alexandre-Dumas

Address: 255 Coronation Dr, Scarborough, ON M1E 2J3, Canada

“Académie Alexandre-Dumas est plus qu’une école, c’est une belle communauté francophone, vivante, multiculturelle, riche d’entraide et de créativité afin de répondre aux besoins des enfants.” As originally published by É Élém Académie Alexandre-Dumas

Meadowvale Public School

Address: 761 Meadowvale Rd, Scarborough, ON M1C 1T1, Canada

“Meadowvale Public School is located in the Meadowvale Community of West Hill on the east side of Meadowvale Rd. south of Hwy. 401. The school population is currently 265 students. These students represent many different ethnic backgrounds. 43% of students speak an additional language to English. Meadowvale Public School offers regular programs from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8. A private daycare center, Meadowvale Daycare Centre, is housed in the school building and offers supervision to pre-school and school-aged children.” As originally published by Meadowvale Public School

CATHOLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL

ÉÉC Saint-Michel

Address: 29 Meadowvale Rd, Scarborough, ON M1C 1R7 | Telephone: 416-393-5421 | Fax: 416-286-3980

“Notre école se distingue par son bâtiment moderne, son emplacement féerique à proximité du Parc Wanita, son engagement dans la Foi, sa considération pour le bien être de tous les enfants, sa vie culturelle riche, son vif esprit francophone et la solide expérience professionnelle de l’équipe qui y oeuvre. Le personnel enseignant est dynamique et engagé dans toutes les initiatives visant l’amélioration du rendement des élèves. De plus, la communauté des parents et amis de l’école est très impliquée pour enrichir la vie scolaire.” As originally published by ÉÉC Saint-Michel

ÉSC Père-Philippe-Lamarche

Address: 2850 Eglinton Ave E, Scarborough, ON M1J, Canada | Telephone: 416-986-6414

“Notre établissement se veut un milieu d’apprentissage et de vie, où la francophonie et les valeurs humaines et religieuses prennent tout leur sens au sein de la communauté franco-ontarienne.” As originally published by ÉSC Père-Philippe-Lamarche

St. Brendan Catholic School

Address: 186 Centennial Rd, Scarborough, ON M1C 1Z9, Canada | Telephone: 416-393-5359 | Fax: 416-393-5593

“At St. Brendan we believe that every child is unique and has individual talents and needs. We strive to maximize the potential of each of our students and foster Christian values, self-esteem, and respect. The catechetical program, as approved by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, is the foundation for the instructional program in religious education. Among a variety of strategies employed to ensure a Catholic environment, we practice the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Acts of charity such as participation in food drives, the Share Life campaign, ME to WE and supporting families in need, both within the local community and global community, are encouraged as gestures of Gospel values at work.” As originally published by St. Brendan Catholic School

St. Malachy Catholic School

Address: 80 Bennett Rd, Scarborough, ON M1E 3Y3, Canada | Telephone: 416-393-5336 | Fax: 416-393-5585

“Our school is named after the first Irishman who became a legal saint, Mael Maedoc Ua Morgair. At St. Malachy School we strive to maintain an environment that reflects our Catholic faith. We strive to provide academic programs that encourage students to achieve their highest potential. Through daily and long-range plans, teachers outline courses of study and address curriculum outcomes. Programs are enriched through out-of-school excursions, “partners in action”–teachers working with our librarian, teacher in-services, conferences, and computer usage.” As originally published by St. Malachy Catholic School