The ‘hill’ in South Hill, which rises along Avenue Road was formed long ago when the receding shoreline of Lake Iroquois left behind an escarpment of forest, ponds, creeks and waterfalls before the 1900’s. After this point, when residential development started to creep north through the city beyond the lake’s shore, the beauty of the South Hill area made it an instant favourite among the affluent community, which continues to permeate today.

In its early history, the mansions of South Hill were unsurpassed in size and beauty; the remaining buildings from this era, Oaklands, Spadina House and Casa Loma serve as reminders of this. The exclusive and relatively private properties of South Hill are glamorous in their scale and construction, much like neighbouring Forest Hill and Rosedale, but without the same name recognition.

Centrally located and just a few minutes from tony Yorkville shopping district, South Hill boasts great schools, large lots and quiet streets. The southeast section of the neighbourhood known as Rathnelly is a small community enclave that boasts a long and quirky history, once marking its independence along with the rest of Canada in 1867 and calling itself ‘The Republic of Rathnelly’. Residents of Rathnelly throw an annual community party in remembrance of this to this day.

South Hill Homes

The grand brick and stone homes of Forest Hill spill in to South Hill, and lot sizes tend to grow somewhat as a result. Homes on the crest of the hill enjoy unparalleled views of the downtown city skyline, and Lake Ontario beyond on the clearest of days. Most homes in South Hill were built between 1890 and 1920, each with its own unique and grand design. Within the last few decades, a second wave of construction has seen luxury townhomes and apartments dotting the main streets of St. Clair Avenue West and Avenue Road.

South Hill Real Estate Market

Owning, buying or selling a home in South Hill is comparable to the neighbourhoods of Rosedale and Forest Hill, which share among the most highly valued properties in the city, and even the country. Homes in South Hill sell well in excess of $1 Million (generally multi millions) and tend to secure their value via the location and prestige of the neighbourhood.

South Hill Schools

Brown Junior Public School
Grades JK – 6

The Mabin School
Grades JK – 6

Waldorf Academy
Grades JK – 8

De La Salle College
Grades 5 – 12, private co-ed

Bishop Strachan School
Grades JK – 12, private all-girls

Upper Canada College
Grades JK – 12, private all-boys

Living in South Hill

In keeping with the energy of the city’s most affluent neighbourhoods, the residential streets of South Hill tend to be quite quiet, and shopping districts are relegated to the bordering neighbourhoods of Forest Hill, Yorkville, and Deer Park.

Sir Winston Churchill Park and the connecting Nordheimer Ravine are popular destinations for the active South Hill community of joggers and dog walkers. This central park area also offers tennis courts, a playground, and a wading pool. Nearby Brown Public School provides an indoor pool, a gym and additional tennis courts.

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South Hill Area Transportation

Regular TTC bus service on Avenue Road connects to Museum subway station, while the St. Clair streetcar service connects to subway stations on the Yonge-University-Spadina line.

Centrally located just a few minutes drive to downtown Toronto, uptown Toronto and major roadways going in and out of the city.