Henry Farm is a residential neighbourhood in north-central Toronto on the east end of North York. The area encompasses the smaller neighbourhood of Parkway Forest. With a mix of houses and newer high-rise condominiums, Henry Farm attracts both home buyers and renters.

Where is Henry Farm

Henry Farm lays right where the 401 and 404 intersect, giving its residents easy access to both major highways allowing them to travel to any part of Toronto with relative ease. The Henry Farm neighbourhood sits between Leslie and Victoria Park with Sheppard Avenue acting as it’s northern boundary and Highway 401 acting as it’s southern boundary.

The History of Henry Farm

The area was originally settled all the way back in 1806 by an Irish immigrant named Henry Mulholland and his wife Jane Armstrong. Mulholland sold his farmhouse, but it was bought back by his great-grandson, George-Stewart Henry, in 1898. Henry would go on to be the tenth Premier of Ontario serving from 1930-1934.

The original farmhouse, called the Oriole Lodge, still stands in its original location at 17 Manor Park Court, and continues to be a private residence. In a small plot of land just up the street from Oriole Lodge, you can visit a small monument that was erected by the descendants of Henry Mulholland and Jane Armstrong.

The types of homes in Henry Farm

George-Stewart Henry sold the land to developers in the 1950s, who started building low-density suburban housing in the area. Houses in Henry Farm are mainly a mix of Georgian and Tudor revival-style houses, split-level houses, and bungalows. Most houses in Henry Farm have brick exteriors and generous lot sizes with ample room for outdoor activities. A bonus to buying a home in the Henry Farm area is that many houses back into the Don Valley, giving you a connection with nature that is hard to find in other places in the city.

Henry Farm also has several high-rise apartment buildings and luxury condominiums on the east side of Don Mills Road that makes the area a very appealing landing spot for renters. High-rise apartment buildings, like the Havenbrook Towers, were built in the early 1960s, but in 2006 there was additional affordable housing developed in the area, and now there are several buildings to choose from that all sport excellent amenities.

Moving to Henry Farm

Because of the large number of apartments in Henry Farm, many university students, young professionals, and young couples choose to rent in the area. The high-quality luxury condos make the area a hotspot for people who have sold their homes and want to downsize to the more relaxed area of the city while maintaining easy access to the downtown core. Whether you are downsizing, staging your home for sale, or just looking to free up space and get rid of clutter, self storage can be a great solution.

Henry Farm is located just a ten-minute drive away from Storwell Self Storage at Markham Road and highway 401. Currently, there is a promotion for my clients that can get a special offer of 4 weeks of free storage. To redeem the offer, you just need to mention that you were referred by Will Doyle when you speak to a storage representative. If you need storage in the Scarborough area you can call or visit and demo a unit in person:

Storwell Self Storage
85 Executive Ct, Scarborough, ON M1S 5W9
Phone: (416) 534-5555

Henry Farm’s diverse population

Like most of the neighbourhoods in Toronto, Henry Farm is known for its cultural diversity. It is a popular landing spot for immigrants moving to Canada from China, the Philippines, and India. Aside from English, the most spoken languages in Henry Farm homes are Mandarin, Farsi, Arabic, Cantonese, and Tagalog. The population of the Henry Farm area tends to be younger than many other residential neighbourhoods due to its large number of units for rent.

The best restaurants in Henry Farm

The cuisine choices in Henry Farm reflect the cultural diversity of the area. For authentic Japanese BBQ, you can visit Gyu-Kaku on York land Boulevard, for delicious halal burgers drop by Burger’s Park at William Sylvester Drive, and to sample modern Arabian delicacies go to El Prince Restaurant and Café at Brian Drive.

An abundance of shopping options near Henry Farm

One of the highlights of living in Henry Farm is being so close to Fairview Mall, one of the largest shopping centers in Toronto. Fairview Mall has a wide variety of shopping options from high-end jewelry stores, designer clothing brands, and high-tech electronics. Just north of Fairview Mall, you will find Peanut Plaza, a local favourite, that houses the Tone Tai Supermarket, a Dollarama, a Beer Store and several other foods and grocery options.

Another major benefit to Henry Farm is its unparalleled access to transportation options. With the 401 and 404 just minutes away, you are a 20-minute drive from anywhere in the city. The Shepard Avenue and Don Mills bus routes can take you from York University to the Toronto Zoo and from Markham all the way down to the Harbourfront. On top of that, the Don Mills subway station located at Fairview Mall is just a short walk away from the heart of Henry Farm. While the Henry Farm area has plenty of things to keep you occupied, it also allows you to explore the entirety of the city.

Located right next to Fairview mall is Fairview Public Library, which went through a major renovation in 2014. The two-story library has a revamped interior, with expanded computer spaces, and a theatre located on the upper floor. The library hosts many online and in-person programs for students of all ages and is a perfect place to get your children involved with the community.

Henry Farm’s connection with nature

Henry Farm is, in many ways, like a mini-urban center in North York with its high number of high-rise apartments and proximity to large shopping centers like Fairview Mall, but it still manages to provide plenty of options for those people that value the great outdoors. Parkway Forrest Park, located on Parkway Forest Drive, has a well-maintained baseball diamond and several play structures. Moving westward, you will find Havenbrook Park, on Havenbrook Boulevard, which also has a baseball diamond and is home to Henry Farm Tennis club, which has four high-quality tennis courts. Aside from the number of parks in the area, Henry Farm also has access to the Betty Sutherland Trail that follows the Don River from Duncan Mill Road to Sheppard Avenue. The trail provides a scenic escape from the urban hustle and bustle of its surrounding area.

Henry Farm provides a strong community connection

Although the neighbourhood is known for its large number of renters, people who put down long-term roots in Henry Farm are met with a welcoming and inclusive community. Parkway Forest Community Centre, located at Helen Lu Road and Forest Manor Drive, is a fully accessible facility with a large gymnasium, teaching kitchen, green roof, and 5 community program rooms. The Henry Farm Interest Association is a volunteer organization dedicated to responding to the needs of the community. The association runs a neighbourhood watch, organizes community dinners, runs leadership programs for youth in the area. While the demographic of Henry Farm does lean on the younger side, that does not mean that the area is not a great place to settle with your family.

Schools in Henry Farm

The Toronto District School Board operates several schools in the Henry Farm area. In terms of Secondary schools, the main school in the area is George Vanier Secondary School, located on Don Mills and Godstone Road. For elementary schools, there are several high-quality options to choose from. One school that stands out is Shaughnessy Public School, located at Shaughnessy Boulevard and Meadow glade Crescent, which received a very high score from the Fraser Institute’s annual report card in 2020, ranking in the top 200 elementary schools in all of Ontario out of over 3000 total schools. Other elementary schools in the area that received high marks from the Fraser Institute include: Bridlewood Junior Public School, Vradenburg Junior, and Forest Manor Public School. If you are interested in sending your children to French immersion schools, Dallington Public School and Brian Public school are both good schools in the Henry Farm area that offer French immersion programs.

Making the move to Henry Farm

Whether you are looking to rent or buy, Henry Farm is a great place to move to. With easy access to the 401 and 404 highways and several methods of public transportation, this small community in North York is a gateway to the entire city. But even if you decide to stay close to home, there are plenty of amenities in the Henry Farm area, like Fairview Mall, to keep you entertained.