Silverthorn, Toronto

Silverthorn is a neighbourhood and former postal village in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is often spelled wrong as Silverthorne. The area is bordered by the GO Transit Barrie line railway tracks to the east, Black Creek Drive and the CP railway line to the west, and the old borders of the City of York to the north and south.

West of Keele Street, the neighbourhood is called Keelesdale. For counting people, the city splits this area into two neighbourhoods: Keelesdale-Eglinton West, south of Eglinton, and Beechborough-Greenbrook, north of Eglinton.

Long ago, Silverthorn was a postal village for the farming area of York Township. Over time, the area grew and changed, becoming part of the bigger city of Toronto.

History

The name Silverthorn comes from the Silverthorn family. John and Esther Silverthorn settled in the area north of Dundas Street and east of Etobicoke Creek in 1786. Their settlement later became a village named Silverthorn's, and then changed its name to Summerville.

Character

Silverthorn was the main shopping area for the old City of York along Eglinton Avenue, where the York Civic Centre used to be.

Many people in Silverthorn are Roman Catholics, especially those with Italian or Portuguese family roots. The area is also home to Baptists, Buddhists, and other Christians. You can also find Latin Americans, Blacks, and Southeast Asians living there.

North of Eglinton Avenue, most people rent their homes in small apartment buildings. South of Eglinton, many people own small, separate houses. This part of Silverthorn still feels like a working-class neighborhood.

The streets in Silverthorn are winding and one-way, which helps keep traffic away from kids playing outside. The area along Castlefield Road, from Kincort Street to just west of Dufferin, is known for its interior design shops, furniture stores, and home decor centers, including Roots Canada.

Education

The Toronto District School Board runs schools in Silverthorn. There are three elementary schools: Charles E. Webster Junior Public School, Kane Senior Public School (also called Silverthorn Community School), and Keelesdale Junior Public School. There are two secondary schools: York Memorial Collegiate Institute and George Harvey Collegiate Institute.

Other school boards serve Toronto, but they do not have schools in Silverthorn. These include the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud.