Morningside Heights, Toronto

Morningside Heights
—  Neighbourhood  —
Suburban housing at Rouge Park
Coordinates: 43°49′12″N 79°13′06″W / 43.82°N 79.21833°W / 43.82; -79.21833Coordinates: 43°49′12″N 79°13′06″W / 43.82°N 79.21833°W / 43.82; -79.21833
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
City	Toronto
Community	Scarborough
Established	2002 (Subdivision)
Changed Municipality	1998 Toronto from Scarborough
Government
- MP	Rathika Sitsabaiesan (Scarborough—Rouge River)
- MPP	Bas Balkissoon (Scarborough—Rouge River)
- Councillor	Raymond Cho (Ward 42 Scarborough—Rouge River)

Morningside Heights is a neighbourhood in Scarborough, within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the northeast corner of the city, just north of the Malvern community and west of Rouge Park. The subdivision, comprising approximately 750 acres (3.0 km²), was one of the last large tracts of undeveloped land within the City of Toronto, located between Finch Avenue and Steeles Avenue, from Tapscott Road to the Rouge River.^[1]

The area got its name from Morningside Avenue, which was extended north into the neighbourhood. The northern section of Morningside Heights is also known as Brookside. The community is divided, north and south, by hydro lines that cut across the development. The name Brookside originates from a golf course that was once on that site, northeast of the intersection of Oasis Boulevard and Seasons Road.

The first phase of Morningside Heights development took place in 2002. The last houses to be constructed were completed in late 2009. The area has proved to be very diverse, with a large number of South Asian (predominantly Sri Lankan Tamils, Pakistanis, Indians), Caribbean and Filipino residents among others.

Currently there are no commercial developments in the Morningside Heights subdivision. Land at the south end of the subdivision, along Morningside Avenue, has been reserved for this purpose with no construction to date. The local homeowners association was successful in stopping the planned proposal for a gas station to be built at the southwest corner of Neilson Road and Morningside Avenue, citing potential health risks.

Morningside Avenue sign at Finch Avenue.

Schools

Brookside Public School sits on much of the former golf course and is surrounded by single-detached housing. Designed by Teeple Architects, this school was opened in September 2007 and has over 600 students from JK to Grade 8. Also this school has achieved the "LEED (Leadership in Energy Environmental Design) Gold" certification, and will be the most sustainable school in the Toronto District School Board. Brookside is also a mandatory uniform school.^[2]

The other (and first) school of the Morningside Heights subdivision is Thomas Wells Public School, named after Thomas Leonard Wells, a former MPP of the electoral district of Scarborough North, from 1963 to 1985. It opened in September 2005, and is an award winning school, recognized for its sustainable energy design. This school was the first "LEED (Leadership in Energy Environmental Design) Silver" certified elementary school in Canada. Thomas Wells PS was a signal of the TDSB's commitment to becoming a leader in "green schools" and energy conservation. Currently the school has over 700 students. The school motto is "Where all students reach the Stars",^[3] this was derived from the street that the school sits on, Nightstar Road.

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  Brookside Public School.

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  Thomas Wells Public School.

Transportation

The TTC's 133 Neilson bus serves most of the area, with a connection to the Scarborough Centre RT station and Scarborough Town Centre.^[4] The 53A Steeles East bus was recently extended to serve the northeast section of the area connecting to Finch subway station on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line.^[5] Recently the TTC began a trial run of the 116 Morningside looping through the southern portion of the subdivision, giving some residence two bus routes with the 133 Neilson.^[6][7]

References

1. ^ http://www.lea.ca/services/pdf/2033-fst.pdf
2. ^ http://www.tdsb.on.ca/profiles/4801.pdf
3. ^ http://www.tdsb.on.ca/profiles/4799.pdf
4. ^ http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/133/Map.jsp
5. ^ http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/53/Map.jsp
6. ^ http://www3.ttc.ca/Routes/116/Map.jsp
7. ^ http://www3.ttc.ca/Service_Advisories/Service_changes/index.jsp

External links

• Morningside Heights Residents Association