Some of Allenby’s earliest inhabitants were the Huron Indians, who lived in present-day North Toronto from 1400 to the mid-1600s.  Lyman B. Jackes, in his “Tales of North Toronto” records that the “great tribal huts” were located on what is now the site of Allenby Public School.  The hill that the school stands on was created by the tribe’s practice of burying food stocks underground.  Jackes also tells of construction workers finding Huron artifacts in an excavation for a house on Castlefield Avenue.

Today, Allenby is a well-established neighbourhood characterized by quiet streets and mature trees.  A typical Allenby home is a two-storey Tudor-style detached dwelling on a 25 x 130 foot lot.  Many of the houses’ outer façades remain the same as when they were built in the 1930s or 1940s.  This contributes to the neighbourhood’s “feel” of belonging to a slower, simpler time.  As of 2011, Allenby house prices ranged from $650,000 to over $1,000,000, with the average price being $850,000. 

Allenby is located to the west of Avenue Road, north of Eglinton Avenue West and south of Briar Hill Avenue.  It is bordered on the west side by Latimer Avenue.  Yonge Street and the Eglinton subway station are accessible by the no. 32 Eglinton West bus.  Avenue Road and Yonge Street connect to the 401 and to the Gardiner Expressway downtown.  

 Since 1927, Allenby Junior Public School at 391 St Clements Avenue, has anchored the neighbourhood.  It offers a French Immersion program, as well as a swimming pool and a childcare centre.  The Allenby neighbourhood is also served by Glenview Senior Public School, Northern Secondary School, North Toronto Collegiate Institute and Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School.  Nearby private schools include St. Clement’s School, (a girls-only day school), and Upper Canada College, (a boys-only day and boarding school).

The North Toronto Memorial Community Centre in Eglinton Park, at 200 Eglinton Avenue West, is one of Allenby’s great attractions.  It has indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, a weight room, outdoor ice rinks, and an indoor track.  Programs for everything from bridge to weightlifting are offered.  Eglinton Park is home to a number of sports clubs, including the North Toronto Soccer Club and the North Toronto Baseball Association. 

Eglinton Avenue West between Oriole Parkway and Chaplin Crescent is known as The Eglinton Way.  This 9 block shopping strip has everything from children’s shoes to fresh produce to designer kitchens.  The Eglinton Grand Theatre, at 400 Eglinton Avenue West, has been an Allenby landmark since its opening in 1936.  Recognized as an art deco masterpiece, it now serves as an event venue and banquet hall.  The Silver City cinemas, located in the Yonge Eglinton Centre at 2300 Yonge St., cater to today’s moviegoers.  For those who want to curl up with a good book, the Northern District library is at 40 Orchard View Boulevard. 

Allenby’s leafy streets are a natural draw for young families. The neighbourhood’s desirability is much enhanced by the wealth of local shops and services.  Add to this mix the convenient mid-town location and you have a recipe for a great neighbourhood to grow up in.      

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The Toronto neighbourhood map displayed on this website was published in “Your Guide to Toronto Neighbourhoods”, is copyright Maple Tree Publishing and has been reproduced by the Toronto Real Estate Board under license.