“Let’s ‘ave a new road!” a Scottish surveyor supposedly exclaimed. That’s one urban legend about how Avenue Road got its name. But the real story might be simpler. In British English an avenue is a street lined with trees. Avenue Road in Toronto is a major north-south street.
Avenue Road is a continuation of University Avenue. They link via Queen’s Park and Queen’s Park Crescent East and West. Until 1998 these roads formed Highway 11A.
Avenue Road begins at Bloor Street. It ends just north of Highway 401. At its south end, it runs between the Park Hyatt hotel and the Renaissance Plaza condominium complex. On the northeast corner sits the Church of the Redeemer.
For much of its length, Avenue Road is residential. You will see small businesses, large schools, and churches. The Hare Krishna Temple stands opposite Dupont Street. It was formerly the Avenue Road Church. Across from it is the Anglican Church of the Messiah.
North of St. Clair Avenue, Upper Canada College interrupts Avenue Road. It stops at Lonsdale Road and resumes at Kilbarry Road. The primary traffic route diverts east. It follows Lonsdale Road and Oriole Parkway. Then it returns to Avenue Road via Oxton Avenue.
North of Eglinton Avenue, the former St. James-Bond Church once stood. Built in the late 1920s it closed in 2005 and was demolished. Near Lawrence Avenue is Havergal College. It is a private girls’ school.
Avenue Road ends at Bombay Avenue. This is just after crossing Highway 401. Originally Avenue Road continued to Yonge Street. It went via the Hogg’s Hollow Bridge. But this section became part of Highway 401 in the 1950s.
Public transit on Avenue Road is provided by the TTC. You can use the 13 Avenue Road and the 61 Avenue Road North bus routes. They serve south and north of Eglinton Avenue. There was also an express route but it was discontinued after the pandemic.
Robert Fulford once said Avenue Road sounds like an “identity crisis with pavement”. But Avenue Road is a common street name. You can find it in Bangalore and London too. So next time you stroll down Avenue Road remember its interesting story and that maybe it should be lined with trees.