Brooklin

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Brooklin
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      History:

      Brooklin was originally called Winchester named after a village of the same name in Hampshire England. When the local post office opened in 1847 the name was changed to Brooklin in order to avoid confusion with another Winchester community near Ottawa, Ontario. The Brooklin name may have been chosen as a reference to Lynde Creek which ran through the village. By the 1850s Brooklin was a prosperous village with a flour and grist mill, a tannery, a wooden factory, a foundry, ashery, and a soap and candle factory. The social milieu of the community began to take shape in the 1860s with the addition of a church, schoolhouse, general store and hotel.

      In the 1950s Brooklin expanded beyond the borders of the original village to the west of Baldwin Street with the Meadowcrest subdivision which featured over 600 ranch-style homes on wide lots. Finished basements were a popular selling feature advertised by the developer. The area east of Baldwin Street would remain undeveloped until the 1990s when the Village of Brooklin subdivision was built. That development was followed in the 2000s by the Olde Winchester subdivision. The architecture of these new homes has been inspired by the downtown Brooklin heritage district.

      Overview:

      Brooklin is situated at the north end of the Town of Whitby. It is separated from the rest of Whitby by Highway 407 to the south, as well as surrounding farmland. This geographical separation has led to Brooklin forging its own unique identity with an especially strong sense of community. Brooklin’s charming downtown core centred along Baldwin Street and Winchester Street is a designated Ontario Heritage Conservation District. Numerous events are held here throughout the year including: Brooklin Christmas in the Village, Brooklin Spring Fair, and Brooklin Harvest Festival. The popular Brooklin Farmers Market operates weekly from Spring until Fall. The newer section of Brooklin east of the downtown core has a new urbanism feel with houses and streetscapes that were designed to blend in harmoniously with this historic community. Brooklin is an ideal choice for families as it has affordable real estate options, a community centre and library, a selection of schools, and a plethora of parks and recreational amenities.

      Lifestyle:

      Baldwin Street North is the shopping hub of the old Brooklin Village. This old fashioned main street is lined with heritage commercial buildings whose tenants include coffee shops, restaurants and boutique stores as well as professional offices.

      Brooklin Towne Centre located at 5969 Baldwin Street South is a modern open air shopping plaza with lots of parking. This shopping destination is anchored by a Sobeys grocery store and a Shoppers Drug Mart, this centre also features a variety of popular retailers such as LCBO, Pet-Valu, The Beer Store and Tim Hortons.

      Homes:

      Brooklin Village centred around Winchester Road and Baldwin Street features beautiful heritage homes with Victorian, Georgian  and Ontario Vernacular architecture. Sprinkled into this mix are various revival styles and ranch-style bungalows. To the west of Baldwin Street is the Meadowcrest subdivision developed in the 1950s. Meadowcrest features ranch style bungalows on wide lots.

      Olde Winchester a new urbanism style subdivision east of Baldwin Street, features a large collection of Victorian revival houses. These brick or frame sided houses include Victorian accents such as gingerbread trim and gabled roofs with finials. These homes have inviting front porches that add a whimsical charm.

      Recreation:

      Brooklin Community Centre and Library is an ultra modern, two-storey, 40,000 square foot facility,located in downtown Brooklin that includes: a gymnasium, crafts room, dedicated preschool program space, multi-purpose rooms and banquet facilities, a youth centre, a senior’s activity room, and a library. The forested setting surrounding this community centre features a series of pathways that lead to Lynde Creek where there are opportunities to enjoy nature and the outdoors.

      Luther Vipond Memorial Arena located in the heart of Brooklin at 67 Winchester Road East is an indoor ice arena that offers skating and ice hockey programs. The pretty park surrounding the arena is the home of the Brooklin Fairgrounds. This park also has a children’s playground, tennis courts and a skateboard park.

      Arts:

      Brooklin has a large number of seasonal arts based events: The Brooklyn Spring Fair features local arts and crafts and entertainment. Grass Park in downtown Brooklin hosts Music In The Park each Thursday, spotlighting local musicians. Summer ArtFest hosted by local non-profitcommunity organizations is an annual outdoor celebration of the arts featuring: arts, music, dance and culture.

          Brooklin Stats

          Walkability:

          High

          Bikeability:

          High

          Public Transit:

          Medium

          Affordability:

          Medium

          Greenspace:

          High

          Recreation:

          High

           

          Legend: Low, Medium, High

          Commute Times

          Time to Closest Shopping Mall:
          10 Minutes
          Time to GO Bus or Train Station:
          15 Minutes
          Time To Hospital:
          20 Minutes
          Time to Toronto Pearson International Airport
          55 Minutes
          Time to Closest Highway:
          5 Minutes

          * All commuting times provided are approximate times only. Commute times may increase or decrease depending on where you live within the neighbourhood and the time of day i.e rush hour versus off hour commutes. Time estimates to public transit are based on walking distance or bus line connection whichever is quicker. All other commute times on the chart above are based on drive times.