Named for prominent settler James Worthington who was said to come from Swansea, Wales, the lovely west Toronto neighbourhood of Swansea Village joined Forest Hill Village in 1967 as one of the last two independent villages to be annexed by the City of Toronto. Its corporate seal still remains as a tribute to the neighbourhood's colourful history: The hills in the seal represent Swansea's rolling countryside, the water refers to Swansea's natural boundaries, which include Lake Ontario, the Humber River and Grenadier Pond. Also included on the Swansea seal is explorer Etienne Brule, who in 1615 became the first European to set foot on what is now Swansea, and a First Nations member, in recognition of the fact that First Nations members were the first people to inhabit Swansea.
Swansea Village is one of Toronto's most unique neighbourhoods that has its own community run Town Hall, a vibrant meeting place home to such events as antique shows, craft sales, meetings of various local societies and a wide variety of classes and lessons for all ages. The Swansea Town Hall and Community Centre also includes a small gymnasium, and is the home of the Swansea Memorial Public Library, the smallest branch of the Toronto Public Library system. This branch specializes in material for children and seniors and provides complete inter-library loan services.
Swansea's hilly terrain, winding roads and many mature trees accentuate the storybook houses that line the residential streets of this neighbourhood. Its high end homes are located either at the western edge of High Park overlooking Grenadier Pond, or at the Brule Gardens enclave found in the north-west pocket of Swansea. The most common type of housing by far is detached, though there are also semi-detached houses and bungalows and low-rise apartment buildings located mostly in the centre of the neighbourhood. The typical Swansea house was built between 1905 and 1935.
The most convenient shopping district for Swansea residents is the Bloor West Village shopping district on Bloor Street West. Bloor West Village features Toronto's best selection of European bakeries and delis, as well as professional services, restaurants, groceries & fresh produce, specialty stores and chain stores such as Chapters Indigo and Laura Secord.
Rennie Park, located on the east side of Rennie Terrace, south of Morningside Avenue, has four tennis courts, an artificial ice rink, and a wading pool. High Park which can be accessed from Bloor Street, features a full day of recreational activities including fishing, theatre performances, train rides, an animal zoo, historical exhibits, a restaurant and a myriad of fitness opportunities. Grenadier Pond is Swansea's largest body of water and derives its name from a popular legend involving British soldiers during the war of 1812. Various versions of the legend exist - some say it was a popular fishing pond for the red coated soldiers, while others maintain that an entire band of soldiers lost their lives trying to cross Grenadier Pond.
Swansea is served by bus routes on Windermere and Morningside Avenues. The Runnymede and Jane subway stations on the Bloor-Danforth subway line are within walking distance of most of the houses in this neighbourhood. Motorists enjoy the convenience of being located only minutes away from the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard.
