Don Mills is a vibrant neighbourhood in North York, Toronto. The neighbourhood was designed to be a self supporting neighbourhood "new town" outside of Toronto proper at the time. The neighbourhood was built based on a residential and commercial section that was planned and designed by private enterprise. Don Mills grew to become the blue print for all post war communities to establish a self sufficiant neighbourhood of residential, commecial and industrial working together as one. Don Mills bounded by York Mills Road to the north, Eglinton Avenue to the south, Leslie Street to the west, and the Don Valley Parkway to the east. It is part of federal and provincial electoral district Don Valley West, and Toronto electoral wards 25: Don Valley West (North) and 26: Don Valley West (South).
Don Mills was created as the model community in 1952. It took 13 years to create the neighbourhood we see today. This
combination of emptiness and proximity to the city attracted the attention of industrialist E.P. Taylor. His
original plan was to erect a brewery on the site, along with a small community to house the workers. Taylor had
limited previous experience in the property development business, but had built a project named the Wrentham Estates
in York Mills. Seeing the profit to be made with such projects, Taylor abandoned the brewery idea and decided to
simply build a new town on the 2,000 acres, he had acquired.
The design of Don Mills was heavily influenced by Garden City, a successful project in the community of Radburn, New
Jersey. The neighbourhood was planned based on 5 principals for the community:
1- the neighbourhood would be broken into 4 neighbourhood quadrants surrounding a large regional shopping centre at
the corner of Lawrence and Don Mills (Shops at Don Mills ).
2- The separation of vehicle and pedestrian based on the neighbourhhod walkways in residential and commercial areas.
3- Promotion of modernist architecture and the modern aesthetic – Don Mills Development controlled the architectural
design, colours, and materials of all buildings in Don Mills. As well, the corporation insisted that builders use
company-approved architects who had been educated according to "Bauhaus" principles, to prevent the project from
deteriorating into a typical post-war subdivision of builder's homes.
4- Creation of a greenbelt system linked throughout all neighbourhood parks, preserving the beauty of the local
ravines.
5- Integration of industry into the community – which followed Howard's ideals for the Garden City. Planners felt
that it was important for residents to live and work in the same satellite town so that Don Mills would not become a
bedroom community. A sizable number of high residential densities—rental townhouses and low-rise apartments—was
essential if the town were to attract a cross-section of residents working in local industries.
Home situation design was also influential to subsequent subdivisions in Canada. The homes were located on square
lots with long street frontages. Houses were previously situated on rectangular lots, narrow end to the street. The
square lots meant that houses faced the street with their long side, but has less deep backyards.
We saw the designs of the homes being mainly detached homes, bungalows and 2 storey. Well built the homes have been
tested overtime and have an excellent track record. Over the past 10 years we have seen greater growth in this area
of townhouses and condominiums developements. We have also seen a great deal of renovations to the homes that has
made this a much more modern neighbourhood.
We have also seen a complete overhaul of The Shops at Don Mills Centre to be a luxury centre a community of its own
of top clothing, restaurants and high end stores in the middle of the community. Don Mills Centre has become an
award winning mall of out door shops in a beautiflly asthetic enviroment.