Islington Avenue
Islington Avenue is a north–south route travelling through the City of Toronto and York Region. It runs from Lake Shore Boulevard West at 7th Street in the former Town of New Toronto to Highway 27 at the former town of Kleinburg, in the City of Vaughan north of Toronto. Islington Avenue is approximately 30.2 kilometres long. It runs through the former city of Etobicoke, serving as one of its main north–south arterials.
History
The street was first surveyed in 1799. The originating section of Islington Avenue between Lake Shore Blvd. West and Birmingham Street in New Toronto, was originally Seventh Street until 1980, when Islington Avenue was extended south of Horner Avenue. This connection required a new alignment north of Birmingham Street, which crossed over to the top of Sixth Street before continuing north over the CNR Railway yards.The stretch beyond Albion Road into York Region was originally part of a road connecting the former villages of Woodbridge and Weston. Beyond Woodbridge, the road continued north through Kleinburg as Islington Avenue does today.
At the end of the Second World War the street was widened, causing the loss of almost all historic buildings.
In York Region, Islington Avenue was originally designated as York Regional Road 7, But In 1997, Islington Avenue was changed to York [Regional Road 17] when Highway 7 was downloaded to the Region but keep its former highway number .
Route
Islington Avenue today begins at Lake Shore Boulevard West at 7th Street in the former Town of New Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario, in the southwest area of the City of Toronto. It and proceeds north through the former village of Islington, from which it gets its name. At Dundas Street, is historic Montgomery's Inn, built in 1832, and now operated as a museum by the City of Toronto. It continues north through a series of neighbourhoods of suburban Etobicoke including Richview, Kingsview Village, and Rexdale. At Finch Avenue it crosses the Humber River and enters the former city of North York, passing through the neighbourhood of Humber Summit. North of Steeles Avenue it enters the city of Vaughan, and passes through the district of Woodbridge before terminating at Highway 27 at the former town of Kleinburg.Transit
Islington subway station opened on Bloor St in 1968. Today the 110 Islington South serves the street south of the station, while the 37 Islington runs along the street from the station to Steeles.Landmarks
Landmarks and notable sites along Islington from south to north| Landmark | Cross street | Notes | Image |
| GO Transit Willowbrook Yard | Evans Ave | Crossed by an overpass | |
| Islington subway station | Bloor St | ||
| Montgomery's Inn | Dundas St | Historic structure | |
| St. George's Golf and Country Club | The Kingsway | ||
| Richview Collegiate Institute | Eglinton Ave | ||
| Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School | Dixon Rd | Former Keiller Mackay Collegiate Institute | |
| Rexdale Presbyterian Church | Rexdale Blvd | ||
| Thistletown Collegiate Institute | Elmhurst Dr | ||
| St. Roch's Roman Catholic Church | Finch Ave | ||
| Pine Ridge Cemetery | Finch Ave | ||
| Humber Summit Library | Steeles Ave | ||
| Boyd Conservation Area | Rutherford Rd | ||
| McMichael Canadian Art Collection |