Agincourt, Toronto
Encyclopedia
Agincourt is a very diverse neighbourhood in the Scarborough
district of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is centred along Sheppard Avenue
between Kennedy and Markham Roads (north-south includes lands between Highway 401 and Finch Avenue
). It is officially recognized by the City of Toronto as occupying the neighbourhoods of Agincourt South–Malvern West and Agincourt North.
The name Agincourt is often used to refer to a larger area of north-west Scarborough than just the officially recognised neighbourhood. The area to the west of Agincourt, officially named Tam O'Shanter–Sullivan is often included as part of Agincourt. Both regions are part of the electoral district of Scarborough—Agincourt
, and the Agincourt Mall
is located in Tam O'Shanter. Because of its significant population of Chinese-Canadians, it is usually referred to as another Chinatown
of Toronto.
Agincourt, once referred to as "hero town" by the citizens that lived there. The village of Agincourt was officially founded with the establishment of the Agincourt post office, opened in June 1858 by John Hill. The name of the settlement was after Azincourt
in northern France and apparently was intended to satisfy a French Canadian Post Office Department bureaucrat who demanded that Hill give his settlement a French name. However the Azincourt in France is also the site of a decisive English victory over French forces in 1415. The original crossroads of Agincourt is located at Midland Avenue and Sheppard and served a rural agricultural population.
A Presbyterian
church (from France) was built on the north-east corner, which is today's Knox United Church
. In addition, a school was built, which has evolved over time into Agincourt Junior Public School (primary) and Agincourt Collegiate Institute
(secondary, founded 1915), both part of the Toronto District School Board
.
Two railway stations were constructed in the second half of the 19th century at Agincourt. One was built just west of the crossroads as part of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
line heading north from Scarborough Junction on the Toronto – Montreal
mainline, and greatly improved access. The line eventually became part of Canadian National Railways, and the station operates today as Agincourt Station on the GO Transit
Stouffville commuter rail route. A second station was built east of the crossroads, just north of Sheppard and Brimley Roads, on what is today CP Rail track that runs from downtown Toronto diagonally northeast through the neighbourhood. Commuter rail service to Toronto's Union Station was offered, but was discontinued in the 1970s. The line branches east of a marshalling yard, built by CP in the 1960s between McCowan and Markham Roads on the east of the neighbourhood, into the (Peterborough
–) Havelock and Belleville
(– Montreal) subdivisions
.
Agincourt saw an influx of Hong Kong Chinese and Taiwanese emigrants during the 1980s, especially around Sheppard Avenue and Midland Avenue. Since the development of Agincourt's Dragon Centre Mall in the 1980s, it has become a booming "Chinatown" and was the vanguard for the proliferation of "Chinese malls", large malls with restaurants and stores catering specifically to the Chinese community, across the GTA. Since 2000, the Agincourt Chinese population is spread thinly and many are leaving for communities north of Toronto. Pockets of Chinese areas are likely to remain, but they will be less vibrant when compared to the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
district of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is centred along Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue
Sheppard Avenue is an east-west principal arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A small portion of a continuation of the road in Pickering, Ontario is also called Sheppard Avenue.-History:...
between Kennedy and Markham Roads (north-south includes lands between Highway 401 and Finch Avenue
Finch Avenue
Finch Avenue is an arterial thoroughfare and concession road which travels east–west through the city of Toronto. The road also has short extensions into Peel and Durham Regions as Peel Regional Road 2 and Durham Regional Road 37.-History:...
). It is officially recognized by the City of Toronto as occupying the neighbourhoods of Agincourt South–Malvern West and Agincourt North.
The name Agincourt is often used to refer to a larger area of north-west Scarborough than just the officially recognised neighbourhood. The area to the west of Agincourt, officially named Tam O'Shanter–Sullivan is often included as part of Agincourt. Both regions are part of the electoral district of Scarborough—Agincourt
Scarborough—Agincourt
Scarborough—Agincourt is a federal electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988.It covers the northwest of the Scarborough part of Toronto...
, and the Agincourt Mall
Agincourt Mall
Agincourt Mall is located at Kennedy and Sheppard Avenue in Toronto, in the Tam O'Shanter area of Scarborough.-Anchors and majors:* Walmart Since at least 1995.* No Frills Agincourt Mall is located at Kennedy and Sheppard Avenue in Toronto, in the Tam O'Shanter area of Scarborough.-Anchors and...
is located in Tam O'Shanter. Because of its significant population of Chinese-Canadians, it is usually referred to as another Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
of Toronto.
History
Azincourt
Azincourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:Situated 12 miles north-west of Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise on the D71 road.-Etymology:...
in northern France and apparently was intended to satisfy a French Canadian Post Office Department bureaucrat who demanded that Hill give his settlement a French name. However the Azincourt in France is also the site of a decisive English victory over French forces in 1415. The original crossroads of Agincourt is located at Midland Avenue and Sheppard and served a rural agricultural population.
A Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church in Canada
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of presbyterian and reformed theology and polity, serving in Canada under this name since 1875, although the United Church of Canada claimed the right to the name from 1925 to 1939...
church (from France) was built on the north-east corner, which is today's Knox United Church
Knox United Church, Scarborough
The Knox United Church, 2569 Midland Avenue, began as Knox Presbyterian Church, Scarborough Township , Ontario, in a wood frame church built in 1848, the result of the Church of Scotland disruption, that led to the formation of the Presbyterian Church of Canada in Connection with the Free Church of...
. In addition, a school was built, which has evolved over time into Agincourt Junior Public School (primary) and Agincourt Collegiate Institute
Agincourt Collegiate Institute
Agincourt Collegiate Institute is a secondary school located in Agincourt, Toronto, Ontario. The school, founded in 1915 as Agincourt Continuation School, became Agincourt High School in 1954, and Agincourt Collegiate Institute in 1957. A.C.I is the oldest school in the former Scarborough...
(secondary, founded 1915), both part of the Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
.
Two railway stations were constructed in the second half of the 19th century at Agincourt. One was built just west of the crossroads as part of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway
Toronto and Nipissing Railway
The Toronto and Nipissing Railway was chartered in 1868 to build a narrow gauge railway in Ontario, Canada from Toronto to Lake Nipissing, via York, Ontario, and Victoria Counties. It opened in 1871, with service between Scarborough and Uxbridge. By December 1872 it was extended to Coboconk...
line heading north from Scarborough Junction on the Toronto – Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
mainline, and greatly improved access. The line eventually became part of Canadian National Railways, and the station operates today as Agincourt Station on the GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
Stouffville commuter rail route. A second station was built east of the crossroads, just north of Sheppard and Brimley Roads, on what is today CP Rail track that runs from downtown Toronto diagonally northeast through the neighbourhood. Commuter rail service to Toronto's Union Station was offered, but was discontinued in the 1970s. The line branches east of a marshalling yard, built by CP in the 1960s between McCowan and Markham Roads on the east of the neighbourhood, into the (Peterborough
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
–) Havelock and Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
(– Montreal) subdivisions
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
.
Agincourt saw an influx of Hong Kong Chinese and Taiwanese emigrants during the 1980s, especially around Sheppard Avenue and Midland Avenue. Since the development of Agincourt's Dragon Centre Mall in the 1980s, it has become a booming "Chinatown" and was the vanguard for the proliferation of "Chinese malls", large malls with restaurants and stores catering specifically to the Chinese community, across the GTA. Since 2000, the Agincourt Chinese population is spread thinly and many are leaving for communities north of Toronto. Pockets of Chinese areas are likely to remain, but they will be less vibrant when compared to the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Schools
Saint Bartholomew Catholic school- Agincourt Collegiate InstituteAgincourt Collegiate InstituteAgincourt Collegiate Institute is a secondary school located in Agincourt, Toronto, Ontario. The school, founded in 1915 as Agincourt Continuation School, became Agincourt High School in 1954, and Agincourt Collegiate Institute in 1957. A.C.I is the oldest school in the former Scarborough...
- Henry Kelsey Senior Public SchoolHenry Kelsey Senior Public SchoolHenry Kelsey Senior Public School is a school in the Toronto District School Board located in Scarborough, Ontario.It is named after Henry Kelsey, the first European known to see the prairies, the grizzly bears, the great buffalo herds, and the many Plains tribes. Currently, there are about 500...
- Sir Alexander Mackenzie Senior Public SchoolSir Alexander Mackenzie Senior Public SchoolSir Alexander Mackenzie Senior Public School is a senior middle school located in Agincourt, Toronto, Ontario. The school was found in 1971, and was named after the explorer Alexander Mackenzie. SAM is a part of the Toronto District School Board. In the 2007-2008 school year, there were nine...
- Saint Elizabeth Seton Catholic Elementary School
- White Haven Junior Public School