Agincourt, Toronto

Agincourt
Neighbourhood

Sheppard Avenue East in Agincourt

Vicinity

Location within Toronto

Coordinates: 43°47′07″N 79°16′42″W / 43.78528°N 79.27833°W / 43.78528; -79.27833Coordinates: 43°47′07″N 79°16′42″W / 43.78528°N 79.27833°W / 43.78528; -79.27833
Country  Canada
Province  Ontario
City Toronto Toronto
Community Scarborough
Settled 1858
Changed Municipality 1998 Toronto from Scarborough
Government
 • MP Shaun Chen (Scarborough North)
Arnold Chan (Scarborough-Agincourt)
 • MPP Raymond Cho (Scarborough—Rouge River)
 • Councillor Chin Lee (Ward 41 Scarborough—Rouge River)

Agincourt is a neighbourhood and former village now within Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Agincourt is located in north-eastern area of Toronto. 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.

History

The opening of Agincourt Public School in 1914.

Agincourt was 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 the site of Henry V's decisive English victory over French forces in 1415. The settlement name was spelled different and more in line with Agincourt, Meurthe-et-Moselle. 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 in the area along Sheppard Avenue near Midland Avenue. Since the development of Chinese-themed shopping centres in the 1980s, it has become a booming suburban "Chinatown" and was the vanguard for the proliferation of "Chinese malls", catering specifically to the Chinese community across the GTA.

Schools

The school boards are as follows:

English secular: Toronto District School Board

English Catholic: Toronto Catholic District School Board

French Catholic: Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud

The French secular school board is the Conseil scolaire Viamonde.

References

    External links

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