The Dufferin Grove district was first settled by the Denison Family, who emigrated to Canada from England in 1792. The Denisons were active participants in Toronto's early military and political affairs. Their country villas were Toronto landmarks, that had titles such as "Dover Court", "Rush Holme", and "Heydon Villa".
In 1834, with the city encroaching at their doorstep, the Denisons decided to clear the dense forest covering their property, and began cultivating this land. The fertile soil in the area yielded abundant crops and brought the Denisons great wealth. However, by the 1880's, the value of the Denison estates lay in housing development not agriculture. Thus rows of crops were gradually replaced by rows of houses and the current neighbourhood was developed.
Dufferin Grove is a popular family oriented neighbourhood located in downtown Toronto. This neighbourhood has excellent amenities including a popular community park, a shopping centre, excellent schools and and convenient access to public transit.
Dufferin Grove Park has received lots of media attention in the past for its pivotal role in revitalizing the Dufferin Grove neighbourhood and creating a strong sense of community among residents of this neighbourhood. This park is basically a community centre without any walls! It is so popular that local residents affectionately refer to it as their Big Backyard.