Mimico is the gateway to Toronto's west-end waterfront neighbourhoods. This established community is well known for it's scenic lakefront parks and excellent recreational facilities. Mimico is within a short commute of downtown Toronto and features its own Go Transit train station located on Royal York Road.

Mimico residents come out in droves to show their community spirit at a number of local events including the annual "Lakeshore Community Festival" and the Etobicoke-Lakeshore Christmas Parade. There is also an annual "Mimico Festival" held every August in Amos Waites Park. This event is always followed by a kite flying contest held the next day at Humber Bay Park.

Homes

Mimico's grand Edwardian and Tudor mansions on the south side of Lake Shore Boulevard are holdovers from the 1890's and early 1900's when Mimico was the summer home of Toronto's wealthiest families. These homes are well set back from the road and feature elaborate stone and iron gateways. The cobblestone craftsman style houses are particularly noteworthy.

The houses south of Lake Shore Boulevard include an eclectic mix of custom built new homes, modern bungalow designs, and a large number of low-rise rental apartment buildings. Many of these homes feature a full or partial view of Lake Ontario. The houses north of Lake Shore Boulevard include a mix of Edwardian and Victorian style houses from the 1910's and 1920's as well as Tudor-style bungalows and two-storey houses from the 1930's and 1940's. There are also some multi-plex apartment houses in this part of the neighbourhood.

Recreation

Mimico is well known for its sports clubs and recreational facilities. Much of this activity takes place at the Mimico Arena located off Royal York Road at Drummond Street. During the winter this arena is used extensively for hockey and skating programs and in the summer by the Mimico Minor Lacrosse Club. National Hockey League star Brendan Shanahan grew up in Mimico and played hockey and lacrosse at the Mimico Arena.

The John English Community School, located at 95 Mimico Avenue, offers preschool programs as well as a variety of sports and arts programs for children and adults. The Mimico Tennis Club, located at 29 George Street, is unique in that it has Toronto's only red clay surface tennis courts. The Lakeshore Lawn Bowling Club is located in Coronation Park off Royal York Road. Amos Waites Park at 2445 Lake Shore Boulevard West has an outdoor swimming pool. The Mimico Centennial Public Library is located at 47 Station Road. This library offers children's programming.

The Metropolitan Toronto Region Conservation Authority has recently established a wetland habitat in Humber Bay Park located along Lake Shore Boulevard West at Park Lawn Road. This peninsula park, joined together by a pedestrian bridge is teeming with birds including Canadian Geese, Swans, Mallard Ducks, Seagulls, and Red Winged Blackbirds. Humber Bay Park also features a pond for model boats and a fly casting pond. The Mimico Cruising Club, Etobicoke Yacht Club and Humber College Sailing School are all based in Humber Bay Park.

Schools

David Hornell, 32 Victoria St, (416) 394-7690

George R. Gauld, 200 Melrose St., (416) 394-7830

John English, 95 Mimico Ave., (416) 394-7660

Lakeshore C.I., 350 Kipling Ave., (416) 394-7650

St. Leo, 165 Stanley Ave., (416) 393-5333

Shopping

Mimico residents are well served by the Mimico By The Lake shopping district on Lake Shore Boulevard and the Mimico Village district on Royal York Road, which have variety of small, locally-owned stores, restaurants, and pubs. Power shoppers head a bit north to the malls and big box stores a long The Queensway

Transportation

The Royal York bus connects to the Bloor-Danforth subway line, while the Lake Shore Boulevard bus connects to Union station and the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. Mimico also has its own Go Transit train station located off Royal York Road. It is approximately a fifteen minute ride from Mimico station to downtown Toronto's Union station.

Motorists can reach downtown Toronto in approximately ten minutes via Lake Shore Boulevard or the Gardiner Expressway.