14 Wild Ginger Way Townhouses, Bathurst Manor: Garages, Basements, 1979

14 Wild Ginger Way Townhouses is a 1979 complex of 48 condominium townhouses off Bathurst Street, a short way north of Sheppard. These are the closest thing to a small house that the condo market offers in Bathurst Manor: two storeys, a lower level, and in the suites I have seen described, an attached garage with a driveway. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Townhouses that live like small houses

A recent listing in the complex gives a useful picture of the format. It described a two-storey brick townhouse of about 1,200 to 1,399 square feet, with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a living and dining area walking out to a patio, and an eat-in kitchen.

Upstairs, that suite had a primary bedroom with its own ensuite and two more bedrooms. Below, a finished lower level served as a family room. That three-level arrangement, with a usable basement, is what separates a townhouse like this from a condo apartment of similar size.

The same listing described an attached garage with direct access into the home, plus a driveway space, for two parking spots in total. For a family with two cars in this part of North York, that is a serious advantage over most apartment buildings, where a second space is rare or costs extra.

Not every suite will match. End units and interior units differ in light and privacy, and 45 years of owner renovations mean condition varies widely. Confirm the size, parking and layout of the specific suite from its floor plan and the status certificate.

What the fee covers, and what it leaves to you

Condos.ca lists no fee inclusions, but the recent listing described the fee as covering common elements, building insurance, parking and water. That is a typical package for a townhouse corporation of this era.

What is not on that list matters as much. The same listing described gas forced-air heating, central air and in-suite laundry, which suggests each home carries its own heating and hydro costs. Add those to the fee before you compare it with an apartment where heat is included.

The listing also described pets as allowed with restrictions. That is a listing description, not the rule itself. Read the declaration and the rules for any limits on size, number or type of animal before you commit, and do the same for barbecues, which condos.ca lists as permitted.

Bathurst Manor around you

Bathurst Manor is a suburban community built mostly between 1954 and the early 1960s, on a plateau between Sheppard Avenue West, Finch Avenue West, Dufferin Street and the west branch of the Don River. Most of the housing around this complex is detached homes from that era, so a 1979 townhouse complex is a later addition to an established neighbourhood.

The area has long been one of the Jewish-populated neighbourhoods along Bathurst Street, with synagogues, the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre and community services along the corridor. Today it is a mixed neighbourhood with significant Filipino, Russian, Italian and Polish communities as well.

The green space is a real draw. Earl Bales Park, close to the Bathurst and Sheppard intersection, has trails along the West Don River, a community centre, a dog park, an amphitheatre and the North York Ski Centre, the only alpine ski hill left within Toronto. The parks panel shows what else is near this address.

A 1979 complex, 45 years on

At about 45 years old, this complex will have been through at least one round of major exterior work, or is due for it. Roofs, windows, doors, garage doors, fences and paving are the usual big items in a townhouse corporation, and with 48 suites, each owner carries a meaningful share.

Ask what has been replaced since 1979 and when, and read the reserve fund study for anything large in the next five years. ICC Property Management is listed as the manager; ask how long they have run the complex and how often the board meets.

Garages and driveways deserve their own look. In many townhouse corporations the garage door, the driveway surface and the patio fence are exclusive-use common elements, which can mean the owner pays for some repairs and the corporation pays for others. The declaration sets out which is which here, and it is worth knowing before you inherit a cracked driveway.

One more practical note: the address is written both as Wild Gingerway Road and as Wild Ginger Way, and listings in this corporation have appeared under both. Search both spellings when you look for comparables, and make sure every document refers to YCC-448.

How to read prices here

One suite, a three-bedroom, was listed for sale when I checked, and none for lease. A single listing is not a market, so I will not quote it. The sales panel beside this review shows what has actually traded on the MLS.

With 48 suites, sales are infrequent, and the spread between them is driven mostly by condition, position and whether the lower level has been finished. An end unit with a renovated kitchen and a finished basement is a different product from an original interior unit, even on the same street.

When I value a suite here, I compare it with recent sales in this complex and in other townhouse corporations around Bathurst and Sheppard, then adjust for those differences. If you are weighing a suite, book a call and I will pull the comparables.

Building specifications

Amenities at 14 Wild Ginger Way Townhouses

There is no shared gym, pool or party room on record, only visitor parking and permission for barbecues. Your amenities are your own garage, patio and lower level, plus Earl Bales Park and the community facilities along Bathurst.

Jatin’s honest take on 14 Wild Ginger Way Townhouses

14 Wild Ginger Way Townhouses — frequently asked questions

Looking at York Mills, Don Mills, Lawrence Park, Bathurst Manor and midtown-north Toronto more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.