Rex Heslop
Encyclopedia
Rex Wesley Heslop, was a Canadian businessman noted for being a land developer and residential real estate developer.
. The property would have been located North of the 401 and East of Islington Avenue -- note that neither road existed in 1905.
He worked with his father in the family construction business before moving to Detroit to seek opportunity. In Detroit, he drove a cab for a time; then he became a new car salesman. After his tenure in Detroit, he went to Northern Ontario, working in the mines, until he was injured in a rock slide at which point he moved back to Toronto
to work in construction.
He was married to Delma and had two children, Rex Jr. and Marilyn.
- and soon 330 families were calling Rexdale home. Heslop built one of the area's first and for a time largest shopping centres - Rexdale Shopping Centre - opened in 1956 (4 years after the city's first - Sunnybrook (at Bayview & Eglinton) and three years after Lawrence Plaza (Bathurst & Lawrence). By the time the plaza opened, Rexdale had 3,600 homes and 70 industries.
's eastern boundary in 1954. By 1958, he and his wife Delma and their two children - Marilyn and Rex Jr. - had moved into their brand new spacious home on Heslop Court.
Heslop then tried a similar venture to Rexdale, but this time in Georgetown by creating another subdivision, this one called Delrex. He ran into political problems and tired of name-calling and in-fighting, sold his interest and retired at the age of 61.
Early years
Heslop was born on a farm in present day Northern EtobicokeEtobicoke, Ontario
Etobicoke is a dissolved municipality located within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the western section of the current city, it had an official population of 338,117 as measured by the 2001 Census and 334,491 people as of the 2006 Census. While it only contains 13% of...
. The property would have been located North of the 401 and East of Islington Avenue -- note that neither road existed in 1905.
He worked with his father in the family construction business before moving to Detroit to seek opportunity. In Detroit, he drove a cab for a time; then he became a new car salesman. After his tenure in Detroit, he went to Northern Ontario, working in the mines, until he was injured in a rock slide at which point he moved back to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to work in construction.
He was married to Delma and had two children, Rex Jr. and Marilyn.
Creating Rexdale, Ontario
Upon return to Toronto, Heslop obtained a loan and built six homes in the Alderwood area of Etobicoke. His next move would be to acquire the land that would be RexdaleRexdale
Rexdale is a neighbourhood located in the north-west corner of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It covers the northern section of Etobicoke, which was an independent city until it merged with five other municipalities and a regional government to form the new City of Toronto in 1998. Rexdale was named...
- and soon 330 families were calling Rexdale home. Heslop built one of the area's first and for a time largest shopping centres - Rexdale Shopping Centre - opened in 1956 (4 years after the city's first - Sunnybrook (at Bayview & Eglinton) and three years after Lawrence Plaza (Bathurst & Lawrence). By the time the plaza opened, Rexdale had 3,600 homes and 70 industries.
Building the Delrex subdivision in Georgetown
Heslop, the developer of Rexdale in West Toronto, had purchased several farms on GeorgetownGeorgetown, Ontario
Georgetown is a community in the town of Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada and is part of the Regional Municipality of Halton. It is situated on the Credit River, located approximately 60 km west of Toronto making it part of the Greater Toronto Area...
's eastern boundary in 1954. By 1958, he and his wife Delma and their two children - Marilyn and Rex Jr. - had moved into their brand new spacious home on Heslop Court.
Heslop then tried a similar venture to Rexdale, but this time in Georgetown by creating another subdivision, this one called Delrex. He ran into political problems and tired of name-calling and in-fighting, sold his interest and retired at the age of 61.