Skylands Townhomes

Sources checked November 12, 2026

Which Skylands release is expected in 2028?

Skylands is a Times Group townhome community at Leslie Street and 19th Avenue in Richmond Hill. The builder identifies selected Phase One homes as move-in ready and says Phase Two move-ins start in 2028. Those are two different purchase timelines. When you book a visit, ask which home you can inspect now, which lot the new release refers to, and which estimated or firm date is written for the particular home. The marketing phrase matters less than what you can verify on the lot sheet.

Times Group’s Skylands phase and occupancy information

What to notice between Leslie Street and the interior blocks

For an east Richmond Hill buyer, the location can work well if regular errands and employment take you toward Highway 404 or Elgin Mills. I would start by comparing the sidewalk along Leslie with the route from an interior home. Check lighting, bus stop access and whether a child can use the route without crossing a fast turn. Consider a real visit after school or during the evening drive when you can see how activity changes near the site.

Richmond Green Sports Centre and Park on Elgin Mills is a practical place to include in a normal week. If a home’s appeal is its extra bedroom or terrace, try the comparable alternatives around Bayview and then revisit the lot you like. Note whether the view or quiet you experienced at a model home would be the same beside the selected lot. Compare the distance to a playground with the ease of stepping out of your own front door.

Richmond Green facilities and park

Major retailers and Gormley GO access

Costco Richmond Hill on John Birchall Road is a major destination for groceries and larger purchases near the Elgin Mills shopping corridor. It is useful to test that errand with the same turn you expect to make returning from work. Gormley GO on the Richmond Hill line is a rail connection to check by schedule. Use the GO trip planner for the exact return time as well as the inbound train. Do not make a rail commute decision using the map distance alone.

If you expect to take YRT, select the actual stop and timetable for the entrance you will use. A buyer who needs the vehicle for school and shopping at the same time as another adult commutes will get a more realistic answer by running those trips together. Ask which sidewalks are complete now and whether any planned internal links are open when you take possession.

Costco Richmond Hill · Gormley GO station · YRT service schedules

Which elementary and secondary schools should Skylands buyers check?

Redstone Public School and Richmond Green Secondary School are two public schools to check for the Leslie corridor. The board’s planning documents also identify North Leslie East as an elementary planning area. Richmond Green scored 8.3 out of 10 in Fraser’s 2025 report, tied 52 of 747. A 2025 elementary rating for Redstone was not verified here. With Phase Two delivery starting in 2028, request the board’s advice for the likely enrolment year. The assignment for an occupied Phase One street can differ from an unreleased Phase Two street.

Holy Trinity School is an independent option in Richmond Hill on Bayview Avenue. Look at admissions and confirm the right campus and grade. If you are comparing a quick move in one phase with an extended wait in another, include the implications for application deadlines, current leases and after-school plans. That will help you decide how much the extra choice in a future release matters.

YRDSB elementary school boundary lists · Richmond Green Secondary School profile · Holy Trinity School official site

What to verify before choosing a townhome

Compare the home you would actually buy against another floor plan with a similar price, including where the windows, stairs and storage sit. In a narrow plan, furniture clearance around the dining table can matter more than a larger bedroom number. Ask for the orientation and adjacent lot plan before using a model home to judge daylight or privacy. If you need a bedroom or an office on the entry level, check that the required room is part of the specific layout and confirm what the builder calls finished space.

Make a written list of the items that must be included for the home to work: parking, storage, yard or terrace, appliance openings and any required upgrades. Ask which costs are included in the agreement and who will maintain the exterior, shared lane or common landscaping. Map where a guest will park and walk to the front door. At the same time, compare the expected closing for that specific address with your financing, rental notice or sale of a current home.

Questions buyers ask

How should I compare a ready home and a 2028 home?

Put the observed condition and inclusions of the ready home next to the drawings for the later lot. Compare the deposit timing, moving costs and how long you would carry your current housing. If daylight or privacy matters, visit the ready home at a useful hour and study the site plan of the proposed one.

Is the 2028 date the same for all Phase Two homes?

The builder gives a starting year for Phase Two. Ask for the written timing and milestone for the home you are considering. A useful project comparison records phase, lot, floor plan and date in the same place, so a later update does not get attributed to the wrong home.

School, transit and project resources

The school ratings use Fraser Institute’s 2025 Ontario report cards, which compare selected academic indicators from the 2023–24 school year. Use the linked EQAO results for more detail, and compare programs, student support and transportation when you visit. For school assignment, check the final municipal address, enrolment year and grade with the board, including any program boundaries, temporary placements or bus eligibility.

If you need to move around the start of a school term, plan for both an on-time closing and a delay. Ask the builder when the municipal address will be issued and which documents will be available for registration. Give the board the address, intended grade and enrolment year together. Ask when new streets are added to the locator, whether any temporary assignment applies, and how a transfer or school bus request works. Walk the likely route and check crossings, sidewalks and any construction detour. Save the dated response so you can revisit the plan if the closing moves.

• YRDSB Find My School
• York Catholic school locator
• Fraser Institute elementary report
• Fraser Institute secondary report
• EQAO school results
• GO train and bus system map