Subdivided during the 1870’s and 1880’s, The Annex quickly became one of the elite neighbourhoods in Toronto . The first residents were extremely affluent and included Timothy Eaton the owner of Eaton’s Department Stores and George Godderham of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery.
The Golden era lasted until the 1920’s when the upper class migrated to the North in the stylish suburbs of Forest Hill and Lawrence Park . The Annex was saved from the proposed construction of the Spadina Expressway which was designed to separate The Annex in half by the Annex Residents Association, a group of lobbyist who stayed behind during the migration.
The Annex is over one hundred years old and remains one of Toronto ’s prominent neighbourhoods.
Today:
The Annex is home to successful business people, University of Toronto students and faculty, artists, and people from all walks of life. The neighbourhood is lively with the University of Toronto providing a lot of energy. Bars, restaurants and night clubs abound along crowded Bloor Street . Various rooming houses and multi unit homes in the Annex have been transformed into single family homes and Toronto apartment rental s to revive the historic opulence of the Annex.
Shopping:
The Main shopping district is located on Bloor Street . On the stretch one can find anything from clothing boutiques, bookstores, food markets, travel agencies to restaurants and cafes. On Markham Street , just south of Bloor, the Mirvish Village shopping district is located. Here you will find bookstores, art galleries, antique stores and specialty stores.
Fun:
The Annex becomes alive during the night time when people from all over the city come together to frequent restaurants, bars and night clubs. For those looking to keep in or get into shape, the University of Toronto ’s Athletic Center or the Jewish Community Center can be found at the intersection of Bloor and Spadina.
At 16 Spadina Rd. , the Native Canadian Center of Toronto offers programs and services to Toronto ’s Native community and the general public. The Spadina Road Public Library is located at 16 Spadina Road .
Getting Around:
If your Toronto apartment is in the Annex you will find subway stations at Spadina and Bathurst on the Bloor-Danforth line and at Dupont Street on the Yonge-University-Spadina line
Palmerston Jr. , 734 Palmerston Ave. , (416) 393-9305
(Public School)
Central Technical School , 725 Bathurst St. , (416) 393-0060 ( Public High School )
Loretto College , 391 Brunswick Ave., (416) 393-5511 or South Campus, 783 Bathurst St., (416) 393-5543
(Separate School)
University of Toronto School , 371 Bloor West., (416) 978-3212
(Private School)
Royal St. Georges College , 120 Howland Ave. , (416) 533-9481
(Private School)
University of Toronto , St. George Campus, (416) 978-2011
(University)
Neighbourhoods at a Glance: Cabbagetown
History:
The story of Cabbagetown begins in the 1840’s. Thousands of settlers came from Ireland fleeing the potato famine in their homeland. These families were very poor and grew cabbage on their front lawns in order to feed themselves.
The working class in this neighbourhood was hit hard by the great Depression in the 1930’s. It turned Cabbagetown into slums. The worst slums hung around Gerrard Street where the homes were demolished in the 1950’s to put up the Regent Park housing development.
The neighbourhood came back to life in the 1970’s and 80’s when new home buyers restored the area’s Victorian homes.
Today:
Cabbagetown is one of Toronto's most popular neighbourhoods with many Toronto apartment rentals available. Its residents come from a wide variety of backgrounds, however they all share a strong sense of community spirit and pride in their neighbourhood.
Check out the Cabbagetown Fall Festival every September. The festival runs for an entire weekend, and features a mini marathon, historical tours, a parade and the community wide yard sale.
Shopping:
The ‘Old Cabbagetown’ shopping district on Parliament Street boasts many original shops and restaurants. Carlton Street is another popular shopping area in Cabbagetown, looking like Parliament Street but on a smaller scale. Retail shopping can be found on Gerrard, Sherbourne and Wellesley streets.
Fun:
Riverdale Park is the center of attention. You will find the Riverdale Farm which includes horses, ducks, sheeps, pigs, chickens, cows and geese - a great treat for the kids! The farm is open seven days a week and admission is free. Within the park you will also find sports fields and access to the Lower Don Recreation Trail.
The Community Arts Center on Parliament is a great place to witness live music and drama. Dance programs are also offered to children while the Youth Center on Lancaster offers sports, and arts and crafts. You will find a public library at the intersection of Gerrard and Parliament.
Getting Around:
Having an Toronto apartment rental in Cabbagetown you must know how to get around. To connect to the Bloor-Danforth subway line use the Sherbourne and Parliament streetcar. For the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line use the Wellesley and Carlton buses.
Schools:
Lord Dufferin Jr. & Sr., 303 Berkeley Street, (416) 393-1760
Winchester Jr. & Sr., 15 Prospect St., (416) 393-1270
(Public School)
Rosedale Heights Secondary School, 711 Bloor St. E., (416) 393-1580
(Public High School)
Jarvis Collegiate Institute, 495 Jarvis Street, (416) 393-0140
(Public High School)
St. Martin Annex, 55 Salisbury Ave., (416) 393-5222
(Catholic School)
Our Lady of Lourdes, 444 Sherbourne St., (416) 393-5221
(Catholic School)
Neighbourhoods at a Glance: Downtown
History:
Looking at the street names in this neighbourhood will give you clues to its rich history. Jarvis Street was named in honor of William Jarvis’ family, a previous provincial secretary in Upper Canada. Homewood Avenue was named after past Toronto mayor George Allan. Sherbourne Street was named after the Ridout family who settled in Toronto from Sherbourne, England.
The neighbourhood was born in the mid 1800’s when these families subdivided their estates. The Jarvis and Sherbourne Mansions set the tone for downtown, which up until the early 1900s, was known as Toronto’s most fashionable district.
Today:
Today, downtown residents come from countless different backgrounds and represent the whole socio economic scale. There are many Toronto apartment rental accommodations, including many newly constructed condominiums, in this neighbourhood reflecting a highly mobile population.
Shopping:
The shopping opportunities are endless in this neighbourhood. Try Bloor Street for high end shopping, Church street for trendy boutiques, or Wellesley, Gerrard, Sherbourne and Charles Streets for daily retail shopping. Major shopping centers include the Eaton Center, Toronto’s largest indoor mall. You will find over three hundred stores here to keep you busy all day.
Fun:
If you are looking for outdoor public parks, Allan Gardens is downtown’s largest. In this park, you will find the Allan Gardens Conservatory and a botanical garden featuring many shows year round.
Located at 150 Sherbourne Street you will find an indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, a ruuning track, weight room, cardio room, games room, woodworking and craft shops all inside the John Innes Community Center. Next door is the Moss Park arena featuring hockey leagues, free skating and hockey camps.
Getting Around:
If your Toronto apartment rental is Downtown, you will find bus service on Wellesley and Carleton Streets connecting to the Sherbourne station reaching out to the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. The bus service on Sherbourne connects to Sherbourne station reaching out to the Bloor-Danforth subway line. During rush hour you will find an express bus running on Jarvis Street.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
