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Appendix A
Character Area Study
In addition to identifying Character Areas, this
review includes a summary of where the City
has already identified Heritage Conservation
Districts (HCDs), HCDs Under Study, and
Areas that Warrant Further Heritage Analysis.
The process included a visual analysis,
historical research and mapping.
E.R.A. Architects, as part of the Consultant Team,
prepared the Character Area Study.
Toronto’s Early Grid & Concession Roads
The differing characters of the Avenues identified in
the Avenues and Mid-Rise Buildings Study are based
in part on their historical evolution. Many began
either as part of the street grid of Toronto’s original
town site, or as the more widely spaced concession
roads that had been laid-out outside the Town
proper. Some, like Kingston Road, were historic
routes between communities. The Town’s grid had a
closely defined network of streets that was capable
of accommodating change. The concession road
system, however, was much more widely spaced,
approximately two kilometres (1.25 miles) apart, and
they were originally intended to separate and service
farm lots. The character of the concession roads
and their ability to accommodate change, greatly
depends on the urban structure that has been built
up around them.
The city’s concession roads were numbered
consecutively. The southernmost east-west
concession was the 1st concession road (now
Queen Street), the next concession to the north was
the 2nd concession road (now Bloor Street), and so
on. The character found on the Avenues provides
evidence of the evolution of the concession roads
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from mud roads through dense forested areas to
the City’s current major east-west thoroughfares
(i.e. Queen Street, Bloor Street, St. Clair Avenue,
Eglinton Avenue, Lawrence Avenue, Wilson Avenue,
Sheppard Avenue, Finch Avenue, and Steeles
Avenue).
Beginning in the 1950s under the guidance of
the Metropolitan Government, concession roads
were widened as major arterials servicing new
communities and areas of industry planned within
their macro grid.
The character of Avenues varies considerably
along their length. Many areas of the Avenues in
the inner suburbs were designed as limited access
thoroughfares, facilitating development that was
internalized from the roadway. Other areas of
Avenues contain street related commerce and
residential communities of a variety of types and
scales.
Major north-south streets are distinctly different
from the east-west concession roads, as they move
from the early areas of settlement north into the
former farmland areas. Bathurst Street for instance
is an arterial that spans from Front Street to Steeles
Avenue and beyond, and consists of areas of
the core, pre-war suburb, and modern planned
communities.
As the Avenues are considered for reurbanization,
intensification and diversification in accordance
with the City of Toronto’s policies dealing with
heritage in the Official Plan, consideration can be
given to the diversity of existing conditions along
the Avenues. This analysis has identified areas of
cultural interest or historic character, containing
notable characteristics that should be taken into
consideration when Avenues are planned for
redevelopment. These are identified in this study as
“Character Areas”.
May 2010
The categories listed in Section 2.3.1 were identified
through:
•
Site tours/visual analysis
•
Google maps/street view and Toronto Star
Neighbourhood Map
•
BIAs
•
City of Toronto HCD Map and OPA to Authorize
Section 37 Funding of Heritage Conservation
District Studies as an Eligible Community Benefit
•
City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties
•
Historical research (current and historic uses)
Character Area maps and descriptions were
prepared with the information available at the
time of writing (May 2010). Listed and designated
properties, and HCDs maybe be added to through
further City study.
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1.
AVENUE ROAD
Avenue Road is a major north-south thoroughfare. It is a continuation of University Avenue and
runs north to Highway 401. For much of its length, the road is predominantly residential, and
includes small scale businesses, schools and churches.
CHARACTER AREAS
LEDBURN / BEDFORD PARK
Bedford Park began as a farming community centred on the intersection of Yonge Street and
Lawrence Avenue, and was a popular stopover for farmers traveling to and from the markets in
Toronto. It is believed that the area was named after the Bedford Park Hotel, which opened in
1873 at the south west corner of Yonge Street and Fairlawn Avenue.
The residential development of Bedford Park was spurred on by the Metropolitan Street Railway
which began service to the area in 1890. That same year Bedford Park amalgamated with the
former Town of North Toronto, which in turn was annexed by the city of Toronto in 1912. The
original homes in the area were constructed between 1890 and 1940. Bedford Park was
conceived as a middle class housing development on the northern boundary of the city, made
up of detached and semi-detached homes. The built form of Bedford Park is similar to that of
Yonge and Eglinton / Uptown Yonge, consisting primarily of low-scale 3-storey buildings with a
consistent fine grain street wall.
The stretch of Avenue Road between Lawrence and Wilson Avenues contains a low scale fine
grain retail fabric, with single-family homes appearing towards its northern boundary, and larger
buildings closer to the intersections of Avenue and Lawrence and Avenue and Wilson. Future
development along the Avenue should reference the fine grain retail of the area.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
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2.
BATHURST STREET
Bathurst Street was named after Henry Bathurst, the 3rd Earl Bathurst, who was responsible for
planning immigration from the Britain to Canada after the War of 1812. Bathurst also granted
the charter to King's College (later the University of Toronto). Bathurst Street originally ran
between Government Wharf and Queen Street. The section to the north of Queen was referred
to as Crookshank's Lane.
CHARACTER AREAS
SCADDING COURT / ALEXANDRA PARK
The Alexandra Park neighbourhood consists of a mix of private and public housing, and is
bounded by Dundas Street on the north, Spadina Avenue on the east, Queen Street West on
the south, and Bathurst Street on the west. The area is named for the public 'Alexandra Park' at
the south-east corner of Dundas and Bathurst. The area is named after Queen Alexandra, wife
of King Edward VII, the first future monarchs to visit Toronto.
The area contains a mix of low-rise fine grain commercial and residential buildings.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
BATHURST / LITTLE ITALY
College Street's Little Italy emerged in the 1920s as the residential and commercial centre of
Toronto's Italian community. The area remained the focal point of Italian life in Toronto until the
1960s when many of its residents began to move north to the Corso Italia district on St. Clair
Avenue West. Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish families replaced the Italian
community that moved out of Little Italy. In 1985, the local business association on College
Street officially adopted the Little Italy name in recognition of the role this neighbourhood has
played for Italians arriving in Toronto. This area contains a fine grain retail with some walk-up
apartment buildings. There are several mid-rise and taller buildings around the intersection of
College and Bathurst.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
UPPER ANNEX
Settlement of this area began in the 1790s when surveyors laid out York Township. The area
east of Brunswick Avenue was part of the village of Yorkville, while the area west of Brunswick
was part of Seaton Village. In 1886, developer Simeon Janes created a sub-division, which he
called the Toronto Annex. The area below Bloor Street known as the South Annex
neighbourhood was sub-divided in the early 1850's, on land formerly owned by the Jarvis,
Crookshank and Denison families. The establishment of the University of Toronto just east of
the Annex in the late 1850's spurred on the building of homes in the South Annex between the
1870's and early 1900's. This area contains a mix of low scale fine grain retail fabric and semidetached houses.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
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BATHURST / CEDARVALE
Cedarvale's residential development began in 1912 when Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, the builder of
Casa Loma registered a plan of sub-division for the south end of this neighbourhood under the
name "Cedar Vale". The name refers to the ravine that runs through the neighbourhood and the
cedars that grew there.
This area features high-rise residential buildings at the intersection of St. Clair and Bathurst, and
a significant cluster of walk-up apartment buildings.
* Refer to Performance Standard #19G
BATHURST AND EGLINTON-UPPER VILLAGE
This stretch of Eglinton composes the most northerly 'village' retail area in the west of the city,
other than Weston. West of Bathurst, the area has a consistent commercial streetwall, and
serves as the high street for upper Forest Hill, an area developed in the 1930's. Much of the
retail is composed of Jewish delis, Italian restaurants, and upscale shops and galleries, but the
Avenue also provides important connections to the Cedervale and Beltline park systems. East
of Bathurst there is a cluster of art-deco walk-up apartment buildings.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
BATHURST-LAWRENCE / WILSON
This area consists of a mix of low-scale retail and residential and mid-rise residential buildings.
This is a vibrant commercial area servicing the local community.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
EARL BALES PARK (HWY 401 - SHEPPARD)
Earl Bales Park is located on the site of the old York Downs Golf Course in the West Don River
valley. John Bales, the great-grandfather of Robert Earl Bales, was the original owner of the
property. The Bales family home, built in 1824, still exists today at the north-west corner of the
park. This area features an abundance of high-rise and mid-rise residential and office buildings.
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3.
BAYVIEW AVENUE
In 1796 Bayview became the first concession road surveyed east of Yonge Street. The road
was eventually named after the home of James Stanley McLean, the founder of Canada
Packers. McLean’s home was completed in 1931 and sat on 50 acres of land. The property was
expropriated by the City of North York to become part of the Sunnybrook Health Science
Centre. Following World War II, Bayview was extended south from Moore Avenue in Leaside to
Front Street. South of Bloor Street, Bayview runs alongside the Canadian National Railway
tracks in the Don Valley.
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4.
BLOOR STREET
Bloor Street is a major east-west residential and commercial thoroughfare that runs from the
Don Valley Parkway into Mississauga where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the DVP, Bloor
Street becomes Danforth Avenue. Bloor Street is often considered to be the line between
downtown and mid-town Toronto. Bloor began as the second Concession Road, and is named
after Joseph Bloore, a developer who founded the Village of Yorkville in 1830.
CHARACTER AREAS
HIGH PARK
The High Park neighbourhood, north of Bloor Street was formerly part of the Town of West
Toronto Junction, which was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1909. The High Park property,
located south of Bloor Street, was purchased in 1836 by John Howard; Toronto's first surveyor.
Howard named his estate High Park because of its outstanding view of Lake Ontario. In 1873
the High Park estate was deeded to the City of Toronto. Howard's former residence, Colborne
Lodge, is still located at its original site in High Park, where it operated a museum. The High
Park area contains mostly low scale fine grain retail fabric along Bloor Street.
Some larger buildings appear around Runnymede and Bloor while the street along the north
side of High Park consists primarily of single-family homes and walk up apartment buildings.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
BLOOR BY THE PARK
Bloor by the Park is located along Bloor Street West just east of High Park between Keele and
Roncesvalles. The existing character is made up of a mix of low scale fine grain retail, larger
mid-rise buildings and single family homes, some of which have been converted for nonresidential use.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
BLOORDALE & BLOORCOURT VILLAGE / CHRISTIE
PITS / KOREATOWN
Bloor Street West encompasses several neighbourhoods yet retains a consistent low scale fine
grain retail character throughout. Neighbourhoods located along Bloor West include Bloordale
& Bloorcourt Village, Christie Pits and Koreatown. Bloordale Village is a shopping and arts
district located along Bloor Street between Lansdowne Avenue to Dufferin Street. Bloordale
Village has experienced significant change in recent years, and is now considered one of
Toronto's emerging art districts. Koreatown is composed of the retail businesses between
Christie and Bathurst Streets. These areas of Bloor Street is generally made up of low scale
fine grain retail fabric.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
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MIRVISH VILLAGE
Mirvish Village is a commercial area located on Markham Street, one block south of Bloor, that
consists of a series of Victorian homes that now house a variety of shops, art studios, cafés,
bookstores, boutiques and galleries on a quiet tree-lined street.
Ed Mirvish, the owner of Honest Ed's, purchased the properties on the east side of the block
during the early 1960s. His intent was to remove the houses for the construction of a customer
parking lot for his store. City Hall, however, refused to issue a building permit, and Mirvish
instead converted the buildings into art studios and galleries.
Mirvish later purchased the houses on the west side of the street as well. Honest Ed’s, the
landmark discount department store anchors the area. This section of Bloor Street West in this
area contains low scale retail buildings.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
THE DANFORTH / GREEKTOWN
Danforth Avenue was named after Asa Danforth, an American contractor who also built Queen
Street and Kingston Road. Officially built by The Don and Danforth Plank Road Company in
1851, Danforth Ave extended to Broadview Avenue and connected to Queen Street East and
Kingston Road. Until the construction of the Prince Edward Viaduct in 1918, the main route
across the Don River was the bridge at the foot of Winchester Street. The Danforth developed
quickly after the completion of the Viaduct.
The Danforth / Greektown contains mostly low rise fine scale retail with some larger retail and
office buildings interspersed.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
DANFORTH MOSAIC
Danforth Mosaic is located on the eastern part of Danforth and stretches from Jones Avenue to
the Main Street. The area emerged in the 19th century as the Coleman postal village centered
on the intersection of Danforth and Dawes. At the turn of the century the area was referred to as
Little York and became part of the Town of East Toronto. Danforth Mosaic developed in the
1920s and 1930s as a streetcar suburb along the Danforth streetcar line. The area remains
primarily low-rise commercial-retail along Danforth with single family homes to the north and
south.
Danforth Mosaic primarily consists of a fine grain retail character and includes a few walk up
apartment buildings, and some larger buildings and big box retail near the intersections of
Coxwell and Danforth, and Main and Danforth.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
DANFORTH VILLAGE
Danforth Village was originally on land held by the Church of England. The majority of the
families living in the area were employed either in farming or in the brick making business.
Danforth Avenue is the neighbourhood's main thoroughfare. The two most significant events in
the growth of this neighbourhood were the completion of the Prince Edward Viaduct in 1918,
and the opening of the Bloor - Danforth subway in 1966. At the easternmost section of the
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neighborhood is the Shoppers' World Danforth shopping mall, a portion of which is housed in a
former munitions factory. The area contains a mix of low scale fine grain retail and big box
retail, and some larger buildings and big box retail near the intersections of Victoria Park and
Danforth.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
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5.
COLLEGE STREET
College Street is a main east-west route that branches off Dundas Street just west of
Lansdowne Avenue and runs east to Yonge Street, after which it becomes Carlton Street. The
street’s name comes from King’s College, which would later become the University of Toronto.
King’s College received a land grant, by way of Royal Charter, to the north of the Town of York
in 1827. The property was roughly bounded by Bloor Street, a property line halfway between
Queen and Bloor, and the back-lots of properties located on what are now Bay Street and St.
George Street.
West of Bathurst Street, College remained primarily undeveloped farmland until after
Confederation when the population of the working and middle classes increased significantly
and created demand for new housing. By the end of the century nearly all of College had been
sub-divided into building lots. Development on College continued during a building boom prior
to the First World War. The remaining vacant lots on College were developed in the 1920s.
CHARACTER AREAS
DUFFERIN GROVE
The Dufferin Grove area was first settled by the Denison Family, who came to Canada from
England in 1792. The Denisons were very active in Toronto's early military and` political affairs.
Dufferin Grove Park is a large community park feature just southeast of Bloor and Dufferin. The
neighbourhood is predominantly two or three-storey detached or semi-detached houses, walk
up apartment buildings, the Dufferin Mall shopping centre, and fine grain retail. Most of the
houses date back to the late 1800s or early 1900s.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
LITTLE ITALY
College Street's Little Italy emerged in the 1920s as the residential and commercial centre of
Toronto's Italian community. The area remained the focal point of Italian life in Toronto until the
1960s when many of its residents began to move north to the Corso Italia district on St. Clair
Avenue West. Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish families replaced the Italian
community that moved out of Little Italy. In 1985, the local business association on College
Street officially adopted the Little Italy name in recognition of the role this neighbourhood has
played for Italians arriving in Toronto.
Little Italy contains a consistent street wall of fine grain retail with some larger walk up
apartment buildings located near Ossington Avenue.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
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6.
DUFFERIN STREET
Dufferin Street began as a concession road, 2 concessions (4km) west of Yonge Street. The
street begins at the foot of Lake Ontario and runs north to the city's northern boundary. Dufferin
is named after Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, who
served as Governor-General of Canada from 1872 to 1878. Until the 1880s Dufferin Street, then
known as the Side Line, was the western boundary of the city.
CHARACTER AREAS
YORKDALE MALL
The Yorkdale Shopping Centre is located in the community of Downsview, in the former City of
North York. The mall opened in 1964 and was the first mall to include two major Canadian
department stores: Simpson's and Eaton's, under the same roof. At the time of its opening the
mall was at the edge of the urbanized city, with only farmland around it, and was the largest
shopping centre in the world. Dufferin Street, in the vicinity of the Yorkdale Mall, is made up of
single storey retail, big box retail, and strip malls.
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7.
DUNDAS STREET
Dundas Street is a major arterial street that extends from the Toronto/York Region to Peel
Region. It is named for the Right Honourable Henry Dundas, Viscount Melville, who was Home
Secretary from 1791 to 1794 when construction of the road began. The first section of Dundas
in Toronto was constructed during the War of 1812, and connected the current intersection of
Queen Street and Ossington Avenue to Lambton Mills. Montgomery's Inn was built in 1832
along this section of Dundas, and became a center of neighborhood business. Today the Inn is
operated as a museum by the City of Toronto.
CHARACTER AREAS
THE JUNCTION & THE JUNCTION TRIANGLE
The Junction emerged in the 1880s when the Grand Trunk, Toronto Grey and Bruce and
Northern railways began service to the area. This in turn attracted industry and labourers to the
area. By the 1960s the commercial railway lines bypassed the Junction, which resulted in a
decline in the local industry and employment in the area. Today the Junction is experiencing
an influx of new residents and revitalization. The area contains a low scale fine grain fabric. The
Junction Triangle contains a mix of single-family homes and fine grain retail. The fine grain retail
character should be considered in future development.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
DUNDAS STREET WEST
Dundas Street West is partially made up by the former Village of Brockton. It is believed that
area was named after Captain James Brock, who owned a large tract of land in the area in the
early 1800s. Captain Brock was a cousin of Sir Issac Brock, a Canadian war hero who fought in
the War of 1812.
Brockton was originally settled in the 1840s by Irish immigrants, many of whom worked in the
area's two rope making factories. Brockton was incorporated into a Village in 1881. However,
due to the rapid accumulation of a large debt, the village voted in favour of amalgamation with
the City of Toronto in1884. Over the later half of the 20th century, the area experienced an influx
of Portuguese immigrants and is also identified as part of the Little Portugal neighbourhood.
Dundas Street West contains a mix of single-family homes, walk up apartment buildings and
fine grain retail.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
TRINITY BELLWOODS / LITTLE ITALY
In the early 1800's, Trinity-Bellwoods was part of a 100-acre Park Lot known as Gore Vale,
owned by Captain Samuel Smith. The lower half of Gore Vale became the grounds of Trinity
College. Trinity College was constructed in 1852, on the site where Trinity-Bellwoods Park is
now situated. The entrance gates to Trinity College still stand at the Queen Street and Strachan
Avenue. The current neighbourhood began to emerge in the 1880s and by the early 1900s it
was fully developed. The area contains a low scale fine grain retail character.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
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8.
EGLINTON AVENUE
Eglinton Avenue is a major arterial road running from Scarborough in the east of the city to
Mississauga in the west. It is one of the few east-west routes north of Bloor Street that crosses
the entire city uninterrupted. The Avenue runs through several distinct areas with a mix of
residential and commercial uses. Pedestrian activity along Eglinton varies from very low levels
in the eastern and western areas of the Avenue to a far greater activity along the central area,
roughly from Mount Pleasant to Dufferin.
Settlement around Yonge and Eglinton began after the war of 1812, when veterans of the war
were granted land in the area. By the mid-1850s, Eglinton had grown into a village with a post
office. The village was eventually absorbed by North Toronto, which in turn was annexed by the
City of Toronto in 1912. Today Eglinton is a major thoroughfare, with Yonge and Eglinton one of
the City's major urban centres. It is not certain how the road came to have the name Eglinton,
however it is speculated that the road’s name originates from Eglinton Castle in Scotland.
Another possible origin of the name is connected to John Montgomery, whose tavern in the
area was burned down during the Rebellion of 1837. It was rumoured that Montgomery was
related to the Scottish Montgomery’s, who were the Earls of Eglinton.
CHARACTER AREAS
EGLINTON GREENWAY
A generous setback was established along this stretch of Eglinton to accommodate a new east
west highway as part of Metropolitan Toronto's infrastructure program planned in the 1960's.
Development along this stretch generally consists of apartment neighbourhoods and low-rise
single family homes. It also intersects with parks and a hydro corridor, making the setback part
of an extensive and connected green way system.
Portions of this greenway today contain allotment and community gardens as well as bicycle
and pedestrian paths as part of the Etobicoke parks network. A Crosstown LRT is planned
along Eglinton.
EGLINTON FLATS
The Eglinton flats is a large fertile floodplain area of the Humber river surrounding the
intersection of Jane Street and Eglinton Avenue West. Originally farmed, the flats were
devastated by floods brought on by 1954's Hurricane Hazel, and have since been transformed
into an important regional open space amenity with sports fields, trails, and restored natural
areas. While new mid-rise buildings are not be permitted in the Eglinton flats, Transit City LRT
lines are proposed along both Jane Street and Eglinton Avenue, creating an opportunity for a
distinctive ravine open space arterial typology to be created in response to this unique place.
SILVERTHORN
Silverthorn is a hilly area east of Black Creek Drive and the CN railway tracks north of St. Clair
Ave extending north of Eglinton. The area is home to an established Italian community as well
as many new Canadians from different backgrounds. It contains a large number of fine grain
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retail and business uses at the street level.Due to its hills, Silverthorn has a number of twisting
one-way streets, differing from Toronto's grid pattern. The neighbourhood is named after Aaron
Silverthorn who settled here with his wife and three sons in 1825. Silverthorn includes the
Keelesdale and Beechborough-Greenbrook neighbourhoods which are located to the South
and North of Eglinton Avenue respectively.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
FAIRBANK
This stretch of Eglinton Avenue West, between the Allen expressway to the east and Prospect
Cemetery (just west of Dufferin Street) to the west, is mostly composed of 2 and 3 storey
commercial buildings built in the 1920's and 30's. Fine grained and pedestrian scaled, the strip
is becoming a centre of Toronto's Caribbean community.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
FOREST HILL UPPER VILLAGE
This stretch of Eglinton composes the most northerly 'village' retail area in the west of the city,
other than Weston. West of Bathurst, the area has a consistent commercial streetwall, and
serves as the high street for upper Forest Hill, an area developed in the 1930's. Much of the
retail is composed of Jewish delis, Italian restaurants, and upscale shops and galleries, but the
Avenue also provides important connections to the Cedervale and Beltline park systems. East
of Bathurst there is a cluster of art-deco walk-up apartment buildings.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D, #19E & #19G
EGLINTON WAY
Eglinton Way is a nine-block stretch of Eglinton Avenue, from Oriole Parkway to Chaplin
Crescent. It is situated in the middle of established residential neighbourhoods, and is easily
accessed from arterial routes, such as Yonge or Bathurst Street. Eglinton Way has been a
Business Improvement Area since 1987 and contains a large number of fine grain retail and
business uses at the street level. The Eglinton Theatre, a designated heritage property, is
located in the area.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
Y O N G E
A N D
E G L I N T O N /
UPTOWN YONGE
See Yonge Street
GOLDEN MILE
The Golden Mile is a stretch of Eglinton Avenue East in Scarborough that was the site of
intensive industrial and commercial development, and one of Canada's first model industrial
parks. The Golden Mile runs along Eglinton from Victoria Park Avenue east to Birchmount
Road.
The area was farmland prior to World War II when it became the site of a number of factories
geared to war production. Following the war, the area was purchased from the federal
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government by the Township of Scarborough. Numerous factories producing mostly
consumer goods operated along the Golden Mile throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Currently the Golden Mile is comprised of shopping malls, big box retail and large at grade
parking lots.
KENNEDY PARK
This area of Scarborough once known as 'Scarborough Junction' began to be populated in the
1860's, and became the most populous village in Scarborough township by 1896, largely due
to the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway (1856) and the Toronto Nippissing Railway
(1873), which provided good links to the city of Toronto. Few traces of this period remain along
Eglinton Avenue today, which is largely characterized by the suburban development that
transformed the area in the post war period.
Today, the area is ethno-culturally diverse, and like many other postwar arterials in other parts
of Toronto's inner suburbs, parts of the Avenue are defined by early commercial stripmalls that
have evolved into important fine grained and diverse social and commercial hubs that support
the local community. These ethnic stripmalls are among the most multicultural retail spaces in
the city.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
SCARBOROUGH VILLAGE
This stretch of Eglinton was widened to become a limited access arterial in the 1960's, which
was accompanied by major development that included apartment neighbourhoods, strip malls
with independent retail, and a community mall. Today, Scarborough Village includes a large
diverse, and low income East Indian and Caribbean population to the North, and a more
affluent community south of Kingston Road along the lake.
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9.
FINCH AVENUE
Finch Avenue is a major east-west arterial road, which began as a concession road. The street
is named after hotel owner John Finch, who operated a hotel at the northeast corner of Finch
Avenue and Yonge Street.
CHARACTER AREAS
JANE-FINCH / UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS
Jane and Finch is a neighbourhood located in North York, and is roughly bounded by Highway
400 to the west, Driftwood Avenue to the east, Grandravine Drive to the south, and Shoreham
Drive to the north. The area has also been known as the neighbourhood of Elia. The earliest
pioneers in this area were of German descent, and arrived in the late 1700's and early 1800's.
English and Scottish immigrants followed them, arriving in the area in the 1820's.
The two focal points of this farming community were the one room Elia schoolhouse and the
Elia church. Both of these former landmarks were closed in 1956 when Elia's farms were
purchased by land developers. The Elia church situated at 1130 Finch Avenue West, is all that
remains of the areas early pioneer era.
The Jane-Finch / University Heights area was planned by the City of North York in the mid
1960s as District 12. It was planned to include a large range of housing types, industry,
commerce, and the major institutional use of York University. The area hosts several
experiments in modern housing and community planning consisting of high-rise, mid-rise and
low-rise forms. Low rise complexes and single-family homes are located along winding roads in
the interior of the neighbourhood. Higher density apartments and shopping centers are located
in clusters along the arterials, with the majority of these developments set back from the street.
This area is planned as a future transport hub.
BAYVIEW VILLAGE (NORTH)
Bayview Village began as a small rural farming community in the 1800's. One of the area's first
settlers was Thomas Clark, a prominent member of the community. Clark’s house, built circa
1885 at 9 Barberry Place, is all that remains from Bayview Village's early pioneer days. The
neighbourhood that exists today was planned in 1954. The town planner for Bayview Village
was Dr. E. G. Faludi, who also designed the Rexdale, Thorncrest Village, and Humber Valley
neighbourhoods in Toronto. The area was completely developed by the early 1960s.
Baview Village contains a mix of mid-rise residential buildings, bungalows and single family
homes.
BMI/Pace
A-17
May 2010
10.
GERRARD STREET EAST
Gerrard Street East, east of the Don River, contains two unique communities, Chinatown East
and Little India. The street first passes through Toronto's Chinatown East, which is centred on
Gerrard between Broadview Avenue and Carlaw Avenue. Further east, between Greenwood
Avenue and Coxwell Avenue, there are many businesses catering to the city’s South Asian
communities. Although, the area has never been home to a large South Asian population, it
serves as commercial centre for that community.
CHARACTER AREAS
LESLIEVILLE (NORTH)
Leslieville emerged in the 1850s as a small village, which grew up around the Toronto Nurseries
owned by George Leslie, after whom the neighbourhood is named. One of the first buildings in
the village was the Leslieville Public School, built in 1863. Leslieville's first principal was
Alexander Muir who composed "The Maple Leaf Forever".
The Gerrard Square Mall, as well as a small strip mall, is located just east of Pape Avenue on
the north side of Gerrard. A much lower scale built form is found on the south side of the street,
which features detached and semi-detached homes. East of Gerrard Square the street contains
a low-scale fine grain retail character which transitions to a single-family home residential
character at Leslie Street.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR
Gerrard Street, between Greenwood Avenue and Coxwell Avenue, is home to an abundance of
Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Afghanistani businesses. The area is commonly referred to
as "Little India". The current character of the neighbourhood began to emerge in 1972 when the
Eastwood Theatre began to show Bollywood films. This attracted large numbers of South Asian
Canadians from across the city and led to the establishment of several businesses catering to
that community. The area is largely made up of fine-grain retail.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
A-18 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
11.
JANE STREET
Jane Street is a north-south thoroughfare in the western part of the city. It begins at Bloor Street
and continues north into York Region to near the Holland River in King Township.
CHARACTER AREAS
JANE AND LAWRENCE
The intersection of Jane and Lawrence is in proximity to the Weston neighbourhood to the
southeast, which dates back to the 1790s. The area’s first settlers were mill owners who were
attracted to the area by its lumber resources and the Humber River. Weston was first
incorporated as a village in 1881 and then as a town in 1915. It remained an independent town
until 1967 when it amalgamated with the former Borough of York, which was in turn
amalgamated with the City of Toronto in 1998.
The area contains strip malls, a few vestigial single-family houses, some fine grain retail, and a
cluster of residential towers on the east side of Jane.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
JANE AND FINCH
The Jane and Finch neighbourhood is roughly bounded by Highway 400 to the west, Driftwood
Avenue to the east, Grandravine Drive to the south, and Shoreham Drive to the north. The area
has also been known as the neighbourhood of Elia. The first settlers in the area were of German
descent, and arrived in the late 1700's and early 1800's. English and Scottish immigrants
followed, arriving in the area in the 1820's.
Central to the early farming community were the Elia schoolhouse and the Elia church. Both of
these former landmarks were closed in 1956 when Elia's farms were purchased by land
developers. The Elia church, at 1130 Finch Avenue West, is all that remains of the area’s early
pioneer era.
The Jane-Finch / University Heights was planned by the City of North York in the mid 1960s as
District 12, and comprehensively planned to include a large range of housing types, industry,
commerce, and the major institutional use of York University. The area hosts several
experiments in modern housing and community planning consisting of high-rise, mid-rise and
low-rise forms. Low rise complexes and single-family homes are located along winding roads in
the interior of the neighbourhoods. Higher density apartments and shopping centers are
located in clusters along the arterials, with the majority of these developments are set back
from the street.
BMI/Pace
A-19
May 2010
12.
KEELE STREET
Keele Street, named for local businessman William Conroy Keele, runs from Bloor Street to the
Holland Marsh. South of Bloor Street, the roadway is known as Parkside Drive, and ends at
Lake Shore Boulevard near Sunnyside Beach. Most of Keele runs directly along a former
concession road (third west of Yonge Street).
Keele lived in a farmhouse on a 100 acre property located, purchased in 1834, south of Dundas
and Keele. Keele purchased additional land in the area, and in 1857 created the Carleton Race
Course, the site of the first Queen’s Plate race in 1860. Keele’s son Charles sold the racetrack
in 1882, and after his death two years later the entire Keele property was sold and the area
began to be developed and intensified.
A-20 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
13.
KING STREET
Named for King George III, the reigning monarch at the time of its construction, King Street was
one of the earliest streets to be laid out in the Town of York. King Street runs from The
Queensway, splitting off to the south-east at Queen Street West and Roncesvalles Avenue in
the west, to the Don River where it terminates at Queen St. in the east.
CHARACTER AREAS
TRINITY-NIAGARA
The Niagara neighbourhood dates back to 1793, when it was part of a military garrison for the
Town of York. Street names in the neighbourhood reference this military past. The second era
in the area’s history began in the 1850s when it developed into a major industrial centre. The
area currently contains a mix of 19th and 20th century industrial buildings, low scale residential
and mid-rise residential buildings.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
BMI/Pace
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May 2010
14.
KINGSTON ROAD
Kingston Road is one of the main arterial roads in the eastern part of Toronto. The road was
surveyed in 1815 and completed in 1817. The road’s name references the route to the City of
Kingston. Historically, Kingston Road was the gateway to Toronto, and throughout the 19th
century, there was an abundance of hotels located along its route.
CHARACTER AREAS
U P P E R
B E A C H
The Upper Beaches area is located directly north of the Beach neighbourhod. Originally called
Norway, most of the Upper Beaches was laid out as the residential core of the former City of
East Toronto. The area consists primarily of single-family homes and low scale fine grain retail.
Future development here should maintain this fine grain character.
K I N G S T O N
–
W A R D E N
The Kingston-Warden area developed as residential neighbourhood in the first half of the 20th
century. Many of the residential homes in the area were constructed between the 1910s and
1950s. The area is set against the backdrop of the Scarborough Bluffs and Lake Ontario.
Kingston-Warden is composed primarily of single-family homes and a fine grain retail character.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
K I N G S T O N
P A R K W A Y
The Kingston Parkway area, part of the larger Birch Cliff area, developed from a summer resort
settlement to a residential neighbourhood in the early-mid 20th century. It is also the original
location of the Toronto Hunt Club. During the late 1890s and early 1900s Toronto residents built
summer cottages on the property adjacent to the Toronto Hunt Club. The area emerged as a
year round residential area in the 1910s. Residential development in the area was completed
shortly after World War II.
Kingston Parkway is composed primarily of single-family homes and a fine grain retail
character.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
C L I F F S I D E
R E T A I L
ST R I P
Cliffside developed as a residential neighbourhood during the first half of the 20th century.
The housing stock, which was built mostly in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s includes an eclectic mix
of architectural styles. The major landmark in the area is the St. Augustine Seminary, which has
been training Roman Catholic priests since 1910. This Seminary is a dominant visual landmark
on Kingston Road. In the early 1900s, the land west of the St. Augustine Seminary began to
evolve as a summer cottage community. The first permanent residences were built in the
1920s. The Cliffside Retail Strip is composed primarily of a fine grain retail character.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
A-22 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
K I N G S T O N
-
S T .
C L A I R
The Kingston - St. Clair area, part of the larger Cliffcrest neighbourhood, developed as a
residential neighbourhood in the mid 20th century. The housing stock was built primarily during
the late 1940s and the 1950s. Cliffcrest was named in the 1960s by city planners in reference to
the Scarborough Bluffs, which form the southern boundary of this neighbourhood.
Kingston St. - Clair is composed primarily of single-family homes and a fine grain retail
character.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
SCARBOROUGH VILLAGE
Scarborough Village emerged in the 1830s as a crossroads village, centred on Markham and
Kingston Roads and Eglinton Avenue. In 1832, the village became the first community in the
former Township of Scarborough to have its own post office. The area contains a mix of strip
malls, tower neighbourhoods, single family homes and mid rise residential buildings.
Portions of the area are defined by early commercial stripmalls that have evolved into important
fine grain and diverse commercial hubs that support the local community.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
BMI/Pace
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May 2010
15.
LAKESHORE BOULEVARD
Lake Shore Boulevard is an east-west arterial road running along most of the City’s waterfront.
Lakeshore, west of the Humber River, is the old provincial Highway 2. The section of the
boulevard east of the Humber was constructed in conjunction with the development of the
Sunnyside waterfront infill. As part of the Gardiner project in the 1950s, the width of Lake Shore
Boulevard was doubled.
CHARACTER AREAS
MIMICO BY THE LAKE
The Mimico neighbourhood was first developed in the 1890s, south of Lake Shore Boulevard,
where many of Toronto's wealthy families built summer homes. The area began to transform
into a permanent community in 1906, when the Grand Trunk Railway opened the Mimico Yard.
Mimico was incorporation as a Town in 1917, and retained this status until 1967, when it was
amalgamated with the Township of Etobicoke.
Mimico by the Lake is composed primarily of single-family homes, a significant cluster of walk
up apartment buildings, and a fine grain retail character.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
A-24 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
16.
LAWRENCE AVENUE
Lawrence Avenue is a major east-west thoroughfare beginning in the east near the Rouge River
and ending in the west at Royal York Road. The Avenue is named after Jacob Lawrence, a
local farmer and tanner who settled near the intersection of Yonge Street and Lawrence
Avenue. The Avenue also served as the base line for the Scarborough Township Survey in the
1800s.
CHARACTER AREAS
G L E N
P A R K
/ LAWRENCE HEIGHTS
Glen Park developed as a residential neighbourhood from earlier sub-divided lots from the
1920s to the mid 20th century. The housing stock ranges from small bungalows with front bay
windows to ranch-style, split-level, and raised bungalow designs. Much of this housing can be
termed as Veteran’s war-time housing. Some of this original housing stock has been replaced
by new houses in recent years. These new developments have been largely sympathetic to the
low density scale and architectural character of the neighbourhood. Glenwood is situated north
of Eglinton Avenue West, west of Bathurst Street, south of Lawrence Avenue West and east of
the Canadian National railway tracks.
Near Dufferin Avenue on the south side of Lawrence, there is a significant cluster of walk up
apartment buildings, and a large shopping mall property on the north side. The area consists
primarily of a mix of single-family homes and walk up apartment buildings east of the William R.
Allen Road. 1
BATHURST-LAWRENCE
The intersection of Bathurst and Lawrence sits at the south-east corner of the Lawrence Manor
neighbourhood. The area was used as farmland from the early 1800s to the 1940s. In the
1940s the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation purchased the property with the intent
of subdividing it for residential development.
The Bathurst-Lawrence area consists of some single-family homes, shopping malls and big box
retail, and mid-rise buildings.
YONGE – LAWRENCE
The intersection of Yonge and Lawrence sits at the north-west boundary of the Lawrence Park
neighbourhood. Lawrence Park is a residential neighbourhood developed during the early 20th
century and is one of the city’s first planned garden suburbs. The housing stock includes
English Cottage, Tudor Revival and Georgian and Colonial architectural styles.
This area is made up of single family homes to the east and west of Yonge Street with
two mid-rise buildings located at the intersection of Yonge and Lawrence.
1
Revised Official Plan Amendment to Authorize Section 37 Funding of Heritage Conservation District Studies as an
Eligible Community Benefit. City of Toronto
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May 2010
17.
MOUNT PLEASANT
Mount Pleasant Road was named after the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, which the road passes
through. The scale of the built form found along the road ranges from 2 storey mixed use
buildings to mid-rise residential buildings. Mount Pleasant is currently experiencing
intensification with the construction of several condominiums in the area.
A-26 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
18.
O’CONNOR DRIVE
O’Connor Drive runs between Broadview Avenue and Eglinton Avenue East. It is named after
Frank O’Connor, a Canadian politician, businessman, philanthropist, and founder of Laura
Secord Chocolates.
In the late 1920s, while O’Connor was serving as a new member of the Toronto and York Road
Commission, there was a discussion about what to call a new three mile road that passed by
O’Connor’s farm. O’Connor suggested they call it O’Connor Drive. Despite the fact that he was
joking the road became known as O’Connor Drive.
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May 2010
19.
PAPE AVENUE
Pape Avenue is a north south thoroughfare running through several neighourhoods east of the
Don Valley. It is a vibrant and multi-cultural retail district.
CHARACTER AREAS
PAPE VILLAGE
Pape Village is a commercial district located within Old East York. Historically, the entire area
was known as Todmorden, which extended from the Don Valley to the west and north, to
approximately Mortimer Avenue to the south and Donlands Avenue to the east. Todmorden
was named by John Eastwood, an early settler in the early 19th century, who thought the area’s
landscape was similar to that of Todmorden in Yorkshire, England. Although Todmorden was
never incorporated as a village, the name was used both informally and as a postal address
until the 1940s.
Pape Village contains a mix of low rise fine grain retail, single family homes, townhomes and
semi-detached homes.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E
A-28 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
20.
QUEEN STREET
Queen Street is a major east-west thoroughfare in downtown Toronto. The street begins in the
west at the intersection of King Street, The Queensway, and Roncesvalles Avenue and extends
eastward, past Yonge Street, where it becomes Queen Street East, to The Beach
neighbourhood.
Until the early 1840s Queen Street was known as Lot Street. The street was renamed in 1844 in
honor of Queen Victoria. The street originally formed the northern boundary of the Town of York
and served as a base line from which the concession roads were counted and the city’s grid
pattern was laid out. It was commissioned by Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe in
1793, and surveyed by Sir Alexander Aitkin.
Queen Street runs through several distinct neighbourhoods, many of which were originally
ethnically based. The earliest known nighbourhood to spring up in the mid 19th century was
known as Claretown, an Irish immigrant community around Queen and Bathurst Streets. From
the 1890s to the 1930s, Jewish immigrants settled in the neighbourhood, then known as "the
Ward”, just north of Queen Street, between University and Spadina.
The intersection of Queen and Bay Streets also served as the southern end of a thriving
Chinatown in the 1930s. From the 1920s to the 1950s, the area was also the heart of Toronto's
Polish and Ukrainian communities. From the 1950s through the 1970s, many immigrants from
Portugal settled in the area. However, gentrification over the past twenty years has resulted in
most of these communities gradually moving to more affordable areas of the city.
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21.
RONCESVALLES AVENUE
Roncesvalles Avenue is a north-south arterial that connects Queen Street West, King Street
West and runs north to Dundas Street West. The Avenue was built to connect Queen Street with
Dundas Street. King Street West was extended to the foot of Roncesvalles in the 1880s. The
construction of residential homes along Roncesvalles began in early 1900s and for the first half
of the 20th century the areas residents were mostly of British origin. After the Second World War,
a large number of Polish immigrants settled in the area and established churches, banks and
businesses, which remain important local institutions in the area today.
CHARACTER AREAS
RONCESVALLES
Roncesvalles was originally settled in 1850 by Colonel Walter O’Hara, a soldier in the British
army prior to immigrating to Canada. O’Hara, named the streets in the area; O ’Hara, Geoffrey,
Constence, Marion and Sorauren after his family members. The development of the
neighbourhood increased with the arrival of the streetcar to the area in the early 1900s. After the
Second World War an influx of Eastern European immigrants, predominantly from Poland,
settled in Roncesvalles. Today, the area is still considered the centre of the Polish community in
Toronto, with prominent Polish institutions such as St. Casimir's Catholic Church. The east side
of the Avenue is mostly fine grain main street built form, and the west side is a mix of the fine
grain main street, with a number of churches and institutional buildings, and walk-up
apartments. There are several mid and high-rise buildings around the intersections of Bloor
Street West and Dundas Street West, and near Ritchie Avenue and Souraren Avenue, just north
of the Roncesvalles and Dundas intersection.
A-30 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
22.
SHEPPARD AVENUE
Sheppard Avenue is an east-west arterial road that extends from the eastern edge of
Scarborough through North York to Weston Road. The Avenue is named for Joseph Sheppard
I, who owned 400 acres of land northwest of the intersection of Sheppard and Yonge.
CHARACTER AREAS
YONGE AND SHEPPARD/WILLOWDALE
The Yonge corridor between Finch and Sheppard Avenues was planned as a high-density hub
in the late 1960s. Catalyzed by the expansion of the Yonge Subway, north from York Mills to
Finch in 1974, the area has experienced considerable development that has continued over the
following decades. The area contains a mix of high-rise commercial, residential and
government buildings, as well as mid and low-rise retail, in both storefront and strip mall form.
High density is concentrated along the Yonge Street corridor, while Sheppard Avenue directly
east and west of Yonge Street consists of medium and low-rise commercial structures with
large setbacks as well as low-rise housing.
BAYVIEW VILLAGE (SOUTH)
Bayview Village began as a small rural farming community in the 1800's. One of the area's first
settlers was Thomas Clark, a prominent member of the community. Clark’s house, built circa
1885, at 9 Barberry Place, is all that remains from Bayview Village's early pioneer days. The
neighbourhood that exists today was planned in 1954. The town planner for Bayview Village
was Dr. E. G. Faludi, who also designed the Rexdale, Thorncrest Village, and Humber Valley
neighbourhoods in Toronto. The area was completely developed by the early 1960s.
Low density residential is primarily located in the interior of concession blocks along curvilinear
streets that followed the contours of the land. Sheppard Avenue contains low and mid-rise
residential and commercial buildings, as well as the Bayview Village shopping mall, the main
commercial centre of the neighbourhood at the northeast corner of the intersection of Bayview
and Sheppard.
Today, the area is experiencing a third phase of re-development. Three subway stops along
the Sheppard subway line are located along this section of Sheppard Avenue (Bayview,
Bessarion and Leslie), and have spurred a wave of higher density buildings along its length.
New mid and high rise residential buildings and new town homes mix with older residential
towers and post-war bungalows.
THE PEANUT / PARKWAY FOREST
The Peanut / Parkway Forest Neighbourhood (also known as Don Valley Village) was
developed in the 1960s and 1970s. The neighborhood was master planned by the City of
North York in the mid 1960s as part of District 12, a large area of Eastern North York. The area
was planned as a sub centre within the metropolitan framework, and was planned as a major
commercial, residential and employment centre. High density residential and commercial is
located along Don Mills Road and Sheppard Avenue, consisting of nearly thirty apartment
BMI/Pace
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May 2010
towers, Fairview mall, as well as smaller shopping areas such as the Peanut Plaza. Singlefamily homes are arranged in a neighbourhood unit configuration away from arterial roads.
A defining feature of the area is the Peanut neighbourhood, named for the peanut-shaped plot
of land created by the deviation of the north and southbound lanes of Don Mills Road north of
Sheppard Avenue and south of Finch Avenue. The area formed between the two lanes is the
site of Woodbine Junior High School, Woodbine Public Arena, Oriole Park and Oriole
Community Resource Centre, Georges Vanier Secondary School, and the "Peanut Plaza"
shopping centre.
Large apartment neighbourhoods of this type are generally shaped by ideas of district planning
and open space networks, which potential development should take into consideration.
A-32 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
23.
ST. CLAIR AVENUE
St. Clair Avenue was surveyed as the third concession road north of Bloor Street. The street’s
name is taken from Augustine St. Clare, a character from the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. The first
European settlers on the Avenue were the Heath family, who purchased land near St. Clair and
Yonge Street in 1837. The Heaths named the area Deer Park after the wild deer that were so
abundant in the area at the time. Other municipalities established along St. Clair included of
West Toronto, Earlscourt, Dovercourt, and Oakwood. All of these were annexed by Toronto in
the early 20th century. St. Clair remained a primarily rural road until the introduction of the
streetcar in the 1930s, which spurred development along the Avenue. There has been little
development along the western section of the Avenue since this early building boom.
CHARACTER AREAS
ST. CLAIR GARDENS
The St. Clair Gardens area is sometimes referred to as Earlscourt or Weston–Phelam Park. The
area was settled in 1906 by British labourers, who were employed at local factories. The area
was annexed by the City of Toronto, in 1910. The St. Clair Gardens Business Improvement Area
extends from Caledonia Rd to just west of Old Weston Rd. The area features a fine grain retail
fabric that should be referenced in future development.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
ST. CLAIR WEST
St. Clair West is predominantly made up of the Humewood and Corso Italia neighbourhoods.
Humewood is named after the former country estate of William Hume Blake, a prominent lawyer
and politician in early Toronto. The twenty-five acre estate was sub-divided in the late 1800s
and early 1900s.
Corso Italia, Toronto's second Italian neighbourhood after Little Italy on College Street, is
located within what was previously known as Earlscourt. The area was originally settled by
British immigrants in 1906, and annexed by the City of Toronto in 1910. During the late 1950s a
significant wave of Italian immigrants arrived in Earlscourt and the surrounding area.
St. Clair West consists primarily of low-scale fine grain retail with a couple mid-rise buildings
interspersed. Future development in this area should reference the fine grain retail character.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
YONGE – ST. CLAIR
The intersection of Yonge and St. Clair lies within the Deer Park neighbourhood. The area was
named by the Heath family, who purchased forty acres of land located near the intersection of
St. Clair and Yonge in 1837. By the 1850s, Deer Park had grown to include a, a general store, a
school, a cemetery, a racetrack, and a hotel. The area was annexed to the City of Toronto in
1908. Yonge-St. Clair contains a cluster of mid-rise and high-rise office buildings.
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24.
WESTON ROAD
Weston Road is a north-south street named for the former Village of Weston, which was located
near Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West.
A-34 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
25.
WILSON AVENUE
Wilson Avenue is an east-west street in North York, stretching from Yonge Street to just before
Weston Road. It runs parallel to, and one major block north of Lawrence Avenue. The street
was named after TTC and city traffic consultant Norman D. Wilson, who was instrumental in the
design of the Toronto subway system.
CHARACTER AREAS
BATHURST AND WILSON
The intersection of Bathurst and Wilson lies within the Dublin Heights neighbourhood. The area
began as a small farming community in the early 1800's. It is named after Dublin Farm, which
was located near Sheppard Avenue and Dufferin Street. The area around Bathurst and Wilson
is primarily composed of low-scale strip mall commercial buildings and low-rise residential
buildings. The character of this area is similar to that of Downsview.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
WEST DOWNSVIEW
The West Downsview Character Area is part of the Humberlea neighbourhood. From the 1800's
until the mid 1900's Humberlea was a thriving farming community. The north half of the
neighbourhood, was owned by the Griffith brothers, local farmers who operated farms on both
sides of Weston Road. The Griffith farms were sold to the federal government in the 1940s for
the development of the Humberlea War Veterans sub-division. The Humberlea properties have
since been sub-divided further.
West Downsview is composed of strip mall commercial buildings, low-rise walk-up residential
buildings, semi-detached homes and bungalows.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
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May 2010
26.
YONGE STREET
Yonge Street is often considered to be Toronto's main street due to its position separating the
city into east and west, and the presence of the Yonge subway line (Canada’s first subway line).
The street was fundamental in the planning and layout of Toronto and Ontario, forming the
basis of the concession roads in Ontario and the street grid in the downtown.
John Graves Simcoe, founder of York and provincial governor of Upper Canada initiated the
surveying for the street began in 1794. Construction of the street began in 1796 in anticipation
of an American invasion. The road was intended to allow military access to the northern Great
Lakes. The street is named in honour of John Graves Simcoe’s friend Sir George Yonge, who
was the Secretary of War in 1791 and had signed the document designating the Queen’s
Rangers as a regiment to protect the new province.
CHARACTER AREAS
SUMMERHILL
The Summerhill neighbourhood is named after 'Summer Hill' house, built in 1842, by
transportation baron Charles Thompson. Summer Hill stood on the crest of the hill where the
houses on Summerhill Gardens are located today. Thompson's Summer Hill estate stretched
from the present day Yonge Street to Mt. Pleasant Road. On this site Thompson established the
'Summer Hill Spring Park and Pleasure Grounds'. This amusement park featured rides, games,
swimming and a popular dance pavilion that was located inside the Summer Hill house.
Thompson's heirs sub-divided Summer Hill in the 1860's.In the 1880s, the North Toronto
Railway Station was established on Yonge Street and the neighbourhood of Summerhill quickly
developed around it. The Railway station was rebuilt in honour of a visit by the Prince of Wales
in 1916. The neighbourhood saw little growth after the railway station closed in 1931 but was
again revitalized by the construction of the Summerhill Subway station in 1954.
Much of Summerhill along Yonge Street consists of larger and mid-rise buildings on the west.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
YONGE AND ST. CLAIR
See St. Clair
Y O N G E
A N D
E G L I N T O N /
UPTOWN YONGE
Yonge and Eglinton, also known as Uptown, was once a part of the old Town of North Toronto.
In recent years, the area’s central location has attracted increased development, including a
number of high rise residential towers. Yonge and Eglinton is home to a variety of small retail
stores, restaurants, larger stores, and a mall / movie theatre complex. The built form on Yonge
consists primarily of low-scale 3-storey buildings with a consistent fine grain street wall.
* Refer to Performance Standards #19D & #19E.
A-36 Avenues & Mid-Rise Buildings Study
May 2010
B E D F O R D
P A R K
See Avenue Road
BMI/Pace
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May 2010
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