New Toronto
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New Toronto is a working-class neighbourhood near the southwest corner of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is roughly bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, Kipling Avenue to the west, New Toronto Street to the north, and Dwight Avenue to the east.
New Toronto was first incorporated as a village in 1913, with a population of 500, and became a town in 1920. It was amalgamated in 1967 into the Borough (later City) of Etobicoke; this in turn was merged with five other municipalities and a regional government into the new City of Toronto in 1998.
The town of New Toronto was a strong manufacturing community during the early part of the twentieth century. The area's largest employer was the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, which established a plant there in 1917. Other major industries included Campbell's Soup, Anaconda Brass, Continental Can, and Gilbey Distillers. Industry was attracted to New Toronto by the presence of the Grand Trunk Railway freight yard opened in 1906, located in New Toronto although named Mimico Yard. Growing freight traffic in the Toronto area necessitated the creation of an amalgamated facility and a by-pass of the congested Toronto Terminal. A modern hump yard in Maple first named Toronto Yard and the freight by-pass opened in 1965 at which time Mimico was downgraded considerably, resulting in the loss of much employment. At the same time the Toronto By Pass line allowed for the creation of GO Transit commuter train line between Oakville and Pickering. GO named its facility Willowbrook. Old CNR facilities in Mimico Yard were used for the startup of this trial train service. Its subsequent growth has resulted in new facilities being built for GO. The availability of the almost deserted railway yard was an opportunity to relocate VIA Rail passenger facilities from downtown Toronto to New Toronto. VIA calls its facilities: Toronto Maintenance Centre.
It is now a neighbourhood in transition as the industrial corridor located at the north end of the community is being converted into residential zoning; industry is gradually moving out of New Toronto, making way for further residential development. New Toronto also has a high senior citizen population.
The Toronto Transit Commission's 501 Queen streetcar line, which runs along Lake Shore Boulevard, connects New Toronto to the downtown core. The Lakeshore Campus of Humber College, formerly Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital, is located at the foot of Kipling Avenue. The local high school is Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, located on the corner of Kipling and Birmingham.
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Former Municipalities in Toronto | |
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Municipalities Amalgamated in 1998 | East York - Etobicoke - North York - Scarborough - Toronto - York - Metropolitan Toronto |
Municipalities Amalgamated in 1967 | Forest Hill - Leaside - Long Branch - Mimico - New Toronto - Swansea - Weston |
Municipalities Amalgamated 1883-1914 | 1912 : Dovercourt - Earlscourt 1910 : Moore Park - North Toronto 1909 : Bracondale - Midway - West Toronto - Wychwood 1908 : Deer Park - East Toronto 1905 : Rosedale 1890 : Bedford Park - Davisville - Eglinton 1889 : Parkdale 1888 : Seaton Village 1884 : Brockton - Riverdale 1883 : Yorkville |