Kensington Market

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Kensington Market
Kensington Market

Kensington Market is a distinctive multicultural neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, Ontario. The Market is one of the city's oldest and most famous neighbourhoods, and in November 2006, it became a National Historic Site. Its approximate borders are College St. on the North, Spadina Ave. on the East, Dundas St. W. to the South, and Bellevue Ave. to the West. Most of the neighbourhood's eclectic shops, cafes, and other attractions are located along Augusta Ave. and neighbouring Nassau St. and Kensington Ave. The market is best travelled on foot or bicycle, as the narrow one-way streets and numerous dead-ends are difficult to navigate by car.

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[edit] History

[edit] Early history

George Taylor Denison, after serving in the British militia during the War of 1812, purchased an area of land in 1815 from Queen Street West to Bloor Street, roughly between where Augusta and Lippincott Streets now run. Denison used the area now known as Bellevue Square Park as a parade ground for his volunteer cavalry troop, which he commanded during the Upper Canada Rebellion. This troop later became the Governor General's Horse Guards. The Denison estate was subdivided in the 1850s. During the 1880s, houses were built on small plots for Irish and Scottish immigrant labourers coming to Toronto; many of these houses still stand along Wales Avenue and elsewhere, and these inexpensive homes have been inhabited by many waves of immigrants in the decades that followed.

[edit] The "Jewish market"

Kensington Market was slowly founded in the early twentieth century by eastern European Jewish immigrants and some Italians, who vacated "The Ward", an overcrowded immigrant-reception area between Yonge Street and University Avenue, in large numbers after around 1910. It became a cluster of densely packed houses, and was one of the poorer areas of the city. It became notable for the open air market, reminiscent of those in Europe, that covered the streets of the area. From the beginning the market sold a great diversity of items imported from the homelands of the various immigrant communities.

Kensington was also known as "the Jewish Market". Jewish merchants operated small shops as tailors, furriers and bakers. Around 60,000 Jews lived in and around Kensington Market during the 1920s and 1930s, worshipping at over 30 local synagogues. After the Second World War, most of the Jewish population moved north to more prosperous neighbourhoods uptown or in the suburbs. During the 1950s, a large number of immigrants from the Azores, fleeing political conflict with the regime of António de Oliveira Salazar, moved into the area and further west along Dundas Street. The arrival of new waves of immigrants from the Caribbean and East Asia changed the community, making it even more diverse as the century wore on. The Vietnam War brought a number of American political refugees to the neighbourhood, adding a unique utopian flavour to local politics. As Chinatown is located just east of Kensington, the Chinese are now the largest ethnic element. During the 1980s and 1990s, identifiable groups of immigrants came from Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Iran, Vietnam, and other global trouble spots appeared in the Market to make new lives.

[edit] The 1960s

In the 1960s there were plans to tear down the densely packed small houses and replace them with large apartment style housing projects, as was done to neighbouring Alexandra Park. These plans came to an end with the election of David Crombie as Mayor of Toronto. Crombie was strongly opposed to the massive urban restructuring plans that had been in vogue in previous decades.

[edit] Recent development

Statue of Al Waxman in Bellevue Square Park
Statue of Al Waxman in Bellevue Square Park

Today the neighbourhood is a noted tourist attraction, and a centre of Toronto's cultural life as artists and writers moved into the area. Land prices in the area have increased sharply, but despite its increased appeal to professionals, Kensington still remains a predominantly working class, immigrant community.

On December 1, 2006, Kensington Market was proclaimed a National Historic Site.[1]

[edit] The neighbourhood

[edit] Landmarks

Some area landmarks are the Number 10 Fire Station, Tom's Place, Bellevue Square Park with a statue of actor Al Waxman, and St. Stephen's Community House.

[edit] Shops

The area is filled with a mix of food stores selling an immense variety of meats, fish and produce. It is said that more varieties of fruits and vegetables are for sale in Kensington than in any area of the world, but this has never been independently verified. There are also several cheese shops. The area is also home to stores selling a wide variety of cheap and used clothing, as well as a number of discount and surplus stores. It is also home to many restaurants covering a wide variety of styles and ethnicities. A unique architectural feature of the neighbourhood is the presence of extensions built onto the front of many buildings (which would be against by-laws in other places).

In recent years, the neighbourhood has seen a small explosion of upscale cafés, restaurants and clubs, replacing many of the older ethnic businesses. There has been much speculation that Kensington's long history as an immigrant working class neighbourhood is near its end. However, for now Kensington mostly retains its character as a great source for fresh foods, eclectic goods, "street food", and most of it at inexpensive prices. In fact, Kensington (as well as the Chinatown it abuts) retains its reputation as the smart place locals, university students and foodies go to shop, this in spite of the market's evident popularity with tourists.

[edit] Counterculture

Businesses such as Manifestudio, a photo gallery and radical eco-politics community space run by GlobalAware Independent Media, help create an environment friendly to radical politics. Trotskyists are sometimes seen handing out pamphlets at the corner of Baldwin and Kensington.

[edit] Commercial gentrification

A small supermarket, Zimmerman's Freshmart, opened in the Market in early 2005, leading to some controversy. Some are concerned it would compete with smaller businesses, or would otherwise lead to a more "corporate" market. This became the subject of an independent documentary, Reverend Billy Versus Zimmerman's Freshmart. The arrival of COBS Bread in 2006 continues this potential trend. Also, the introduction of Dufflet-brand sweets and Ace Bakery breads in area shops has caused consternation amongst some traditionalists.

[edit] Cars and pedestrians

Narrow streets make the market challenging for those driving and especially parking in the neighbourhood. On Saturdays and some late afternoons, pedestrians walk freely down the middle of the street or between slow-moving cars.

Since 2004, residents and businesses have organized a series of Pedestrian Sunday events. Parts of Augusta St., Baldwin St. and Kensington Ave. are closed to motorized traffic and the streets become a pedestrian mall. Live music, dancing, street theatre and games are among the special events on the closed streets. Typically taking place on the last Sunday of every month, this type of event has been organized on half a dozen weekends a year since 2005.

Local businesses resist efforts to turn the area into a pedestrian mall, with the argument that they need to make deliveries and they need to be able to have shoppers come to their stores. Some local residents also argue that the area is a living neighborhood, not a social or political laboratory for outside activists.

[edit] Marijuana culture

The market is also home to one of Canada's few cannabis cafés and boutiques, as well as a couple of head shops. The Hot Box Cafe and Roach'o'Rama are businesses in Kensington Market where the consumption of cannabis takes place openly. For many, they are a spiritual and peaceful retreat in the core of the city.

Visitors to Bellevue Square Park between Augusta and Denison will sometimes see (or smell) marijuana cigarettes being smoked.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Festivals

The annual Kensington Market Festival of Lights produced by local community-arts organization Red Pepper Spectacle Arts is celebrated on the streets of Kensington Market and at Bellevue Square Park during the Winter Solstice in December. This lively carnival parade of giant puppets, firebreathers, stiltwalkers and samba was first created by Ida Carnevali in 1987 as a way of beckoning the return of the sun on the longest night of the year - an ancient solstice tradition celebrated around the world. Her 1987 the parade consisted of a handful of costumed revellers and now welcomes over 10,000 people annually. Parade goers of all ages make their own fantastic paper lanterns at Red Pepper's storefront studio in popular workshops during the month prior to the parade. The procession wends its way through Kensington's narrow streets witnessing surprise theatrical scenarios on rooftops and at intersections throughout Kensington Market. A giant fire sculpture marks the final send-off to the old year.

[edit] Music

Bob Snider can often be found busking along Baldwin Street.
Bob Snider can often be found busking along Baldwin Street.

The Toronto based band Bedouin Soundclash filmed parts of their video "When the Night Feels My Song" in and around the market. As well, most of the 2001 film Picture Claire starring Juliette Lewis, Gina Gershon, and Mickey Rourke was filmed in the market.

The Toronto based duo Augusta has been known to perform in the market.

Kensington market has hosted many great venues for local independent dance parties. One such venue is The Boat, a 1970's era Portuguese seafood restaurant that holds both Mandarin karaoke nights as well as independent rock shows and dance parties. Decorated with a nautical theme and made popular in July 2005 with the 1950s-themed dance party, Goin' Steady. Located one block north of Dundas Ave on Augusta, The Boat is now home to many monthly dance nights and draws large crowds on a weekly basis.

[edit] Kensington in popular culture

Former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman and actor Al Waxman (who starred in the CBC Television series King of Kensington) were both born and raised in the Kensington Market neighbourhood. After Waxman's death, he was honoured with a statue located in the north-west corner of Bellevue Square Park. In addition to King of Kensington, Kensington Market has been the setting for the television series Twitch City and Katts and Dog as well as the street riot scenes of the 1984 comedy "Police Academy". Kensington Market was the primary setting for Cory Doctorow's novel Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town.

[edit] Religion

The winter solstice festival is an important gathering of Ontario's pagan community.

Two synagogues remain in the Market, from the early 20th-century period when the area was the centre of the Jewish community in Toronto.

Kensington Market is home to a significant Rastafari community.

[edit] Nearby streets of note

[edit] The other Kensington Market

Kensington Market in the Kensington district of London, England was a three storey indoor market. In the 1960s and 70s, it catered to hippie and bohemian culture. Before Queen became successful, Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor had a stall there.[2] The building was demolished in 2001.

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[edit] References

  1. ^ New Designations Recognize the National Historic Significance of Canadian People, Places and Events. Parks Canada (2006-11-30). Retrieved on 2006-12-05.
  2. ^ Queen Concerts, Queen places in London.

[edit] External links

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