| Parkdale | |
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| — Neighbourhood — | |
| Parkdale neighbourhood | |
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Ontario |
| City | Toronto |
| Established | 1874 Subdivided |
| Incorporated | 1879 (Village) |
| Annexed | 1889 into City of Toronto |
| Government | |
| • City Councillor | Gord Perks |
| • Federal M.P. | Peggy Nash |
| • Provincial M.P.P. | Cheri DiNovo |
Parkdale is a neighbourhood and former village in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, west of downtown. The neighbourhood is bounded on the west by Roncesvalles Avenue, on the north by Queen Street. It is bounded on the east by Dufferin Street from Queen Street south, and on the south by Lake Ontario. The original village incorporated an area north of Queen Street, east of Roncesvalles from Fermanagh east to the main rail lines. The village area was roughly one square kilometer in area.
Parkdale was founded as an independent settlement within York County in the 1850s. It became an incorporated village in 1879 and later joined Toronto in 1889. It was an upper income residential area for the first half of the 20th Century, with several notable mansions. The area changed dramatically with the building of the Gardiner Expressway in 1955, demolishing the southern section of the neighbourhood together with the Sunnyside Amusement Park, and the creation of a barrier between the neighbourhood and the lakeshore. This led to both an outflux of prosperous residents west, and a decline in the local economy. Most of the residential buildings remain though many were converted into rooming houses, but the demographic composition has changed considerably, including a higher proportion of lower incomes and newcomer families. Today, it is largely a working class neighbourhood, with a mix of low and high income residents,[1] as well as new immigrants, and many artists and young professionals.
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Parkdale is one of the most diverse areas of the city, with many new immigrants finding their first homes here because of the high concentration of low-rent apartment complexes and proximity to the downtown core. The presence of a large immigrant community has done much to create the vibrancy and personality that Parkdale is known for. This may be a fact of the streetscape in Parkdale, but it remains an area rife with substandard rental apartment buildings (a large percentage of Parkdale residents are renters) run by landlords who are considered slumlords by many local residents. Perceived inaction by different levels of government has prevented the situation from improving; in fact, conditions are deteriorating as the buildings get older with each passing year. Unlike Regent Park, which is located on the east side of downtown, there is no urban renewal project in the works for Parkdale. However, Parkdale is seeing increasing signs of gentrification, as Queen Street West's sphere of influence extends further westward. "Hipster" cafés, lounges, restaurants, condominiums, shops, and art galleries are cropping up, and former "dive" hotels such as the Drake and the Gladstone have recently been purchased and renovated in a trendy manner. Local taverns have begun receiving new patronage from artists and urbanites seeking refuge from the fashion boutiques further east on Queen Street West. The area is also becoming a new gay village. The gentrification is in part fuelled by local area gay couples coming into the area to buy and renovate the properties. As a result, the area has the alternate nickname of "Queer West Village". [1].
The area that extends northward along Roncesvalles Avenue has seen a turnover to a mix of residents with a younger average age and higher proportion of families compared to the neighbourhoods to the west. A significant amount of renovation of the older homes has occurred and property values have risen accordingly. Some of the older, family-run businesses have closed, and new restaurants, bars and shops have opened up in their place.
Queen Street West running east-west is the primary commercial street of the neighbourhood. It is four lanes and the buildings are predominantly 2-3 storey buildings, often with apartments on the upper floors. It ends at Roncesvalles, meeting King Street and the Queensway at the 'Sunnyside' intersection also once known as 5 corners due to a no longer existent fifth street called Mississauga which went south. It continues to the east to downtown. The business along Queen have formed a Business Improvement Association under the name of "Parkdale Village." The street has numerous art galleries, restaurants, cafes and convenience stores.
King Street West, running east-west is a major street continuing to the east to Toronto's downtown, ending to the west at Sunnyside. From Roncesvalles east, it curves along the original shoreline, which is about 30 feet above and 100 yards inland from the current shoreline. The south side in that area is open, with views of the Lake. It is predominantly residential, with a commercial section around the intersection with Dufferin Street.
Dufferin Street, running north-south is a major street starting from the CNE to the south, north to Queen Street, where it intersects the railway. The street continues one block to the north and continues north to north of Toronto. It is mixed commercial and residential. South of King along the east side is an old industrial area with loft-type industrial buildings. Construction has been completed to eliminate the Dufferin Street jog at Queen & the railway tracks. Dufferin Street now runs directly north to Wilson Avenue.
Lansdowne Avenue, running north-south from Queen Street north to St. Clair Avenue. It is predominantly a residential street. West Toronto Collegiate is located at College Street and Lansdowne. The former National Cash Register factory at Dundas Street has been a grocery store since the 1980s.
Jameson Avenue, running north-south from Queen Street south to Lake Shore Boulevard. It is predominantly a residential street of apartment buildings. There are two schools located on Jameson, Parkdale Collegiate, near Queen, and Queen Victoria Public, just south of King Street. It is also a busy thoroughfare on the west side of Toronto, connecting to the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard.
The Village of Parkdale was founded in 1879, but settlement of the area predated its foundation. In 1812, the 240 acres (97 ha) of land bounded from Lot Street (today's Queen Street) on the north, and Jameson on the west and Dufferin Avenue was granted to James Brock, the cousin of Sir Isaac Brock, in lieu of salary. Brock did not occupy or improve the land during his lifetime. After Brock's death in 1830, his widow Lucy Brock sold the lands which became the major part of Parkdale to John Henry Dunn and William Gwynne.[2] The area north of Queen Street was subdivided from the O'Hara Estate, given to Walter O'Hara for military service. Another parcel of land north of Queen given to James Brock, east of the O'Hara estate, was developed along Brock Avenue, and became Brockton Village.
The area's development started with the rail line built along the lake in the 1850s and a train station at the intersection of Springhurst and Jameson Avenues. A census of residents showed 783 residents of the area, more than enough for the legal requirement of 750 at the time. A local legend is that Gypsies were signed up as local residents to provide enough numbers. Parkdale's status as an independent village was controversial at the time, and was opposed by the City of Toronto and the York County councils.
It was purely a residential suburb, home to large Victorian mansions and views of Lake Ontario. In 1884, the Village council passed a bylaw to join Toronto, to be annexed by the City of Toronto, as the village was in fact surrounded by the city of Toronto. The act did not take place immediately as the Village's finances were not in order. Liabilities of the village were not clearly stated in the village's financial statements. On October 27, 1888, another vote was held and the annexation was upheld. The village was annexed by the City of Toronto in March 1889.
Good examples of Victorian housing can still be found on Cowan Avenue and Dunn Avenue, south of King Street. Victorian row homes with original gaslights can also be seen on Melbourne Place.
The area was served by two rail lines and two rail stations. The first station of the Great Western line closed in 1909 to open the larger 'Sunnyside' station at King and Queen Streets. At Queen and Dufferin streets, the Canadian Pacific operated the Parkdale station.
Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Parkdale's desirability stemmed from its proximity to the lake, the Canadian National Exhibition to the south east and the popular Sunnyside Beach at the foot of Roncesvalles to the west. From 1911 to 1992, the Toronto Harbour Commission improved the lakefront extending the shoreline from the rail line 100 metres south, with a breakwater and boardwalk. As an example, in 1905, the Parkdale Canoe Club (today known as the Boulevard Club) opened. When built, it was on a pier extending out into the lake. As part of the infill project, it became situated inland. To the east of the current building, a baseball and lacrosse field existed. It was the site of a popular women's softball league for many years.
Sunnyside Amusement Park was opened in 1922, providing a popular day vacation for Torontonians. Cottage industries sprung up in the neighbourhood, creating a vital economic region. Movie theatres were opened, such as the Brighton on Roncesvalles and the Odeon on Queen Street to the east of Roncesvalles. Hotels like the Edgewater at Queen and Roncesvalles were established.
The Palais Royale at the eastern edge of Sunnyside Beach opened in 1922 as a canoe factory and dance hall. Many important big bands played there in the 1930s and the 1940s, and this attracted a large youth patronage. Many war generation Torontonians courted their future partners in this building. The Palais Royale operates today as a special occasion hall and is a favourite venue for bands, including the Rolling Stones, who played a 2002 concert there, and has been the location for live recordings by Sloan and Downchild Blues Band.
In 1955, the city began work on the Gardiner Expressway, a limited access highway. The Sunnyside Amusement Park was demolished, except for the Bathing Pavilion and the Palais Royale hall. The southern section of Parkdale to the west of Dufferin, south of the Great Western railway was also demolished. Parkdale was now separated from Lake Ontario and Sunnyside Beach and the expressway effectively halved the amount of usable lakeside parkland. A reorganization of the area's residential streets was also done. Patronage of the beach declined rapidly.
Both the Parkdale and Sunnyside train stations closed during the 1970s. Since this time, Exhibition station at the CNE is the only train station operating in the neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood changed greatly after the highway was completed and the park closed. Population density increased with the building of numerous apartment buildings. Jameson Avenue, which became the conduit to the highway changed from single family homes to a street of apartment buildings, many cheaply built. Nearby, many of the mansions and large houses became makeshift low-rise 'bachelorette' apartment buildings and rooming houses. Several had operated as tourist hotels for visitors to Sunnyside and the CNE. Industrial activity declined along the railways. One former industrial site on West Lodge Avenue became a two-tower apartment complex that has repeatedly been cited by the City for various by-law infractions. Businesses suffered during the transition, with leisure-type businesses compatible with the Park, such as the Brighton and Odeon theatres closing. Along Queen Street, which saw traffic decline substantially, many businesses closed or changed hands.
In the mid 1970s, the Ontario provincial government decided to release many long-term care mental illness patients from its Queen Street and Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital facilities to integrate them into the community.[3] Many of the old Victorian mansions of South Parkdale had already been converted to boarding houses, and were only a short distance away from both hospitals. Many illegal 'bachelorette' units were also being created and the inexpensive rental stock of South Parkdale soon became home to many of the released patients. The area developed a reputation as a neighbourhood rife with poverty, crime, drugs, homelessness, and large numbers of people living with mental illness.[3] Parkdale is home to a food bank and day centres for the homeless. A pilot programme for a needle exchange is new to the area.
Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre
The Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC) is a social agency operating a drop-in centre in Parkdale for survivors of mental health ailments, the homeless, the disabled and those with few resources. PARC was founded in 1977 when community volunteers observed that there were a large number of adults living in rooming houses and boarding homes throughout the Parkdale community after local mental health facilities began to de-institutionalize psychiatric patients. Most of these adults possessed little income, had few or no family contacts, did not have a place to go during the day and had been ostracized. In 1980 PARC found funding, staff and a venue and opened its doors to provide support, meals, employment opportunities and various programs to people with serious mental health and addiction issues. PARC offers support to help sort out lives; it is a springboard for self-improvement, finding shelter, seeking education and finding employment opportunities. It is a place where people can go during the day; a place where they can make friends, set direction, find peace of mind and gain a sense of emotional grounding and personal fulfillment. PARC works to provide hope to marginalized persons and help them rebuild their lives. The philosophy of PARC is reflected in its mission statement- "PARC: A community where people rebuild their lives."[4]
Owing to the many affordable rental apartments and its proximity to the downtown core, Parkdale has evolved into a transient neighbourhood for many newcomers to Canada. Waves of Caribbean, Vietnamese, Filipino, Tamil, Chinese, Tibetan and Hungarian (Roma) immigrants have marked Parkdale in different times between 1980 till present. Parkdale presently hosts a large number of Tibetan settlers, with the area being home to one of the largest Tibetan diaspora outside of India and Nepal. Parkdale has a number of settlement and immigration agencies that deal with the needs of the newcomers and provide them with the necessary support as they explore the opportunities provided in Canada. Some of the agencies are Parkdale Community Information Centre (PCIC),[5] Parkdale Community Legal Services, PIA, and Culture Link.
Some of the recent developments in Parkdale include the Healthy Organic Parkdale Edibles (HOPE) garden in the Masaryk Park, south of Queen and on the west side of Cowan Avenue. This community garden was founded by Shannon Thompson of Greenest City,[6] along with many community members to allow residents who don't have growing space to grow food and build a more inclusive community area. The environmental and community organization based in Parkdale since 2006 works with food sovereignty, youth employment, environmental awareness and community building. Greenest City has also initiated the Youth Garden in Dunn Parkette. The volunteers of the two gardens also host festivals, workshops, field trips along with other activities and projects in the area.
The area has seen an influx of artists working in the relatively inexpensive spaces, close to the exhibit spaces on Queen Street within Parkdale and along Queen Street to the east.[3] The opening of the Parkdale Arts and Cultural Centre, along with efforts to promote businesses in the area, such as the Parkdale-Liberty Economic Development Centre, has spurred the growth of a vibrant creative area along Queen Street, which puts on a large display during Toronto's annual 'Nuit Blanche.'
The housing stock has seen some gentrification, especially in the area north of Queen Street identified with the "Roncesvalles Village" area, again due to the relatively inexpensive property values. In recent years housing prices in Parkdale have caught up with much of the rest of Toronto.[3] Still, sub-standard housing in the units within the older buildings remains a concern of local city councillors and local community members. Numerous conversions into bachelorettes were done illegally and conditions did not conform to building or fire codes. An initiative, known as the "Parkdale Pilot Project" was formed to address the illegal conversions, seeking to bring the buildings into line. One location on King Street was the location of the famous "Pope Squat" where poverty activists squatted in a vacant converted apartment building during a visit of Pope John Paul II. After being vacant for over ten years (most of which it was owned by the Government of Ontario), the building eventually re-opened as apartments, after its redevelopment was approved by the Pilot Project's housing committee.. An apartment building on the corner of Queen Street and Dowling Avenue also lay vacant for some time before being expropriated by the city for an affordable housing re-development underway in 2009. It will be known as Edmond Place and is a partnership of the City with PARC.
Parkdale was brought to fame in 2010 in the Black Lungs song "Stay Out of Parkdale", describing various things wrong with the neighborhood.
Holy Family is a Catholic elementary school, a part of Holy Family Parish located on Close Avenue. Founded in 1900, two years before the parish church and present school opened at their current location, Holy Family School was created out of Toronto's original west end parish and school of St. Helen's and was first located in Parkdale's Masonic Hall on the south side of Queen Street near Dowling Ave. The school was served for many years by the Sisters of Loreto who commuted from their convent in Toronto's downtown. As population increased in the Parkdale area, the school was enlarged many times such that the standing remains of the original building are now obscured. The composition of the student population has also changed as Parkdale experienced an economic decline that has left the once wealthy suburb one of Toronto's poorer inner-city neighbourhoods. The school has nevertheless preserved, like other Parkdale schools, an incredible academic standard as it has adapted to the presence of a large immigrant population.
In the 1980s a community centre opened in the school building, also at that time, Toronto's archbishop invited fathers of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in Montreal to come to Toronto to serve Holy Family Church and school. When the original Holy Family Church burned in 1997, the congregation worshipped in the school while funds were raised to build a new church.[10]
Parkdale Collegiate Institute is a public high school located on Jameson Avenue south of Queen Street. It was founded in the 1880s.
Queen Victoria is a public elementary school located on Jameson Avenue at King Street.
Parkdale P.S is an elementary school which includes preschool to grade 8. It is located on Seaforth avenue.
There are several routes serving Parkdale. Along Queen and King Streets, streetcars provide service. Along Lansdowne Avenue and Dufferin Street, bus service is provided, connecting to the Bloor-Danforth subway to the north. The 504 King streetcar route along King Street connects to Dundas West station via Roncesvalles Avenue.
| Little Portugal, Brockton | ||||
| Roncesvalles | Niagara | |||
| Parkdale | ||||
| Lake Ontario |
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