One of my favourite Toronto neighbourhoods to explore great architecture is Deer Park located in Midtown Toronto at Yonge and St.Clair. What I find so fascinating about the architecture in Deer Park is the variety, from historical houses to walk-up brownstone apartment buildings, to new custom townhomes, high-rise apartment buildings and new condominium buildings. Sprinkle in the above with a handful of beautiful stone churches, contemporary commercial buildings and a grand old tree canopy and you have Deer Park, one of Toronto's most beautiful neighbourhoods.
Deer Park's architecture is a harmonious mix of period styles with all the parts working together in unison to create an overall aesthetic of charm and a feeling of neighbourhood. But what would happen to this symmetry if one of those parts were to be removed. What if the original housing stock which has forever been the soul and spirit of the neighbourhood were lost ? How would this impact the overall neighbourhood either positively or negatively ? As I travel through Deer Park I see signs of small infill development where old houses are being demolished to make room for new townhomes.
There is no question that the Deer Park neighbourhood has benefited greatly in recent years from smart development including new townhomes and many new condominium buildings. A balance has been struck between old and new and it works. Now the challenge will be to maintain this balance. In my recent travels through the neighbourhood, I saw one of Deer Park's grand old homes undergoing a massive restoration which is a hopeful sign that everything old can be new again in Deer Park.
The following is a snapshot of some of the beautiful older houses found in the Deer Park neighbourhood.
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The outdoor skating season is rapidly drawing to a close however there is still some time left for you to lace up your skates and enjoy the great outdoors. In the last couple of years five spectacular new outdoor rinks have opened in the Greater Toronto Area. These include: Colonel Samuel Smith Park skating rink at 3131 Lake Shore Bloulevard West on the Etobicoke waterfront. This trail is shaped like a figure eight. The red-brick Power House Recreation Centre with its landmark smokestack provides the backdrop for this skating destination. Sherbourne Common rink on Lake Shore Blvd East at Sherbourne is ultra cool with inspiring views of frozen Lake Ontario. The oval rink at the Shops at Don Mills has a Town Centre ambiance. This is a great place to eat, shop and play. The Evergreen Brick Works skating trail is edgy and artsy-rustic and has a quaint feel that is hard to match. The Town of Markham now boasts the GTA's largest outdoor rink situated at the Markham Civic Centre at 101 Town Centre Boulevard, north-west corner of Highway 7 and Warden Ave. Be sure to check out all these new and fantastic outdoor rinks. They really are worth the visit.
COUPLE SKATING AT SHOPS AT DON MILLS
No blog on the best outdoor skating rinks in Toronto would be totally complete without mentioning The Natrel® Rink at Harbourfront and the Nathan Phillips Square skating rink at Toronto City Hall. Two must see experiences for outdoor skating enthusiasts.
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The Natrel® Rink at Harbourfront has an indoor change room with lockers and washrooms; and hot food & drinks are available at the rinkside restaurant, Lakeside EATS. Best of all skating is FREE!
City of Pickering celebrates Heritage Day!
Pickering, ON, February 15, 2012 - The Advisory Committee on Diversity is pleased to recognize Pickering’s rich heritage and vibrant culture during the 2012 Heritage Day Celebration on Saturday, February 25 starting at 11:00 am at the Pickering Town Centre (centre court).
Heritage Day Celebration is a dynamic event that celebrates Pickering’s rich heritage and cultural diversity. Visitors will be both entertained and informed by a variety of dance and musical performances as well as interactive cultural displays. The City of Pickering Advisory on Diversity is proud to host the annual Heritage Day Celebration – an event that brings the community together and diversity to life.
This year’s performances will include:
The Native Canadian Centre Community Drum
Latin Music – Hispanic-Canadian Alliance of Ontario
Indo-Canadian Cultural Association of Durham
Durham Tamil Association
McGrath Highland Dancers
Devi Mandir
Druid Academy of Irish Dance
Tamil Cultural & Academic Society of Durham, Indo
Youth Choir, All Nations Durham
Chamelia Girls
Sash Sanyall performing Indian and Reggae Music
Zahra’s School of Dance.
The event displays will include:
Pickering Public Library
Devi Mandir
Pickering Advisory Committee on Diversity
Pickering Museum Village
Pickering Islamic Centre
Indo-Canadian Cultural Association
Tamil Cultural & Academic Society of Durham
Hispanic-Canadian Alliance of Ontario
Durham Tamil Association
Zahra’s School of Middle East Dance
All Nation Gospel Church
Pickering Ajax Italian Social Club
Community Development Council of Durham
Ajax Pickering Congress of Black Women
[YOU]nity
All members of the public are invited to enjoy the annual Heritage Day Celebration.
Toronto's Market Gallery will present a commemorative exhibition almost 200 years after Toronto - then called the Town of York - was captured and burned by invading American forces on April 27, 1813. "Finding the Fallen: The Battle of York Remembered" will run from March 3 to September 8.
The exhibition identifies the Canadian, British, First Nations and American combatants who died in the battle. Their names are recorded in a newly commissioned Book of Remembrance and their sacrifices are brought to life through artifacts, custom-designed maps and first-person accounts.
"After 200 years of peace, it is time to honour all the combatants at the Battle of York who lost their lives," said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Co-chair of the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration Steering Committee. "It is also fitting that the exhibition will be the first of many City programs for the War of 1812 Bicentennial."
Historian Richard Gerrard led a team of researchers on an investigative quest through archives, libraries and private collections in Canada, the United States and England to identify as many of the fallen combatants as possible.
As a result of that research, funded by a grant from the Department of Canadian Heritage, 181 names have been inscribed in a book called "A War of 1812 Book of Remembrance - York, Upper Canada 1812-1815." It is the exhibition's centrepiece.
"Finding the Fallen: The Battle of York Remembered" presents a rare opportunity to see archeologically discovered artifacts from the actual battleground. Also on display is a newly acquired painting.
"For Toronto, the commemoration of the War of 1812 is not about glorification of war, nor about myth-making," said Blake Goldring, Chairman and CEO of AGF Management Ltd. and Co-chair of the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration Steering Committee. "It's about honouring those who fulfilled their duties in that long ago conflict, making it possible for us to exist as a nation today. The exhibition is a moving reminder of the realities of war."
This exhibition is one of more than a hundred inspiring bicentennial commemorative events to be staged in Toronto as part of the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration in 2012 and 2013. In the two centuries following the war, Toronto has grown to become Canada's leader in finance, commerce, education, transportation and manufacturing. From a garrison town of 700 to a modern metropolis of 2.7 million, Toronto has earned a global reputation as a progressive urban centre that celebrates its past and works for a better future.
More information about the City's bicentennial program is available at http://www.toronto.ca/1812.
The Market Gallery is a program of City of Toronto's Cultural Services. It presents exhibitions dedicated to Toronto’s art, culture and history and offers educational programs for school groups and adults. Located on the second floor of South St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front St. E., the gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More information about the gallery is available at http://www.toronto.ca/culture/the_market_gallery.htm.
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Toronto has a myriad of Neighbourhoods each with their own distinct identity and name. Many of these names evolved from the small villages and towns that are the genesis of today's neighbourhoods. Some neighbourhoods adopted the name of a local historic landmark or a pioneer family from the area, while others were named by developers who created planned neighbourhoods. The City of Toronto as well as local ratepayers associations have also played a hand in the naming of some of Toronto's residential neighbourhoods.
The following represents a sample of some of Toronto's most interesting neighbourhood designations and the origin of these names. One of the catchiest of these names is Cabbagetown. It turns out the first Irish settlers who arrived here were very poor and grew cabbages on their front lawns to help feed their families; hence the name Cabbagetown. Rosedale is a fitting name for Toronto's signature neighbourhood. Mary Jarvis an original homesteader rode horses through trails on her property and marvelled at the profusion of wild roses dotting the hillsides, thus the name Rosedale was born.
Davisville Village is named after a prominent early settler in that area. Eatonville, Henry Farm, and Baby Point are some other Toronto neighbourhoods that pay homage to a prominent early settler in the community. Historic neighbourhood landmarks that have had neighbourhoods named after them include: Fort York (millitary garrison), Grange Park (historic AGO building), St. Lawrence (food market), Casa Loma (Toronto's castle), Deer Park (hotel), Old Mill (restaurant and Inn) , Bridel Path (equestrian trail) and Cricket Club (private sports and recreation club).
Toronto's old villages and towns are remembered in our neighbourhood names including: Brockton Village, Carleton Village, Earlscourt, Forest Hill, Swansea, Bedford Park, North Toronto, Parkdale, Islington Village, Seaton Village, Weston, Willowdale, Newtonbrook, Agincourt, Highland Creek, Scarborough Village, Runnymede, West Hill, West Toronto Junction and Yorkville.
Plans of subdivision led to the creation of numerous neighbourhoods whose names paid homage to the developer or a neighbourhood landmark. These include: Chaplin Estates, Lawrence Park, Lytton Park, Moore Park, Summerhill, Playter Estates, Silverthorn, Bayview Village, Don Mills, Windfields, Markland Wood and Humber Valley Village.
Did you know Leaside is named after the eight-sided octagonal house built by its first settler William Lea or that Thorncliffe Park is named after a horse race track that once operated in that neighbourhood. The Sunnylea neighbourhood was chosen in a contest from among local school children, Topham Park is named after one of Canada's greatest war veterans. Leslieville was the apple orchard of farmer George Leslie, and Little Italy has been the launching pad for many Italian Canadian families.
The Beach and the Junction Triangle held town plebiscites to vote on the official name for their respective neighbourhoods. The Rathnelly neighbourhood adopted the nickname the "Republic of Rathnelly in 1967 while celebrating Canada's 100th birthday. Residents of this midtown neighbourhood playfully declared themselves an independent republic, electing their own queen, and organizing an "air farce" consisting of 1,000 helium balloons. Speaking of Kings and Queens we have The Queensway, Kingsview Village and Kingsway Park neighbourhoods as well as Princess Anne Manor and Princess Gardens. One of Toronto's newest residential neighbourhoods The Historic Distillery District was born out of one of the oldest collections of Victorian Industrial Architecture in North America. Toronto history is indeed alive and well in our neighbourhood names.
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It is the coldest day of the year in the middle of February, and its Saturday - Hockey Night In Canada - what better time then to acknowledge our hometown boys playing in the most prestigious hockey league in the world. At present there are 64 hockey players from the Greater Toronto Area on active National Hockey League rosters. There is an almost even split with 25 of these players from the City of Toronto and 30 from the suburbs of Toronto. A total of fourteen of Toronto's suburbs boast a hometown boy on an active NHL roster. The largest of this contingent is from Mississauga which has a total of 9 players on NHL rosters.
The GTA is so well represented that just 4 NHL teams do not currently have a player from the Greater Toronto Area listed on their roster. These NHL teams include: Detroit, San Jose, Los Angeles and aghast - wait for it - your hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. Now before you go and get all upset over this little bit of trivia it should be noted that while many players from the last Toronto Maple Leaf Stanley Cup team in 1967 hailed from small towns across Ontario there were just two players on the last Toronto Maple Leaf Stanley Cup roster from the Greater Toronto Area; including centre Brian Conacher and backup third string goalie Al Smith.
The St. Louis Blues with 5 players and the Vancouver Canucks with 4 players boast the two highest totals of players from the GTA. It should not be any surprise that these two NHL teams with the most GTA players, are also currently two of the best teams in the NHL. Another source of local pride are the high number of emerging NHL superstars whose hometown roots are in the GTA. These rising stars include: Tampa Bay Lightning Steven Stamkos from Markham, New York Islander John Tavares, from Mississauga, New York Ranger Michael Del Zotto from Stouffville, St. Louis Blues Alex Pietrangelo from King Township, Boston Bruin Tyler Seguin from Toronto and P.K. Subban from Toronto who plays for the Montreal Canadiens.
Tonight when your watching Hockey Night in Canada have a special look out for these hometown GTA stars who are helping to pave the way for the next generation of great stars currently playing in the Greater Toronto Hockey league.
In January 2012 there were 145 sales of all home types recorded in Toronto's east end neighbourhoods including: Leslieville, Riverdale, The Beach, Danforth Village and Playter Estates. A limited supply of homes led to many multiple offers and an average 101% list to sale price ratio. The average time on market was just 19 days. Julie Richardson, sales representative at Bosley Real Estate Ltd. explains that there is "just not enough product at the moment." Richardson adds "we are seeing very very good prices realized for homes on the market that are priced properly however overpriced listings are sitting on the market as buyers are doing their homework and are more informed than in the past".
The Beach neighbourhood has the highest averages for a detched home in the east end at $800,000. Semi-detached homes are most expensive in the Riverdale and Playter Estates neighbourhoods. Danforth Village continues to be the most affordable neighbourhood in the east-end where the average price of a deatched home is $544,000. If your looking to purchase a home in the hot Leslieville neighbourhood you will most likely be looking at a semi-detached home in the $475,000 range. Demetre Politis, Sales Representative at Your Choice Realty Corp has been showing houses in The Beach and Danforth Village neighbourhoods and informs that "there are alot of buyers looking but not enough listings which has resulted in prices edging up a little bit from last year". Politis has noticed "a few more listings coming on the market in the last week or two" and is hopeful that soon there will be more product available to buyers."
The best way to find a home in Toronto's east-end, is to contact one of the highly experienced and successful real estate sponsors that can be found on the TorontoNeighbourhoodGuide.com website. These professionals know their neighbourhood and can guide you in the right direction.
(c) TorontoNeighbourhoodGuide.com
The information shown here is complied from source data obtained from the Toronto Real Estate Board. It is presented here for information purpose only. All data are subject to updates and revisions. The author assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information shown
The North York neighbourhoods - north of highway 401 - recorded 304 sales in January 2012 with condominium apartment and townhouse sales leading the way followed by detached house sales. Willowdale (including Bayview Village) and Newtonbrook were the most active neighbourhoods in terms of sales with 84 and 72 sales respectively. These were followed closely by 66 sales in Lansing and 44 sales in Don Mills. In York Mills where the houses are more expensive and generally take a little bit longer to sell there were 17 sales.
The average condominium apartment hovered around the $350,000-$375,000 price range but keep in mind these are mostly 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. Pricing is quite a different story if you are looking to buy a detached home on one of North York's trademark expansive properties. The average price of a detached home in the aforementioned prime North York neighbourhoods is around $1,000,000. However in certain neighbourhoods like York Mills the average price of a detached home is over $2,000,000. Jacquie Othen, Sales Representative with Bosley Real Estate reports: "York Mills like the rest of the city is hot right now. Listings in the first three or four blocks north of York Mills, between Yonge and Bayview are definitely in short supply and big demand. Building lots are scarce but also very much in high demand. Being so close to the subway line and the 401 are definitely appealing to buyers."
Paula and Vicko von Stedingk, sales representatives, from Chestnut Park Real Estate handle sales in exclusive pockets of North York south of highway 401 in the Cricket Club and Hoggs Hollow neighbourhoods. Paula and Vicko report that "listing inventory is less than typical for this time of the year" and add "the market is almost as tight as it has ever been" in terms of available listings.
The average list to sale price ratio right now in North York is 98% with the exception of Newtonbrook which had a 102% list to sale price ratio in January. The average days on the market for a North York homes is approximately 30 days. Don Mills homes are selling the quickest in just 19 days. Generally speaking detached houses in North York are selling in half the time of a condominium apartment or townhouse. This is not surprising as the amount of new listings in January for condominium apartment and townhomes in North York was more than double that of detached houses that came on the market. There is no great mystery to this market. Simple supply and demand folks.
The best way to find a North York home is to contact one of the highly experienced and successful North York real estate sponsors that can be found on the www.TorontoNeighbourhoodGuide.com website. These professionals know their neighbourhood and can guide you in the right direction.
(c) www.TorontoNeighbourhoodGuide.com
The information shown here is complied from source data obtained from the Toronto Real Estate Board. It is presented here for information purpose only. All data are subject to updates and revisions. The author assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information shown
Downtown Toronto neighbourhoods had a combined 270 home sales in January 2012. This total included houses as well as condos. The combined dollar volume of these sales was $117,000,000. The average list to sale price ratio was approximately 98 % and the average time on the market approximately 34 days. The majority of these sales were condominium apartments with 232 sales and an average sale price of $435,000. Just 25 of the total sales recorded were freehold houses which was a reflection of the short supply of these homes on the market. An even smaller sample size of just 4 houses were fully detached and these had an average sale price of $1,050,000. If your looking for a detached house in downtown Toronto check out the Cabbagetown, Beaconsfield Village, Dufferin Grove, Trinity Bellwoods and South Annex neighbourhoods.
Midtown Toronto neighbourhoods recorded a combined 77 sales in January 2012. The average sale price for all these homes was $923,000. The average list to sale price ratio was 99% while the average days on the market clocked in at 39. Twenty-three of these sales were detached homes with an average sale price of $1,264,000 which is not surprising given these stats include sales in neighbourhoods such as: Rosedale, Forest Hill, Casa Loma, South Hill and Moore Park. There were 17 semi-detached homes sold in Midtown neighbourhoods with an average sale price of $933,000. Higher priced real estate in Summerhill, Rathnelly and Yorkville would be well above this average while in more affordable neighbourhoods like Hillcrest Village and Seaton Village a semi-deatched house may sell for less than this average. There were also a combined 27 midtown condominium apartment sales with an average price of $725,000. Michael Loewith, sales representative at Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd., adds: "There is a shortage of quality homes for sale right now in midtown Toronto and with the recent interest rate reductions we are seeing increased demand coupled with higher prices."
Uptown Toronto neighbourhoods saw a combined 92 sales in January 2012. The average price of all these sales was $801,000. The limited supply and great demand for houses in these neighbourhoods resulted in a list to sale price ratio of 101% with an average of just 20 days on the market. Detached home sales led the way with 53 sales recorded at an average sale price of $1,105,000. This would be a starting price for the signature neighbourhoods such as Lawrence Park and Lytton Park and North Toronto. There were just 8 semi-detached houses sold in uptown Toronto neighbourhoods last month with an average price of $837,000. These homes can be found in neighbourhoods such as Bedford Park and Davisville Village. The semi-detched houses sold on average in just 5 days with a staggering list to sale price ratio of 112%
Real estate is definitely hot in the Toronto central core and the competition for houses is fierce. The good news is you can navigate your way to a successful home purchase by simply getting in touch with one of the highly experienced and successful real estate sponsors that can be found on the www.TorontoNeighbourhoodGuide.com website. These professionals know their neighbourhood and can guide you in the right direction.
(c) www.TorontoNeighbourhoodGuide.com
The information shown here is complied from source data obtained from the Toronto Real Estate Board. It is presented here for information purpose only. All data are subject to updates and revisions. The author assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information shown
For the first time ever, Glen Park PS has its very own ice hockey team and it’s all thanks to the passion and persistence of Grade 5 student Brenden Kennedy.
Brenden has always had a love of hockey and last year he decided to take his love of the game one step further. After rallying up the support of his fellow students, Brenden proposed the idea of a Glen Park hockey team to teachers and administrators at his school.
While everyone loved the idea, there were obstacles that needed to be overcome before Brenden’s dream became a reality: Where would the team play? Who would they compete against? Where would they get equipment? And what would they wear? With Brenden’s help, the school community came together to find answers to these questions and the Glen Park hockey team took to the ice this year.
Thanks to a local community rink, Glen Park was able to secure ice time at a reasonable cost and the school then submitted a team to the TDSB’s existing league. Generous donors and community partners contributed equipment for the players on the team who didn’t have their own hockey gear. And lastly, Brenden’s family was kind enough to donate uniforms for the entire team.
However, the final question remained to be answered: What would Glen Park’s logo look like? Brenden had the idea to hold a school-wide contest to design a logo for the team. Grade 5 student Lev Reisman came up with the idea of the Glen Park Wolf Pack to symbolize the team’s fierce competitiveness. When the jerseys were unveiled at an assembly, the entire school erupted in cheers. The excitement was palpable!
So far, the Glen Park Wolf Pack is off to a great start. Earlier this season, the team was fortunate to have former NHL player and Toronto Maple Leaf Wayne Primeau act as guest coach. The experience was incredibly valuable for both Glen Park’s experienced players and those who are new to the game. Without Brenden’s persistence and hard work, Glen Park’s hockey team would not be playing today so it is very fitting that he scored the team’s first-ever goal on January 17. Go Wolf Pack!
