Toronto Condo and Real Estate Blog

By Rebecca Laing

Riverdale Homes

In a metropolis known as “the city of neighbourhoods”, how does one find their place? Because of the unique characteristics and vitality of its many communities, Toronto has upwards of 240 distinct and named neighbourhoods within its boundaries. As you can imagine, selecting a single neighbourhood as my favourite choice of residence is a difficult feat. But, the lure of Riverdale prevails…

Why Riverdale? It’s absolutely lovely here. Riverdale has a beautiful assemblage of mostly older homes laden with character, as well as a handful of very tastefully built newer homes. There are wonderful parks, excellent schools, and fantastic shopping and dining on the Danforth. Riverdale is convenient, with quick accessibility to downtown Toronto through multiple subway stops, TTC streetcars, and the Don Valley Parkway. Overall, Riverdale is a superb community, especially for young families. I know you will love Riverdale as much as I do!

North Riverdale Homes

North Riverdale stretches from Gerrard Street East in the south, to as far north as Mortimer Avenue in spots, reaching to as far as Greenwood Avenue in the east, with the Don Valley Parkway serving as its western boundary. (Note that borders are imprecise and non-linear throughout Riverdale). The area’s residents are mainly young professionals and upper-middle class families, as well as some long-term residents who have lived here their entire lives.

North Riverdale homes display both Edwardian and Victorian architecture, dating from the late 1800s to the 1920s. Homes are mostly two and three stories, and range from very large detached homes, to tall and skinny semis and rowhouses. Many North Riverdale homes have been wonderfully restored, with the utmost attention to detail.

Other than in multi-million dollar renos and design magazines, never have I seen finer materials and more exquisite décor than in some of these renovated Riverdale gems. It is the trend here; residents take great pride in their homes, both inside and out. The gardens are lovely, full of perennials, and enhance the beautiful architectural details of these historic buildings. The streets here are hilly, winding, and tree laden, setting a perfect backdrop for these inviting residences.

In the part of North Riverdale above the Danforthh, proximity to Jackman Public School, and the Danforth itself, are major drivers of real estate prices. South of the Danforth, Withrow Park serves as a hub of the community; homes close to Withrow are the most in demand. This entire stretch of North Riverdale above Riverdale Avenue is referred to as Upper Riverdale, or Prime Riverdale.

Of course, one of the best parts of living in North Riverdale is having the vibrant and cosmopolitan Greektown around the corner. Greektown on The Danforth offers something for everyone, whether it be shopping, strolling, relaxing on a patio, or people watching.

No longer just a place to get a souvlaki fix, Greektown is now a multicultural dining destination, with its myriad of restaurants offering foods from virtually every nationality found in Toronto. Fine boutiques and purveyors of natural products and health-promoting services round out this dynamic retail landscape.

South Riverdale Homes

South Riverdale lies south of Gerrard and west of the Don Valley Parkway, extending down to Eastern Avenue. The eastern boundary is most disputed; although technically, South Riverdale is oft described as extending past Greenwood, even to as far as Coxwell Avenue, most of my Riverdale home buyers find that once you are east of Leslie, the character really changes to that of Leslieville. I could further confuse matters by bringing Little India and Riverside (formerly Queen-Broadview Village) into the discussion, and stating how Leslieville is arguably a sub-neighbourhood of South Riverdale, but this is confusing enough already.

Homes in South Riverdale are more affordable than those to the north; the Riverdale area is hence home to more working class families and young couples. South Riverdale homes are largely Victorian in style. Two and three storey gothic rowhouses and semis are common, as are gingerbread cottages, such as those found on Degrassi Street (made famous by the series of Degrassi TV shows filmed in and around Leslieville and Riverdale, though the actual school locations were in East York and West Toronto).

For those more inclined towards a condo lifestyle, the newer Broadview Lofts and Riverside Lofts feature modern urban styling, while the Carlaw Lofts offer authentic loft-living in a converted Soho-style warehouse.

Although South Riverdale is a bit of a hike from the Danforth subway, it does offer the convenience of the Broadview, Gerrard, and Queen streetcar routes. For those looking for a little shopping or nightlife, Riverside (at Queen and Broadview) is now exploding new with shops and cafes, and the downtown core is just a brief bicycle or streetcar ride away.

Riverdale Real Estate Boundaries

As mentioned, the boundaries of Riverdale and its various sub-communities are jagged and porous on all sides, thereby making them often subject to debate. Using its most generous boundaries, Riverdale stretches from as far west as the Don Valley Parkway to as far east as Coxwell, and from Eastern Avenue in the south to as far north as Mortimer Avenue.

———————————————————————————

Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information

By Julie Kinnear

Riverdale was a small rural community until the Grand Trunk Railway began steaming through it in the 1850’s. North of Queen Street, Riverdale remained largely undeveloped until 1884 when it was annexed by the City of Toronto.

At that time Riverdale was called Riverside, and was later changed to Riverdale as a reference to the city park of the same name that has long been a landmark in this area. The neighbourhood’s development was accelerated in 1918 when the Prince Edward Viaduct linked Riverdale to the City of Toronto west of the Don River.

Today Riverdale is a large and diverse community, popular with young affluent professionals and especially well known for its colourful shopping districts and quaint Victorian homes that are shaded by some of the tallest maple trees in the city. South Riverdale has traditionally attracted a wide mix of people looking for affordable homes close to downtown.

Riverdale’s two and three storey Victorian houses were built largely between 1880 and 1924. The houses in South Riverdale are on average smaller, older and less expensive than those in North Riverdale. Most of Riverdale’s homes have parking off rear laneways, and permits are available for street parking.

Riverdale’s best known shopping district is along Danforth Avenue, east of Broadview. The Danforth is the heart of Toronto’s Greek community, the second largest such community outside of Greece. It features many first class Greek restaurants and a dazzling array of stores catering to everything from the home & garden to fine jewellers, clothing stores, gifts and collectibles, spas and salons, and more.

A walk down Danforth Avenue reveals its rich cultural heritage: street signs are in English and Greek, blue and white Greek flags line the avenue, and the classical architecture of the National Bank of Greece and other buildings contribute to the Mediterranean atmosphere.

This is an excellent food & dining destination, as the streets are filled with animated fruit and vegetable stands, butcher shops, Greek bakeries and pastry shops, and dozens of European-style cafes and restaurants. Many of its restaurants feature open kitchens, where you are welcome to watch the preparation of authentic Greek cuisine.

Riverdale also has a Chinatown shopping district centred around Gerrard and Broadview. This stretch of stores is known for its bakeries, grocery stands, and restaurants. Gerrard Square located at the corner of Pape Avenue and Gerrard Street is a large indoor shopping mall with over 70 stores. Further south, Queen Broadview Village is a historic shopping district that includes some interesting antique and collectible shops.

Riverdale has a myriad of parks and parkettes situated throughout the neighbourhood. The three largest parks are Riverdale Park, which has an outdoor pool and a running track; Withrow Park, popular with families and pets; and Jimmie Simpson Park, which features an indoor swimming pool, a games room and a gymnasium.

Each of these Parks contain tennis courts, a wading pool, a hockey rink, and a baseball diamond. Pape Recreational Centre has a gymnasium, an indoor pool, a weight room and meeting rooms. Riverdale has four public libraries that offer a myriad of programs for children, adults and seniors.

The annual Taste of the Danforth festival, held in early August, is an outstanding opportunity for recreation. Tens of thousands of people converge on the area for a lively weeklong celebration, as the many restaurants set up street kiosks to offer samples. Music, demonstrations, giveaways, and many activities for children are also scheduled. “The Danforth” is also a night owl’s haven with clubs and cafes open into the wee hours.

Riverdale is an ideal location for commuters. The Don Valley Expressway, Lake Shore Boulevard, and the Gardiner Expressway are all quickly accessed from this neighbourhood. There is also excellent access to public transit. There is regular bus service or streetcar service on Broadview, Carlaw, Jones and Greenwood Avenues, as well as Queen and Gerrard Streets. The Bloor-Danforth subway has five stations serving Riverdale, including Broadview, Chester, Pape, Donlands, and Greenwood.

———————————————————————————

Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information

The Beaches is an upper-middle class neighbourhood and popular tourist destination located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The trendy shops of Queen Street East lie at the heart of The Beaches community, with the boardwalk by the lake and several large parks being just a few steps south.

The neighbourhood is a mixture of single and semi-detached homes, low-rise apartment buildings, and some mansions.

The beach itself is a single uninterrupted stretch of sandy shoreline bounded by the R.C. Harris Filtration Plant (locally known as the water works) to the east and Woodbine park (a small peninsula in Lake Ontario) to the west. Although it is continuous, there are four names which correspond each to approximately one quarter of the length of the beach (from east to west): Balmy Beach, Scarborough Beach, Kew Beach and Woodbine Beach.

The name of the community is the subject of a long-standing dispute. Some long-time local residents believe that The Beach is the proper historical name for the area, whereas others are of the view that “The Beaches” is the more universally recognized neighbourhood name, particularly by non-residents. All government levels refer to the riding, or the ward in the case of the municipal government, as Beaches-East York.

The dispute over the area’s name reached a fever pitch in 1985, when the City of Toronto installed 14 street signs designating the neighbourhood as “The Beaches“. The resulting controversy resulted in the eventual removal of the signs, although the municipal government continues to officially designate the area as “The Beaches“.

In early 2006 the local Beaches Business Improvement Area voted to place “The Beach” on signs slated to appear on new lampposts over the summer, but local outcry caused them to rescind that decision.

The Beaches Business Improvement Area board subsequently held a poll in April 2006 to determine whether the new street signs would be designated “The Beach” or “The Beaches“, and 58% of participants selected “The Beach” as the name to appear on the signs.

Ironically, the two names have been used to refer to the area since the first homes were built in the 19th century. In his book, Accidental City: The Transformation of Toronto, Robert Fulford, himself a former resident, wrote: “the historical argument for ‘The Beaches‘ as a name turns out to be at least as strong as the historical argument for ‘The Beach‘”.

“Pluralists” hold that since the area had four distinct beach areas, using the singular term is illogical. Those preferring the singular term “Beach” hold that the term has historically referred to the area as the four distinct beach areas merged.

Historically, there are or were a number of institutions that used the term “Beach” in the singular, including the original Beach telephone exchange (1903 - 1920s), the Beach Hebrew Institute (1920), the Beach Theatre (1919 to the 1960s), and the Beach Streetcar (1923 - 1948).

The singular form has also been adopted by the local historical society, which is called The Beach and East York Historical Society (from 1974). There are also numerous examples of early local institutions that use the plural form “Beaches“, such as the Beaches Library (1915), the Beaches Presbyterian Church (1926), the Beaches Branch of the Canadian Legion and a local war monument in Kew Beach erected post WWII by the “Beaches Business Mens Association”.

Despite the naming controversy, most Torontonians recognise either name as referring to this particular neighbourhood, despite the fact that there are numerous beaches located elsewhere in the city.

Originally, The Beaches area was considered to be bounded by Woodbine Avenue to the west, Victoria Park Avenue to the east, Kingston Road to the north, and Lake Ontario to the south. The lakefront is divided into three sections; Woodbine Beach to the west, Kew Beach in the centre, and Balmy Beach to the east.

It is these beaches which give the neighbourhood its name and defining principal characteristic. Until Lakeshore Boulevard was extended to Woodbine Avenue in the 1950s, Woodbine Beach was not a bathing beach, but rather a desolate wooded area known as The Cut.

Today, Torontonians generally tend to view the The Beaches neighbourhood as extending to Coxwell, with the area north of Queen Street East and west of Woodbine nicknamed The Beaches Triangle. In addition, the area north of Kingston Road up to the CNR tracks has become known as The Upper Beaches.

Still, whatever the definition of its borders, before amalgamation in 1998 The Beaches neighbourhood was at Toronto’s extreme eastern limit and formed part of the city’s border with the suburb of Scarborough. Even now, residents refer to The Beaches as being in the east end of the city, though since the amalgamation of city services in 1998, it is strictly speaking part of the east-central district of Toronto.

The beach is diminishing as the sand continuously migrates from east to west. Although sand is replaced by new sand generated by the erosion of the Scarborough Bluffs to the east, this source of sand is itself diminished due to municipal efforts to reduce erosion of the bluffs in an effort to preserve homes at the crest of the bluffs.

A notable site in the area is the R.C. Harris Filtration Plant, which has been featured in several television programs, as well as in the films “In the Mouth of Madness” and “Undercover Brother”.

In the 1920s, the neighbourhood was the site of an amusement park, located at the end of today’s Scarborough Beach Boulevard. Kew Gardens is a medium-sized park in the neighbourhood running from Queen Street to Lake Ontario, and includes a bandstand for concerts. Every July, the neighbourhood celebrates The Beaches International Jazz Festival, drawing thousands of tourists to the area.

———————————————————————————

Contact the Jeffrey Team for more information