Map of the Week: The Star's neighbourhood map (beta version)

TONY BOCK/TORONTO STAR

Shortcut to the map

After the 1998 amalgamation of the six former cities of Metro Toronto came a debate about geography - like many other things, it could be blamed on Mike Harris.

To some, referring to former cities like Etobicoke and Scarborough (especially Scarborough, for some reason) was an anachronism to be avoided. 'Toronto's east end,' once the area of the former City of Toronto east of the Don, was now the entire metropolis east of Yonge St. as far as Pickering. Somewhere there was a 'north end,' but where the east was more north than east was never completely clarified.

This system rarely seemed to be followed to its logical conclusion, locating Queen and Spadina in the ‘south end,’ (or Ward's Island in the 'southmost end') which was probably just as well.

For a time, the Star was influenced by this, banning the mention of Scarborough in crime stories,  although we have also freely referred to former towns in the 905, like Thornhill and Port Credit.

Public Editor Kathy English tackled the issue recently:

This policy is well-intentioned. But the reality is that the Star's newsroom has been inconsistent in applying the policy, leading to charges of unfairness from some Scarborough readers. Other readers are confused by the various ways in which Star writers try to locate crime in Toronto without referring to those historic geographic areas that, while officially dissolved, live on in the hearts and minds of many readers, and indeed, in institutional names like the "Scarborough Hospital."

… Does any ban on using those historic Toronto place names serve readers? If Toronto is indeed a city of neighbourhoods, should we aim to cite those more exact locations? Is Scarborough indeed "east Toronto?" Is Etobicoke "the west end?" While a map of Toronto indicates that, many long-time residents define east Toronto as the eastern reaches of the old City of Toronto. In their minds, east of that is indeed Scarborough.

For those who have forgotten where the six pre-amalgamation cities were, a map is here.

My own view, for what it’s worth, is that there is a limited relationship between communities and municipal governments. Brooklyn, for instance, hasn’t been a city in its own right for more than a century, but I have yet to hear of anybody referring to ‘New York’s mid-south end’. The idea that a recognizable area like East York can never be referred to, like Alsace and Lorraine after 1870 (‘Speak of it never – think of it always’) seems extreme, and doesn’t reflect the way residents think about their city.

But bringing back the pre-1998 cities for style purposes doesn’t solve the problem. The cities of Scarborough and Etobicoke were recognizable chunks of the map, but the borders of the former City of York (at left) were very eccentric. And the former City of Toronto poses its own problems – are we really supposed to spend the next twenty or thirty years referring to ‘the former City of Toronto’?

However, there is a third way – using the city’s rich tradition of neighbourhood names (Swansea, for example, or Agincourt) in a way that everyday urban culture recognizes.

With this in mind, feature writer Kenneth Kidd recently literally went back to the drawing board on the neighbourhood issue, carving up the city into 158 areas with a marker on an enormous laminated map. It’s in beta, and we’re posting an online version this week to find out what you think.

It’s in the nature of a map like this to be fluid and debated. Many trees could be killed, or electrons rearranged, over the Beach(es) alone: the Beach or the Beaches? And where is the northern boundary: Queen, Kingston Road, or as hopeful real estate agents would sometimes have it, the Danforth or points north?

So this week's map is to a large extent about the comment thread, particularly for those of you living in the 416. (A 905 map is planned.)

- If you live in the Toronto megacity, what do you call your neighbourhood?

- If you live in a shape on the map, does the name match the one you would use? If not, what name would you use?

 - If you live in a part of the map not covered by a shape, what would you call your neighbourhood?

The map is here.

Comments

[John]

You might want to compare this a map the City of Toronto has broken down into 140 different neighbourhods: http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/profiles_map_and_index.htm

[Robyn]

Bloor West Village definitely extends east of Runnymede Rd -- the residents association (linked) defines the eastern boundary as Quebec Ave., and that seems to work for most people in the community. Clendenan would be another possible boundary, since it's right at the edge of High Park. But either way -- east of Runnymede for sure.

[Chloe]

I usually say that I live in the West end, around Jane and Eglinton. I know some people do call my neighbourhood Mount Dennis, but if I'm speaking to someone who lives in another area of the city, it's unlike that they'll know where Mount Dennis is.

[L. King]

You left off Bathurst Manor" or "The Manor", which ranges from Finch and Dufferin over to Bathurst probably as far south as the south end of Earl Bales park. At some point south of Shephard it becomes Wilson Heights and ad some point east of Bathurst it becomes Willowdale. West of Dufferin it becomes an industrial/Business area or Downsview Park.

[zia]

I live North of College near the Sicilian Icecream parlour, and we call our neighbourhood Little Italy... not Bickford anything... that is blocks away. Also, where is Little Portugal represented on your map? It is not very accurate if you live here.

[J. MacMillan]

I think Church-Wellesley should be recognised as a newer neighbouthood, covering the area roughly from Bloor to Carlton, and Yonge to Jarvis.

[Anna]

Agincourt should be everything north of the 401 between Vic Park & Brimley - I've lived here for 50 years. Is that why you coloured L'Amoreaux & Agincourt the same?

But more specifically
Bridlewood - Sheppard/Pharmacy/Finch/Warden
Wishing Well - Sheppard/Pharmacy/401/Warden

If there is a neighbourhood known as L'Amoreaux, it is north of Finch.

[Alex]

I grew up in the section of the map bordered by Victoria Park Ave., Sheppard Ave. E., Hwy 404 (old Woodbine Ave) and Finch Ave. The southern part of this section was usually named Pleasantview (after a road by that name that traverses the community east-west) and there is a community centre and library branch of that name as well. Though part of the Don Valley East riding, this area has also often been associated with Oriole, Lansing, and Willowdale to the west.

[Dennis Brown]

Two thoughts...

1) I grew up N/W of Leslie and Lawrence in what you have called the south end of York Mills, but we all know it as Don Mills. I think that all of the houses up to and including Rippleton Rd were part of the original Don Mills community plan. Signs were even installed in the past few years to remind us of the fact that Don Mills was (I think) the first planned community in Canada.

2) I owned a house between Dundas and Queen just east of Broadview. I would have loved if it were really in Riverdale as the selling price would have been much higher. We were always told that we were in SOUTH Riverdale (by those that lived north of Gerrard!).

Oh, by the way - great map!

[Michael]

I live in The Star's Graydon Hall neighbourhood. On my mail, my return address is "Toronto." If people ask where in Toronto I live, I just mention "southwest of the 401 and Don Valley."

"Graydon Hall" is one of those neighbourhoods without a distinct identity. There are no stores other than a couple of apartment convenience stores. There are two schools: one elementary and one high school. Other than that, the place is really bland. The "walkability" score is really low. One needs to drive or take the bus to do shopping or go to a community centre. I don't know where the latter is nearby.

[Jeff Moulden]

Thank you thank you thank you. I've been looking for source of this information for a long time. A labeled all inclusive map would allow me to study and memorize it more easily though. Like a special section included in my daily paper some time???

I have lived in my neighbourhood for almost 10 years and may have heard the term Eatonville, but it certainly isn't prevalent. I have neighbours who have been here since the houses were built in the early 50s so I'll ask them about it.

Regards,
J

[Robyn]

I think this map is fantastic. As a new resident of Westhill I was amazed to discover that I can actually have people write 'westhill' on letters addressed to me and they make it! I think you've done a great job of the south east scarborough neighbourhoods but you might consider having highland creek include the actual creek. that would remove the little bit of white space between highland creek and westhill. Living very close to the border, i consider when i cross the creek, i've entered highland creek.
Again, i love this project!

[Paula Attfield]

Great map! I grew up in Birch Cliff area (Victoria Park and Kingston Road). I've never known the area just north of there to be called Oakridge. I don't recall calling it anything in particular though. I look forward to seeing the map grow.

[nick]

The neighborhood which borders the west side of the Rouge River south of 401 is known as West Rouge, not Rouge Hill. In fact, there is even a West Rouge Community Association.

[K Hope]

I live at Davisville and Mount Pleasant. I have heard of the term 'Davisville Village' you use here, but I also use 'midtown' and 'Young and Eligible' (a play on 'Yonge and Eglinton')

I also grew up on Harnworth Drive (East of Don Mills and North of McNichol). I have never heard the term 'Hillcrest village' to refer to that area - though 'Hillcrest' alone is used to refer to things in a larger area than that (can't really define it though). It was always 'Willowdale'.

[sharon peters]

I fully agree with your naming of my neighborhood 'The Beach'. When viewed from Lake Ontario, from a sailboat, there is only 1 beach. The other names; Balmy Beach, Kew Beach, Woodbine Beach, etc., and merely sub-sections of the beach, and indistinguishable from the lake. Our new street signs, if they ever arrive, will also say 'The Beach'.
This is a wonderful neighborhood, where I have lived off and on for most of my life. It has a small-town feel, and the most beautiful scenery in the GTA.

[doug dean]

Why are there no name designations for the neighbourhood areas outlined on the map? Surely a more valid discussion would be prompted by stating the name of each neighbourhood. Then we will see if people are in general agreement of the boundries of (and even the name attached to) each neighbourhood.

[paul o]

I'm not seeing any neighbourhood names showing up on the map.

Kensington Market, where I used to live, should not include addressed on the surrounding streets of Dundas, Bathurst, College and Spadina. Those streets have their own identity, and are not part of Kensington.

The area where I now live, which includes Dufferin Grove Park, feels like a neighbourhood, with borders as you've shown. I call the neighbourhood "Dufferin Grove". I don't know if other people have a different name for it, but when I use that name, people in other parts of the city know what I'm talking about.

[Kim]

I live in what is labelled the South Annex but I was under the impression that this area is called Harbord Village.

[paul o]

It's a mistake to put boundaries down main shopping streets. Usually, the identity of the street includes both sides.

For example, at Bloor and Runnymede, Bloor Street is the main identifier of Bloor West Village. Swansea runs to the south, but it doesn't include Bloor.

[Rory Sinclair]

Thanks for the effort to map the neighbourhoods

I am Chair of the Harbord Village Residents' Association and we have had to put up with the misnomer "South Annex" from a Real Estate agent thought the word "Annex" carried more cachet than our real name.
The Annex is defined [even Wikipedia has it right] as the area inside Avenue Road, Dupont, Bloor, and Bathurst.

The area bounded by Bloor, Bathurst, College and Spadina is known as Harbord Village..
Although we love our Annex neighbours to the north, our neighbourhood was subdivided and inhabited before their was an Annex so it is quite inaccurate, historically and otherwise, to refer to our neighbourhood as the "South Annex"

with all good wishes

Rory 'Gus' Sinclair
Chair HVRA

[patrick e. stacker]

great job .I thought only those of us who grew up in Dorset Park knew about it.The "Park" was a great place to grow up ,before the furniture stores, the east side of kennedy road was mainly open fieds with a lot of natural habitat.We still play baseball every thursday night at "Dorset Playfield".We are in our thirty fifth year.You know what they say,"you can take the boy out of the Park,but you cant take the park out of the boy"

[Paul Mather]

According to this the north side of Fulton is east york. We'd call our neighbourhood Danforth or Broadview/Danforth. Also, the east york road signs don't start until Nealon one block north.

[AnneM]

You have Long Branch in 2 regions in southwest Etobicoke. The most southern region is correct. However, the neighbour north of it is correctly called Alderwood (my neighbourhood).

[Chris Lea]

A good start, but few of the neighbourhoods I have lived in are "right" on this map. When I was a kid I lived in Wishing Well not L'Ameroux (nw of Warden and 401), in Chartwell (se of Finch and Midland). Both were considered part of Agincourt, which used to have a main drag along Sheppard between Kennedy and Midland. Later I lived in Sussex Ulster (named South Annex on the map). Now I live in Leslieville, which I doubt any one around here would think of as extending up to Gerrard.