The Star's neighbourhood map, version 2.0

RENE JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR

Link to the map

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Kenneth Kidd is writing in Sunday's paper about the newest iteration of our neighbourhood map, which has been tweaked a great deal over the last few days, largely as a response to your comments on this blog. Neighbouhoods have been merged, unmerged, grown, shrunk, added and removed, and this is reflected on the newest version of the map.

The various iterations of the neighbourhood map are discussed here and here.

Please feel free to use the comment section below. If you disagree with where the map places you, or if you live in an area we haven't defined as a neighbourhood and feel you should be, it would be helpful to put your full postal code in the comments.

Comments

[Patrick Forbes]

Is the map getting updated with additional info appearing in this area?

Just curious, you know.

[George]

If it were me I would extend the Milliken neighbourhood west to the border of L'Amoreaux. It's mostly an industrial area with a lot of Chinese retail, but the original village of Milliken was centred around the intersection of Kennedy and Steeles. There are still some buildings left that predate the suburban development's adoption of the name, although most are north of Steeles. Plus you've got the Milliken GO station there too.

I grew up in Milliken, so as happy as it makes me to see it extended all the way to Milliken Park, I don't know anyone who referred to anything east of Brimley as being Milliken. Everyone I knew from there referred to it as Goldhawk, after the public school and main neighbourhood street.

[Rick Wolfe]

Since 1995, we have been happily living at the north end of the neighbourhood you call Yorkville. Up here, close to the Five Thieves, not once have we ever heard the name Yorkville attached to our part of town. My guess would have been that Yorkville stops at Davenport.

We have often chuckled that this is the neighbourhood with no name. When people ask, we describe what it's near.

We'd be happy if our area did take on a name of its own. I doubt it will be Yorkville, just like I doubt that the residents of the Kingdom of Rathnelly will ever admit to living in Summerhill. Summerhill is lovely, but its a foreign land if you're from Rathnelly.

They, the fortunate Rathnellians, have their own entry in Wikipedia. Surely that should make theirs an official neighbourhood on your map?

So, what should be done about our nameless place? Maybe Summerhill could annex us.

[Pat Jeffs]

I notice you haven't put a name to most of the downtown area. One very empty spot is almost equivalent to the old St John's Ward which stretched from Yonge to University Ave and from Queen Street West to Bloor.

I am just completing a transcription of the 1861 census for this area. North of College Street the western border was somewhere on the edge of Queen's Park. Parts of St Michael's College were included, but the present college buildings are not.
/cheers
The Old Census Scribe
http://Toronto1861.blogspot.com

[Deanna Toews]

Local residents of the West Rouge community would disagree with the placement of this Scarborough neighbourhood's western border, which should be Port Union Road rather than East Avenue. People east of Port Union Road are part of the catchment of the West Rouge Community Association, while those west of it are part of the Centennial Community and Recreation Association.

[Anne]

Looking at your map this morning, I was surprised to learn I live in Playter Estates. Talk about upward mobility! I live in the small, relatively unknown, area bounded on the south by The Danforth, and between the Don Vally and Broadview Ave [M4K 2L2]. If I told someone I lived in Playter Estates, they would immediately think of the area east of Broadview, with much larger homes.

Our area doesn't have a name, but maybe West Playter would be more accurate.

[Keith Potter]

Do you have a name for the area you have delineated between Bloor & Dupont, Yonge & Avenue? (M5R1X5)

[Michele Cameron]

I grew up on Tilden Crescent, and went to Humber Heights Public School. Your map seems to call my area Humber Heights - however, I believe the older residents referred to the area bounded by Scarlett Road, Raymore Avenue, Tilden Crescent and the Humber River as Westmount. I attended Weston Collegiate, so for simplicty's sake, still say that I grew up in Weston, but Westmount might be the more correct name for my neighbourhood. Weston used to be such a lovely little town, and I hope it is an area that will see revitalization, like The Junction, Cabbagetown and so many other neigbourhoods in Toronto that with loving care, were restored to their old glory days.

[Elizabeth]

Many of us have referred to the neighbourhood bounded by Islington, Dundas, and Angelsey as "Chestnut Hills".

[Ron]

The eastern area of the neighbourhood you call Riverdale is called the Pocket. We have our own newsletter, Victoria Day neighbourhood fireworks, Car-Free Day, and Park committee. The neighbourhood is bounded by the Greenwood Yards to the east, the train tracks to the south, Jones to the west, and Danforth to the north.

[swami]

I'm just a wee bit curious when University Settlement got changed to Grange Park. Yes, the actual park is an important part of the community, but the actual community centre in the park is called University Settlement, and I think historically, the area has always been known as University Settlement. There again, when you are in the park, you look north, there is the ugly behemoth rising to blot out any sense of community; a huge cultural postage stamp that leaves one feeling blue.
What did Toronto do to Gehry to provoke such a spiteful prank?

[S.H.]

I live in an area that hasn't made it on the map - which is odd since I'm next to the Toronto Zoo! All the old address labels for the zoo identify it as being in West Hill, and that is how most of the residents around here refer to the area as well. I certainly do think that the city zoo should be on the city map.

[Cathy Baillie]

I live in another "unnamed area". On some maps, my neigbourhood (Kennedy Rd/Eglinton) is called Kennedy Park. However, the area just east of us along Eglinton is usually referred to as the Golden Mile (another area not included on the map).
A proper name would give us some identity and allow people to see the diversity of Scarborough's neighbourhoods.

[Muskokaphotog]

It would be interesting to map the original post offices. We once lived in "Humber Valley", but our postal address was "Islington". I wonder how many post office communities there were. Another historical map could look at the names attached to telephone exchanges.

[jabalong]

Why are the Google maps so small on The Star site?

On Google they can be viewed full-width, but here they are just small squares. This really ruins the work put into them.

[r1]

Morningside Heights could easily add a second neighbourhood to the northern half; the portion that is north of the hydro corridor.

Almost the entirety of the northern half of Morningside Heights is the old Brookside Golf Course that was adjacent to Cedarbrae Golf And Country Club.

The second school in the community is called Brookside P.S. - to continue the legacy of the area - the developers still reference this part as Brookside as do residents in the northern half of the community.

As well, I'm pretty sure the West Rouge neighbourhood (it's called West Rouge because it was annexed from Pickering in the 60's I think, is broken down further into Centennial and Meadowvale Hills to name but a few...

FWIW

[jeff otto]

I know it isn't an official area name but I live in an area of east Riverdale that has become known as "the Pocket". A pretty generic name but it seems to be sticking. We even have our own newsletter!
The name has developed because of a couple large barriers, the Greenwood rail yards to the east and the rail line to the south. The western boarder is Jones and to the north, the Danforth.

I am sure it all started as a real estate agent moniker but the local residents have taken it up with gusto. A true neighbourhood with a mix of people who come together for street fairs, park restoration, Easter egg hunts and so much more.

Thanks for putting together this map. The local charm of each area is what helps make Toronto special.

Jeff Otto

[John Wilson]

You have recommended Firefox for viewing. I tried Firefox (for Mac) and got nothing bur error messages. Safari 4 (beta), on the other hand, works fine for me. Congratulations on a great project.

[MGB]

Rosedale does not extend beyond Young, nor does it include the Governors' Bridge (Nesbitt) area.

Any traditional definition (Bound by two ravines, the CN train tracks and young street) obviously supports this, as does common usage and the Rosedale Rent p\Payers Association.

[Rachel]

According to the map (the general boundaries of which I do not dispute--you have to draw lines somewhere), my house is in "East York." I know this to be true, if only from the type of street signs on the corner. However, I consider myself to live in "The Danforth" neighbourhood. When we bought the house last year, we did so knowing that it was not only south of Mortimer, but south of Sammon...we can almost see the Subway Station from our front porch. I live my entire life on The Danforth. When we live along the borders of theses "nabes" (some of which are REALLY small), is neighbourhood a matter of mailing address or state of mind? I don't really have anything against East York, but walking to do my business within its borders is next to impossible. So, when I say I live on The Danforth, it's not because it's "tony," it's because that is where I do my living.

[ben jackson]

the area south of McNicoll Ave, east of Brimley, north of Finch Ave East and west of McCowan is known as Brimwood. (Short for Brimley Woods). We are proud of having a small forest and our community has aimed to beautify our streets here.

[Jennifer Bain]

I live in the Pocket - a tiny enclave of just a handful of streets just east of Riverdale with well-defined boundaries. The western border is Jones Ave., the eastern border is the Greenwood TTC yards, the northern border is Chatham Ave. (that's one block south of Danforth) and the southern border is the railway tracks. We have our own community newsletter. We're home to Ben Kerr Lane, Phin Park, two corner stores, and a fantastic mix of homes and people.

http://wikimapia.org/1793514/The-Pocket

[Robert Rodbourne]

I think this is actually a rather poor effort the Star. By what right do you exclude Greektown and Koreatown? This is not even to mention Little India or Chinatown? These are recognized neighbourhoods in their own rights.
And what happened to Old Town (the original town of York) or Woodbine Heights or Dentonia Park in the east end? Instead, there are usages that I have never seen before and I have lived in Toronto for almost 30 years!
I find it arrogant and rather obnoxious of the Star to simply rewrite Toronto's history and identity in this way.

[J Newland]

The people on Doris Drive and Northdale in East York will probably be offended by their omission from Parkview Hills.

[Sandy Leadbeater]

In 1950 we moved to the edge of the village of Islington,
the centre of which was thought to be
Burnhamthorpe Road, Cordova Rd and Dundas St.
The map version 2, shows the six points area
( Bloor St, Dundas St.W. and Kipling Ave N)
as the centre of Islington.
True there was a hotel (with hitching posts)
at this intersection, but the Town Hall
was closer to the Islington House, and the
aformentioned Burnhamthorpe and Dundas intersection.
WEST and up the hill from Islington Ave
and Dundas St W.