The Neighbourhood: Part One

We are located in a neighborhood known as Old Town. This is a ten block area so named because it is the site of the original town of York that was established in the 18th century. There are no remnants from that era but there are lots of 19th century buildings in the area. Some of them are factories and warehouses that have converted to lofts and other uses. Directly across from us to the north is Central Fire Hall built in 1886. This was the original location of Toronto’s Second City troupe where Dan Ackroyd, Gilda Radner, John Candy, and Mike Myers all started their pre-Saturday Night Live careers. Second City was in this building from the early 1970s until 1997. The western boundary of Old Town is Church Street so named for the three 19th century churches located within blocks of each other on this street. We enjoy seeing the steeples of all three from our windows. Most of the buildings here are two and three storeys. There are a handful of apartment buildings that are like ours at twelve or fourteen storeys and the Holiday Inn Express next door to us but those are the few exceptions sprinkled throughout Old Town.

The Old Fire Hall and Second City

The neighbourhood immediately to our south is called St. Lawrence named for the St. Lawrence Market which dominates the area. This building is a huge two storey indoor market with dozens of permanent vendors. This is open five days a week year ‘round. There is a second building that houses a Saturday only farmer’s market with regional produce in all but the winter months. The vendors spill out into the sidewalks on nice days and buskers are sprinkled throughout both buildings. Another interesting thing about this area is that it was all originally below water level and it was infilled to create more industrial area at the lakeshore.

Interior of the St. Lawrence Market



The oldest Flatiron Building in North America

St. James Park straddles the two neighbourhoods. This is a medium size park that was formerly the cemetery attached to the St. James Cathedral. The park is criss-crossed by sidewalks with areas of lawn and flower gardens between and centered around a nice fountain. This area also attracts buskers and practicing musicians who we can often hear from our windows.

St. James Park in full bloom

A couple of blocks to our west is the Financial District, the most densely built up area of Toronto, location of the tallest skyscrapers here and all the bank’s national headquarters. This is also the location of the lower end of the north and south subway lines. Having these elements and all the related support services within walking distance has already proven invaluable a half dozen times in our few short weeks here.

Our Old Town neighbourhood reminds me of a college town with all the older buildings mixed in with newer ones, the small shops, the church bells chiming every fifteen minutes, and the old park. It is really odd to see this butted right up to some of the largest buildings in North America. We have the best of both worlds it seems.

St. James Cathedral