Kensington

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Kensington
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    History:

    Kensington was originally part of a 100 acre Park Lot granted to Captain John Denison in 1815. By the 1870’s, this district had developed into a middle class Anglo-Saxon neighbourhood with distinctive British street names such as Kensington Avenue, Fitzroy Terrace, Oxford Street and Wales Avenue. The Kensington neighbourhood began to change in the early 1900’s when Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, started to settle here. Excluded from the Toronto business community, Kensington’s Jewish families opened stalls in front of their houses, and sold goods to each other. This Jewish market was the start of an old world marketplace in the heart of the Kensington neighbourhood. Since the 1940’s, Kensington has attracted immigrants from all parts of the world, and it is now one of Toronto’s most culturally diverse neighbourhoods.

    Overview:

    The Kensington neighbourhood is defined by its popular outdoor market, which has become a hot spot for tourists and a popular Toronto shopping destination. The international flavour of Kensington Market reflects the diverse cultural mix of this vibrant and colourful Toronto neighbourhood.

    Lifestyle:

    Kensington Market is the most eclectic and vibrant outdoor shopping experience in Toronto. The sights and smells of Kensington will awaken your senses to a dizzying array of food shops, restaurants, curio shops, pop-up shops, artists, vintage clothing and jewellery and more. Another unique shopping experience can be found along Spadina in the heart of Toronto’s oldest Chinatown district. Chinatown features a plethora of fruit and vegetable markets with produce literally spilling out onto the streets. This is a busy market with lots of shoppers. There are also a large number of Chinese and restaurants along tis stretch where you can sample authentic Chinese cuisine.

    Homes:

    Kensington’s Victorian row- houses are small to moderate in size and feature many decorative accents. These houses were built between the 1870’s and 1890’s. The houses in the heart of the Kensington Market, have market stalls on their front lawns. Many of these houses are oriented to the rear of the property where tiny little laneways offer privacy from the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. The Kensington neighbourhood is presently being revitalized by a handful of new housing projects. These new developments include Victorian inspired townhomes that are situated on Oxford Street and the Kensington Market Lofts, a unique condominium project situated in three former George Brown College buildings on Baldwin and Nassau Streets.

    Recreation:

    The local park and meeting place for Kensington residents is Bellevue Square, which is located right in the centre of the neighbourhood. This park has a tot’s playground and a wading pool. Cecil Community Centre at Spadina and College, features a large Hall that is used for theatre productions, sports, games, parties, and weddings. The Shaw College Public Library serves as a community meeting place and offers reading material in a number of languages that reflect the cultural diversity of Kensington residents.

    Transportation:

    Streetcar service on Bathurst Street connects passengers to the Bloor-Danforth subway line. The Spadina, Dundas, and Queen streetcars travel to the Spadina station on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. Motorists are already downtown and are just minutes from the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard.

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      Kensington Stats

      Walkability:

      High

      Bikeability:

      Low

      Public Transit:

      Medium

      Affordability:

      Medium

      Greenspace:

      Low

      Recreation:

      Low

       

      Legend: Low, Medium, High

      Commute Times

      Time to Closest Shopping Mall:
      15 Minutes
      Time To TTC Station:
      5 Minutes
      Time to GO Bus or Train Station:
      20 Minutes
      Time To Hospital:
      10 Minutes
      Time to Toronto Pearson International Airport
      40 Minutes
      Time to Closest Highway:
      10 Minutes

      * All commuting times provided are approximate times only. Commute times may increase or decrease depending on where you live within the neighbourhood and the time of day i.e rush hour versus off hour commutes. Time estimates to public transit are based on walking distance or bus line connection whichever is quicker. All other commute times on the chart above are based on drive times.

      School Guide

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      Toronto School Resources

      Editor’s Note. BEFORE MOVING INTO, BUYING OR RENTING A HOME, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL YOU ARE CONSIDERING BY PHONE to ensure your home is within the designated boundaries and that your child is age appropriate. WE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISINFORMATION REGARDING SCHOOL ENROLLMENT SO DO NOT ASSUME that your child can automatically attend a specific school or specialized program until you have official confirmation from that school. Please visit the school board web sites for more information.