South Annex "Harbord Village"

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South Annex “Harbord Village”
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      History:

      The South Annex neighbourhood was subdivided in the early 1850’s, on land formerly owned by the Jarvis, Crookshank and Denison families; all of whom played a prominent role in the history of Toronto. Advertisements promoting Villa and Town lots for sale in the South Annex highlighted ” the close proximity to the locality of the new Parliament Buildings”. The South Annex was also popularly described as being “situated in the most healthy and pleasant part of the City upon a considerable elevation above the Lake”. The establishment of the University of Toronto just east of here, in the late 1850’s, provided the impetus for the building of homes in the South Annex, which took place largely between the 1870’s and early 1900’s.

      The newest development in the neighbourhood is Mirvish Village located at the southwest corner of Bathurst and Bloor Streets. This master planned community includes six high-rise rental buildings with approximately one third of these designated as affordable. At the central hub of the neighbourhood will be a Tokyo inspired walkway with neon signs and a plethora of shops and restaurants. Other highlights include “The Kitchen” featuring a smorgasbord of cultural culinary delights and an indoor-outdoor entertainment complex that can accommodate up to 750 people.

       

      Overview:

      “Harbord Village”

      The South Annex also known as Harbord Village is a vibrant and colourful downtown Toronto neighbourhood. Much of the vitality of this neighbourhood emanates from being located right next door to the University of Toronto campus. Naturally, many University students, faculty, and alumni rent or own houses in this neighbourhood. The University population mixes well with the young urban professionals who have been buying and fixing up South Annex houses, giving these old houses new life, and in the process revitalizing this historic downtown Toronto neighbourhood. Harbord Street is the main east-west street running through this neighbourhood. It has a village feel with popular restaurants, trendy coffee shops and bakeries, and an eclectic mix of specialty stores.

      Lifestyle:

      Bloor Street, west of Spadina, is a mini university village lined with pubs, music shops, bookstores, and restaurants. Cyclists and in-line skaters compete with cars and pedestrians in this high energy shopping district.

      The newest development in the neighbourhood is Mirvish Village located at the southwest corner of Bathurst and Bloor Streets. This master planned community includes six high-rise rental buildings with approximately one third of these designated as affordable. At the central hub of the neighbourhood will be a Tokyo inspired walkway with neon signs and a plethora of shops and restaurants. Other highlights include “The Kitchen” featuring a smorgasbord of cultural culinary delights and an indoor-outdoor entertainment complex that can accommodate up to 750 people.

       

      Homes:

      The signature street in the South Annex is Palmerston Boulevard. Stone and iron gateposts, one on College Street and one on Bloor Street, set the tone for this distinctive boulevard which also features decorative cast iron street lamps, ancient trees and grandiose homes. Overall, the houses in the South Annex come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each house is whimsically decorated with Victorian accents that all blend together to form one of the most pleasing streetscapes of any Toronto neighbourhood. Most South Annex homes were built circa 1870s to 1910.

      The newest development in the neighbourhood is Mirvish Village located at the southwest corner of Bathurst and Bloor Streets. This master planned community includes six high-rise rental buildings with approximately one third of these designated as affordable. At the central hub of the neighbourhood will be a Tokyo inspired walkway with neon signs and a plethora of shops and restaurants. Other highlights include “The Kitchen” featuring a smorgasbord of cultural culinary delights and an indoor-outdoor entertainment complex that can accommodate up to 750 people.

       

      Recreation:

      Fitness enthusiasts can get a good workout at the University of Toronto Athletic Centre. This facility has an Olympic-size pool, squash, tennis and badminton courts, weight machines, aerobics, a gymnasium and a 200 metre indoor track. The Miles Nadal Community Centre at Spadina and Bloor has an indoor pool, a track, squash and racquetball courts, aerobics and a weight room. Queen’s Park is the site of Ontario’s Legislative Buildings. It’s the focal point of many civic events and parades. Queen’s Park is also a quiet place, an oasis in the City, where one can sit on a park bench, under a tall shade tree, and paint the landscape.

       

      Transportation:

      The South Annex is well served by public transit. College and Bathurst Streets have regular streetcar service, while Harbord Street has a regular bus route. The Bathurst and Spadina subway stations at Bloor Street link up with Toronto’s rapid transit lines. The major highways north and south of the city are a twenty to thirty minute drive from the South Annex.

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          South Annex “Harbord Village” Stats

          Walkability:

          High

          Bikeability:

          Low

          Public Transit:

          High

          Affordability:

          Low

          Greenspace:

          Medium

          Recreation:

          High

           

          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:
          25 Minutes
          Time To Hospital:
          15 Minutes
          Time to Toronto Pearson International Airport
          40 Minutes
          Time to Closest Highway:
          20 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.