I'll be living on Wellesley St., Toronto (Cabbagetown), until the summer. If I had more time before I moved, I would look at many more options, but landlords are unwilling to rent to an 'outsider' (without being there in person, etc.), and the place I'll be living in that area is very nice, so I decided I can deal with it until the summer. If it ends up being worse than I want, then I can move again at that point. What is the place really like, for real experience? Dangerous, or decent? (I was told it wasn't bad.) Anything close in terms of necessities? I do have a car, in case the answer to that is no.
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Wellesley is a big street and it's in one of those areas where the neighbourhood changes every block. What's the major cross street?
The heart of Cabbagetown is really nice--a while ago, it was kind of bad, but it's genetrified and become very trendy. Great area. But there are some areas that people call Cabbagetown that aren't really Cabbagetown--it's just that it doesn't really have a good name for it.
Generally, the area around Wellesley is like this:
Just north of you is Rosedale, which is one of the weathiest and elistist neighbourhoods in Toronto. (That's where a lot of the old money lives.) Just little bit south of you is Regent Park, which is one of the poorest and most crime-ridden areas in downtown. (It was Canada's first social housing project.) The East side is Cabbagetown proper, and the West side is heart of the Gay Village, is a nice area to live in, though it gets really rowdy during Pride weekend.
Lots of stores, restaurants, etc. in Cabbagetown and the Gay Village, and you are a short drive/streetcar from the film district, Yonge Street, the Beaches, and the St. Lawrence market. Mind you, there's not a lot of parking around those areas.
Nice area--you're right in Cabbagetown proper. Really beautiful place to live.
I used to drive through that area frequently, though my memory is a bit foggy.
There's a whole lot of great places right along Parliament for a number of blocks. South of Gerrard/Dundas, it gets sketchy (borders on Regent Park--the west side is being re-developed now, but the east side is untouched) but where you are is nice. Can't recall if there is a supermarket per se, but there would be a lot of smaller little markets around there, so you should be fine. You won't find many big chain stores there, but lots of funky little stores which I think is much better.
You are also not far (like, one subway stop) from The Danforth, which a fantastic area for walking/browsing/eating/etc.
It is definitely a walking/biking type of a neighbourhood. You won't need your car very much.
I love that part of town. Got a real neighbourhood feel to it. Independent, ma-and-pa stores and restaurants. Lots of good food and coffee shops. Go here for coffee: http://jetfuelcoffee.com/mamboversion/
There's a cool little pet store in the area called Pet Menagerie. Check it out even if you're not a pet owner.
As a testament to the quality of living in Cabbagetown, do you remember Pat Gillick, ex-President or GM of the Toronto Blue Jays. He's an American but when he ran the Jays, he lived in Cabbagetown and fell in love with it. He went on Orioles, Mariners and now is GM of the Phillies. But, all that time, he maintained his residence in Toronto, specifically Cabbagetown. He still calls it home.
Say hi to Pat when you see him.
If and when I retire, I plan to buy a place in Cabbagetown and actually grow cabbages on my front lawn.
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That's a great area of Toronto to live in.
You can bike almost anywhere you'd need, and the subway and streetcars are very convenient to you there.
I lived for years around Gerrard and Jarvis and if there's a better neighbourhood for easy and convenient living in the most stimulating part of Toronto, I don't know where it is!
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"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar." ~Bradley Millar
Cabbagetown rocks. Beautiful streets and old Victorian homes. Nice human dimensions to the neighbourhood and lots of trees. Very primo in my book. Backs out onto the Don Valley; heaven in the summer. Bike paths close at hand to take you up into the ravine trails that snake in and around the valley. Great place for dog people and people-watching, period. Cool fairs and other public gigs occur in the main park there. Parliament is a bit of a mixed bag still but there's certainly plenty of good eats and Jet Fuel is one of the city's coolest coffee bistros going. The redevelopment of Regent Park ensures that this area will draw even more people in the coming years. You made a good choice for a landing in Toronto - welcome and hope you enjoy what the city has to offer.
so you are in wellesley a few steps east of parliament?
well, congratulations!!! you have just ACED your location. There are just a few spots in downtown Toronto that i find more desirable than that. Two fairly nice and dirt cheap supermarkets in the area (one on wellesley west of parliament, the other one on parliament south), great park and a ZOO steps away (this is the best place to have a dog or to go for a stroll). And all of the stuff said above.
The only 2 slight negatives of that location, for me, are:
1. conmutte: you are too close to downtown to be driving a car, or owning one for that matter, so unless you Bike to your work, you'll be tempted to take public transit, and at rush hour you'll see the people walking to work pass you by while you are gasping for air in a human sardine can. tip: get a scotter!!!!
where will you be working?
2. Cabbagetown is sorrounded by poor neighbourhoods, so if you want to go for a long walk, for a while, it's not going to be as nice as if you keep your walks "local". But that's it.
other than that, great location!!!!!!!!
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