News   Mar 28, 2024
 180     0 
News   Mar 27, 2024
 1.9K     1 
News   Mar 27, 2024
 1.2K     2 

Harbord Village

King of Kensington

Senior Member
Member Bio
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
2,818
Reaction score
596
This is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Toronto. I've updated the wikipedia article. It's not really on the radar for many Torontonians; realtors been calling houses on Robert and Major etc. the "South Annex" for as long as I've been paying attention to these things. The name is of course highly problematic, not only given that while it shares many characteristics with the Annex it's mainly made up of tall Victorian rowhouses on smaller lots rather than the larger houses north of Bloor, but it was part of the original City of Toronto when it was incorporated in 1834 (part of the Liberties), so it was never "annexed" in the first place!

It's not as "polished" as prime Cabbagetown (and has a more mixed social composition), but Lower Brunswick, Willcocks and Robert St. have received heritage designation. The HVRA also launched an interesting initiative of naming the laneways after local residents.

It was for most of the 20th century an immigrant reception area. Until the 1960s it was a predominantly Jewish community and elements of that history are still evident with First Narayever on Brunswick, the Harbord Bakery, etc. Dr. Joe Greenberg legendary physician and president of the synagogue on Markham St. only recently retired at age 90. His brother Mort Greenberg the "Jewish Santa" still lives in the house they grew up on Major St.; sometimes I take Mort's mail to the mailbox on Harbord.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/mike_strobel/2008/12/19/7799951-sun.html

During the 1960s and 1970s Portuguese and Chinese immigrants moved into the neighborhood, as well as a growing middle class academic and professional element, though by the 1980s the latter had come to dominate the area. It has become a very desirable area close to U of T and downtown.

It's also home to this bench:

http://spacing.ca/magazine/section/hidden-gems/an-honest-bench-in-the-annex/

For those more interested in condo developments...the B Street Condos are within the boundaries of Harbord Village.
 
It was for most of the 20th century an immigrant reception area. Until the 1960s it was a predominantly Jewish community and elements of that history are still evident with First Narayever on Brunswick, the Harbord Bakery, etc. Dr. Joe Greenberg legendary physician and president of the synagogue on Markham St. only recently retired at age 90. His brother Mort Greenberg the "Jewish Santa" still lives in the house they grew up on Major St.; sometimes I take Mort's mail to the mailbox on Harbord.
.

Also, Dr Henry Morgentaler's clinic was located at 85 Harbord St. for awhile.
http://www.thegridto.com/city/places/ghost-city-85-harbord-st/
 
After seven years in court, family has illegally built home addition approved by OMB

"After a seven-year court odyssey and series of hit-and-miss legal arguments, a Toronto family has won the right to keep an illegal addition on their home.
The battle between Shih and Yang Tseng and the city began in 2006, when the couple built a two-storey addition at the back of their Victorian home in Harbord Village. They constructed it without a building permit from the city..." [full article here]

Does this set a problematic precedent? Just build anything you want, and then get the OMB to approve it later on? Interested in opinions on this...
 
Attended 2 laneway unveilings today. First was for Barbara Barrett Lane off of Brunswick below Bloor, named after the founder of the Toronto School of Art. Next was Greenberg Lane off of Major above Ulster. The Greenbergs brought in an ice cream truck.
 
King Edward School got 150k from the City approved in 2020 to improve their school yard.

As I walked by yesterday, the 'improvements' were finally done either this year or last; I'm a bit underwhelmed.

There's a new planter along the Bathurst frontage:

DSC00204.JPG


Behind it are tables and benches:

DSC00205.JPG


DSC00206.JPG


Next to the playing field one sees some more new benches and plant material:

DSC00207.JPG


DSC00208.JPG


At this juncture I will note that all of the new hard surface is asphalt. No rubberized safe playing surface, nor any interlock. Not particularly attractive, not nice to fall on, not permeable (lousy ecologically)......ugh.

***

Over at the playing field they re-did the running track...........with asphalt.

DSC00209.JPG


They added some stone seating off in one corner, and some plant material against the fence at the southern property limit:

DSC00210.JPG


DSC00211.JPG


With all due respect to the powers that be........I think I could have gotten more mileage out of that 150k.
 
King Edward School got 150k from the City approved in 2020 to improve their school yard.

As I walked by yesterday, the 'improvements' were finally done either this year or last; I'm a bit underwhelmed.

Yup, very underwhelming.
 

Back
Top