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Bathurst/Steeles

Disparishun

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An Ode to Bathurst and Steeles:

In the Toronto rap scene, we've been treated to odes about Scarborough, the downtown core, even the TTC. But what about north of Bloor? Now, the hiphop heads in the Bathurst and Steeles neighbourhood have an ode to call their own.

Out for Papers was recently released by indie unsigned rapper Al Viz, who's lived in the North York 'hood his whole life. Viz shot a video for his Bathurst-Steeles rap in October 2009, uploading it to YouTube the same week he released his online mixtape - "The Well-Made Bars Mixtape" - via his MySpace page.

For anyone who frequented the Russian-Israeli region of Toronto, they'll spot some familiar sites in the vid, such as Rockford Public School, G. Ross Lord Park and Bathurst Street just south of Steeles. Too bad the vid, directed by Newtonbook S.S. grad Ed Wong, spent too much time on the rapper in his various settings instead of showing us more iconic images of the streets.

In an interview, the 29-year-old Viz says B&S deserves its rap props. "There are some talented people in this area, but they're under the radar. I just wanted to come out with something that's authentic, that people can relate to."

The track reminds us about the immigrants who flooded the area a few decades ago. Immigrants come here for a better life, Viz says, but sometimes they move away and forget about their roots. Out for Papers is not just an ode to this North York nook, but also a peek into the larger issue of Eastern European immigration to the GTA.

For more North York-flavoured raps from Viz, check out his new tune, A Russian Girl. It's a smartly written track, outlining a Russian woman's struggle coming to Canada.

Whether the region knows it or not, Bathurst and Steeles finally has a hip-hop ambassador.
 
wow...I live in the area, and if I ever saw someone trying to rap I would just laugh, the whole mentality in the area for young people is to sort of portray that russian-mafia personality, they are way too busy trying to speak russian or hebrew to bother rapping in english, props to this guy for his rap, and respect to others who are doing the same in the area, but I just think it's trying to portray the area in a different light from what it really is.
 
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?oe=U...d=116503204096960830879.0004807653685d00e41ef

Here's another spot that could use a Town Square. This is one of the most densly populated strips in Toronto and it's been totally ignored by the city.

Just knock down the Mcdonalds and BMO, you can find another place for that, and build a community square here. It would be a great boost to a community that welcomes many new immigrants to the city.
 
If someone can post the image, I'd appreciate it. I don't know how to post google maps.
 
4 years on, maybe time to revisit this location for discussion. The Tower Renewal Study identified this location as the 3rd densest apartment tower node in the city. The area has been identified by the city and the United Way as a priority neighbourhood for lack of community services and yet there are no plans for any transportation improvements, community investment or urbanization for this area. In my opinion the city of Toronto continues treating it's northern fringes as their hinterland even though by my measure this area is prime for greater urbanization.

www.towerrenewal.com
density.jpg


Bathurst and Steeles – 1960′s smart growth
In the 1960’s, Steeles Avenue was the end of Metropolitan Toronto’s servicing area; the northern boundary of the region’s planned urbanization. North of Steeles, the rolling pastures were to remain as the area’s green belt, while in contrast, dense, mixed-use post-war communities emerged to the south.

Bathurst and Steeles emerged as a dense community containing nearly forty modern residential high-rises. Incorporated with the ravine, neighbourhood parks, elementary and secondary schools, churches and synagogues, shopping plazas and the cul-de sac’s of adjacent single family homes, the towers provided the bulk of housing for an area of over twenty thousand.

Unlike earlier master planned apartment neighbourhoods such as Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park, the area developed property by property along Bathurst, following the set-back, open space and parking requirements for multiple storey buildings required by North York and Metro guidelines. Located adjacent to two large cemeteries, the large G. Ross Lord Park along the West Don River, and for a brief period of time a golf course, many of the area’s towers were truly planned as ‘towers in the park’. Others, located next to shopping plaza, were attempting mixed use.

Rich with Jewish heritage, the area was part of the northern expansion of Jewish Toronto along Bathurst. Beginning in the 1970’s and intensifying in the 1980’s, the area became home to Russian Jews fleeing the former Soviet Union. The collapse of the Soviet Union’s in the early 1990’s attracted a steady flow of Russian speakers of all backgrounds together with immigrants from other countries. Today the area remains one of the City’s most prominent immigrant receptions sites, as well as Russian communities. Cyrillic and Hebrew commercial signage and community newspapers display the current cultural mix.

The area was recently inaugurated as a Toronto literary landmark, setting the stage for David Bezmozgis’ remarkable collection of short stories; Natasha and Other Stories; documenting the struggles of a Jewish Latvian family coming to Canada in the early 1980’s.

Yet despite its cultural vibrancy, Bathurst and Steeles is now considered a priority neighbourhood. Key concerns are a lack of community services; especially those for young children, single mothers, the elderly and integration into the work force for professionals trained in their homelands.

In terms of built form, aside from the addition of newer residential towers, the area has changed remarkably little; dominated by large underutilized and isolated apartment properties, now in varying states of ill repair.

North of Steeles however has changed dramatically. With the abandonment of the greenbelt, York Region emerged as an area of explosive growth beginning in the 1980’s; bringing low-rise, low density suburban expansion north to Thornhill, Newmarket and beyond.

In contrast, Bathurst and Steeles remains a bold precedent for ‘smart growth’ in the context of post-war planning; an attempt of high density, mixed income, and mixed use neighbourhood at the urban edge; an experiment which has in many ways been successful. Given the tools to respond to the opportunities and challenges of its current context, with re-investment the area could become a leading example of a sustainable and equitable community, and continue to be one of Toronto’s most unique neighbourhoods.
bathurst-and-steeles-roof.jpg


While this area has great potential for urbanization as remains a gateway for new immigrants to Toronto with over 50% of residents living in rental high rise, the city will likely continue to ignore this area.
 

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