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Cabbagetown

Skeezix said:
Good examples. The Beach(es) is probably the best example in Toronto, with developers, realtors and aspirational residents expanding the boundaries east, west and north, with term "Upper Beaches" subject perhaps to the most abuse.
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What was the Upper Beaches called before the realtors gave it that name?

I was actually thinking more of examples where the name of the area actually shifted completely, such as Cabbagetown.
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Yes, in the case of Cabbagetown it's not at all the same neighborhood. The gentrifiers of Don Vale adopted the Cabbagetown name at some time in the 70s. Even the literature written on gentrification in the early to mid 70s often refers to the area as Don Vale.

Don Vale wasn't ever as poor as Cabbagetown either.
 
King of Kensington said:
What was the Upper Beaches called before the realtors gave it that name?
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A lot of it was part of the old Town of East Toronto - Main Street was the town's major thoroughfare. When East Toronto was annexed in 1908, the name lingered on for those parts of the old town north of the Beaches (which at that point likely was not considered to extend all the way to Kingston Road -- I've heard, and not sure if this is apocryphal or not, that in the 20s and 30s many area denizens even considered anything north of Queen Street not to properly be part of the Beach). You can see references to East Toronto in newspapers from the period, which were referring to that particular area. Not sure when the term started to be associated less with the old town and more with everything in the old city east of the Don, although perhaps the term was always ambiguous.

King of Kensington said:
The gentrifiers of Don Vale adopted the Cabbagetown name at some time in the 70s. Even the literature written on gentrification in the early to mid 70s often refers to the area as Don Vale.
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Is the name Don Vale still ever used?
 
Skeezix said:
A lot of it was part of the old Town of East Toronto - Main Street was the town's major thoroughfare. When East Toronto was annexed in 1908, the name lingered on for those parts of the old town north of the Beaches (which at that point likely was not considered to extend all the way to Kingston Road -- I've heard, and not sure if this is apocryphal or not, that in the 20s and 30s many area denizens even considered anything north of Queen Street not to properly be part of the Beach). You can see references to East Toronto in newspapers from the period, which were referring to that particular area. Not sure when the term started to be associated less with the old town and more with everything in the old city east of the Don, although perhaps the term was always ambiguous.
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John Sewell, who grew up in the Beaches in the 40s and 50s, lived on Balsam, one of the more upscale streets both said the area as a whole was quite mixed socioeconomically. In his book Up Against City Hall he calls it the Beaches, not the Beach. By then, it was the Interestingly I don't being "south of Queen" meant much in terms of status - the big houses were north of Queen, and I think it was more akin to say, Breezy Point, New York, or something like that.

East Toronto/Upper Beaches may have gone unnamed for a generation or two.
 
Skeezix said:
Just occurs to me that the downtown Chinatown is a good example of that. Development of the new city hall hastened the move west to Spadina. There are numerous examples of demographic shifts involving specific ethnic groups (e.g. Jewish Torontonians moving north along Bathurst), while the old neighbourhood evolved (e.g. Kensington, Little Italy), but in Chinatown's case the neighbourhood itself practically packed up and moved.
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Yeah, the small Chinatown that existed then is not where Chinatown is today. It has also shifted westward along Dundas over time. In the 70s, "Chinatown" was probably McCaul to Spadina, core Chinatown today is Beverley to Augusta.
 
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King of Kensington said:
John Sewell, who grew up in the Beaches in the 40s and 50s, lived on Balsam, one of the more upscale streets both said the area as a whole was quite mixed socioeconomically. In his book Up Against City Hall he calls it the Beaches, not the Beach. By then, it was the Interestingly I don't being "south of Queen" meant much in terms of status - the big houses were north of Queen, and I think it was more akin to say, Breezy Point, New York, or something like that.

East Toronto/Upper Beaches may have gone unnamed for a generation or two.
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I didn't say it was a status thing.
 
Best driving route to CT from Lakeshore?

For years I have driven from the Gardiner to Cabbagetown via Lakeshore up Parliament. On Parliament northbound from Lakeshore to Spruce St. you must pass nine traffic lights:

Mill St.
Front St.
King St.
Adelaide St.
Richmond St.
Queen St.
Shuter St.
Dundas St.
Gerrard St.

In my decades plus experience driving this route I have to believe that the traffic lights, especially those from Lakeshore to Richmond are intentionally timed to catch you on the red. Perhaps this is a traffic slowing initiative.

But perhaps there is a better way for drivers to get from the Gardiner to Cabbagetown. In a few instances outside of rush hour I've bypassed the Jarvis exit and proceeded up the DVP to Bayview/Bloor in the belief that this is faster. So, what routes do my fellow CTers take from the Gardiner home?

And no... this is not the time for jokes or comments about taking the TTC, or walking, cycling, etc, or suggestions that drivers shouldn't have any priority (and I'm not suggesting they should) over others, etc. In short this is not a soap box invite.

Sometimes we have to take our cars, and I'm looking for the most efficient way to get from the highway to CT in my personal vehicle.
 
We lived in Corktown before, and getting to the Gardiner was so simple. I thought Cabbagetown would be easy too, but as you noted it isn't the case.

Southbound:
- South on Sackville to Dundas.
- Quick right on Dundas, quick left on Regent.
- Follow regent down to Shuter. Quick right on Shuter, quick left on Trefann.
- Take Trefann down to Queen. Quick right on Queen, quick left on Power.
- Power down to King. Right on King.
- Left on Parliament, then all the way down Parliament to Lakeshore.

I think that's just 3 lights.

Northbound:
- Up Parliament to Front St East.
- Take front to Cherry. Take a left on Cherry. Then a right on King, and a left at River.
- Take river up to Gerrard. Left at Gerrard, right on Sumach.

A bit more distance, but it seems to move more smoothly this way. Might change when the streetcars are re-routed on King again.
 
Admiral Beez said:
In my decades plus experience driving this route I have to believe that the traffic lights, especially those from Lakeshore to Richmond are intentionally timed to catch you on the red. Perhaps this is a traffic slowing initiative.
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It took me about six months after moving to Cabbagetown to notice this (though it's interesting to hear that it's been this way for decades). I find it even worse southbound, guaranteed reds from Queen to Front.

If it makes you feel any better, since I didn't drive it frustrated me on my bicycle instead.
 
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Parliament is painful on the bus and streetcar as well. I'd think about Sherbourne and River, as both seem to be better timed with the lights (well on River, you can go under Richmond/Adelaide on King, so you miss those lights.

Perhaps Cherry/Sumach is an option now it goes all the way from Lakeshore to Wellesley - I haven't tried.
 
UserNameToronto said:
We lived in Corktown before, and getting to the Gardiner was so simple. I thought Cabbagetown would be easy too, but as you noted it isn't the case.

Southbound:
- South on Sackville to Dundas.
- Quick right on Dundas, quick left on Regent.
- Follow regent down to Shuter. Quick right on Shuter, quick left on Trefann.
- Take Trefann down to Queen. Quick right on Queen, quick left on Power.
- Power down to King. Right on King.
- Left on Parliament, then all the way down Parliament to Lakeshore.

I think that's just 3 lights.

Northbound:
- Up Parliament to Front St East.
- Take front to Cherry. Take a left on Cherry. Then a right on King, and a left at River.
- Take river up to Gerrard. Left at Gerrard, right on Sumach.

A bit more distance, but it seems to move more smoothly this way. Might change when the streetcars are re-routed on King again.
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Thanks for this! I'll give these a try.
 
Thought I'd add a plug for new little business that has moved into Cabbagetown. At Gerrard & Berkeley (which is really South Cabbagetown, but only just), there's a new location of the Hastings Barber Shop from Leslieville. A cut is $26 (I give $30 inc. tip) and it's a pretty cool place. Great vibe. It's a bit hipper and younger than we would typically see in the 'hood. Recommend.
 
Stupidandshallow said:
Also, it looks like a new Thai place is setting up shop across the street at the space previously occupied by Ronnie B's and Omi before that... It's interesting that Cabbagetown doesn't have a lot of trendy or hip restaurants.
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+1. There are a lot of places in the 'hood that have been around forever, but generally "hip" and "new" isn't really a Cabbagetown strength. I hope these new places do well.
 
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