Don Mills

[North Yorker]

Do people consider North York, specifically Don Mills, to be the suburbs? I argue that it's not, because it's still in the city of Toronto, is 12 subway stops from Yonge/Bloor, and is residential, but not in the soul-crushing way of cookie cutter developments in the GTA.

 

[nfitz]

I can't imagine anything more suburbs than Don Mills! But I think you might be confusing Don Mills (which The Star indicates is bounded on the north by York Mills Road, and is centred around the Don Mills Centre at Lawrence/Don Mills Road) with the Don Mills subway station! Though that's pretty suburban too.

 

[hwy7]

I consider Don Mills to be inner suburbs.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Don Mills = suburbia.

 

[Torontovibe]

Where exactly in Toronto does suburbia begin? I never could figure that out. Is it once you get out of the old city of Toronto? (east of The Beaches, North of Eglinton and West of The Humber River?) Are the old bourghs considered the inner suburbs and north of Steeles the outer suburbs? God, somebody needs to make an official map of the suburbs, so we can all agree on where they are.

 

[Ryan]

Are the old bourghs considered the inner suburbs and north of Steeles the outer suburbs?

Yeah, I think so

 

[Tdot_one]

Where exactly in Toronto does suburbia begin? I never could figure that out. Is it once you get out of the old city of Toronto? (east of The Beaches, North of Eglinton and West of The Humber River?) Are the old bourghs considered the inner suburbs and north of Steeles the outer suburbs? God, somebody needs to make an official map of the suburbs, so we can all agree on where they are.

Suburbia probably starts North of Eglinton, and once mid-density intensification hits that avenue, that'll definitely be the case.

 

[doady]

Suburbia in Toronto is basically former Etobicoke, North York, Scarborough, plus northeast East York and Thorncliffe Park. These are inner suburbs. There is a lot of inner suburbia in Mississauga as well. Thornhill is probably all inner suburbia. Basically any area developed during the 50's and 60's, and maybe early 70's.

 

[adma]

Rosedale is a suburb.

 

[Ryan]

The old metro cities are the inner suburbs (North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, York, East York). Peel, Durham, York = outer suburbs.
Eglinton = Uptown (not Midtown as it seems people are calling it now... midtown is the neighbourhoods north of Bloor.. the annex, yorkville, rosedale).

 

[doady]

The old metro cities are the inner suburbs (North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, York, East York). Peel, Durham, York = outer suburbs.
Eglinton = Uptown (not Midtown as it seems people are calling it now... midtown is the neighbourhoods north of Bloor.. the annex, yorkville, rosedale).

So, urban form is defined by political boundaries. Shocking.

 

[junctionist]

But what are the uses of the "inner" versus "outer" dichotomy beyond the history lesson? If much of the inner and outer suburbs are planned similarly, why make any distinction? After all, no one calls Yonge and Bloor "outer downtown".

 

[lead82]

i would call the old suburbs as urbanizing areas of the city, especially areas like nycc and scc. The true suburbs are areas built in the last 20 yrs.

 

[lead82]

By areas I mean new subdivisions in places like Maple, Richmond Hill, etc

 

[Redroom Studios]

There's a big difference between Don Mills and newer, farther out subdivisions. To me Don Mills is an example of successful suburban master-planning where there is an organic built form, mid rise density along the main avenues, single family homes tucked in behind, lots of green space, cozy and welcoming. I always like the 1950's aesthetic to this part of town. In many ways I think this was likely the last great burst of successful suburban building. Somehow it seems since then everything is built for maximum efficiency and bottom line profits and the neighbourhoods lack character (see subdivisions either side of Hwy 400 near Canada's Wonderland, yuck!) Maybe I am in the minority here, but for me Don Mills has always been one of the jewels within Toronto.