Amare
Senior Member
Honestly if I were you, i'd avoid the Humber Bay area like the plague. While the area is really nice (well the park in particular), there are a number of issues there as well.
The number one issue by far is traffic which is absolutely horrid. The area is packed up with cars for the most part of the day and that stems from that lack of alternative routes people can take. The only two ways you can get out of the neighbourhood is through Park Lawn or Lake Shore. Problem is, that many people who commute into Toronto, get off the Gardiner because it is like a zoo and they to access The Queensway or Lake Shore. In turn that clogs up both The Queensway and Lake Shore and the end result is that Park Lawn, Lake Shore, Queensway, and the Gardiner jam up extremely bad.
Another reason the area is so packed is just due to the sheer amount of density that is in the area. Within the past 4 years thousands of residents have moved into the area, and in the next 5 years there will be thousands of more residents who move into the area (bringing in turn more cars). And i'm only talking about the approved and under construction condos, I haven't even mentioned the vacant Mondelez lands (former Mr. Christies plant) which may potentially see another 15-20 condos added depending on the resolution of development proposal. If those lands get approved for residential use, expect another 10-15,000 residents in the area easy,
The second issue is the non-existent transit in the area. The 501 streetcar is unreliable (in part due to the traffic issues in the area) and it makes for a very slow trip. The 66 Prince Edward can only handle so many riders and it gets caught in the traffic and becomes unreliable during the rush hour. There are no alternatives to those two routes. To travel from just Park Lawn on Lakeshore, to the Humber River will literally take you 15-20 minutes during the rush hour which is pathetically slow and painful.
Third is the lack of institutional space. There are no schools in the immediate area, no community centres, no recreational facilities, etc..
I usually describe Humber Bay as a failed community because it just doesn't function properly and it is a prime example of how Toronto doesn't plan things out properly. When people ask me about Humber Bay, I usually recommend that they look elsewhere (ie: Queensway between Islington and Royal York, Bloor between Kipling and Royal York, etc..). Unless you are really craving to live by the lake, just avoid Humber Bay.
The number one issue by far is traffic which is absolutely horrid. The area is packed up with cars for the most part of the day and that stems from that lack of alternative routes people can take. The only two ways you can get out of the neighbourhood is through Park Lawn or Lake Shore. Problem is, that many people who commute into Toronto, get off the Gardiner because it is like a zoo and they to access The Queensway or Lake Shore. In turn that clogs up both The Queensway and Lake Shore and the end result is that Park Lawn, Lake Shore, Queensway, and the Gardiner jam up extremely bad.
Another reason the area is so packed is just due to the sheer amount of density that is in the area. Within the past 4 years thousands of residents have moved into the area, and in the next 5 years there will be thousands of more residents who move into the area (bringing in turn more cars). And i'm only talking about the approved and under construction condos, I haven't even mentioned the vacant Mondelez lands (former Mr. Christies plant) which may potentially see another 15-20 condos added depending on the resolution of development proposal. If those lands get approved for residential use, expect another 10-15,000 residents in the area easy,
The second issue is the non-existent transit in the area. The 501 streetcar is unreliable (in part due to the traffic issues in the area) and it makes for a very slow trip. The 66 Prince Edward can only handle so many riders and it gets caught in the traffic and becomes unreliable during the rush hour. There are no alternatives to those two routes. To travel from just Park Lawn on Lakeshore, to the Humber River will literally take you 15-20 minutes during the rush hour which is pathetically slow and painful.
Third is the lack of institutional space. There are no schools in the immediate area, no community centres, no recreational facilities, etc..
I usually describe Humber Bay as a failed community because it just doesn't function properly and it is a prime example of how Toronto doesn't plan things out properly. When people ask me about Humber Bay, I usually recommend that they look elsewhere (ie: Queensway between Islington and Royal York, Bloor between Kipling and Royal York, etc..). Unless you are really craving to live by the lake, just avoid Humber Bay.