Leaside

[Roundabout]

The Beer Store/Tim Horton's

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Oh wow, I had no clue a Tims was coming here.

 

[ehlow]

Not bad.. nice that they actually used brick.

 

[ksun]

Wondering why is Leaside considered an upscale/expensive neighbourhood... I drove past it a few times, looks pretty boring and suburban to me. Eglinton/Laird isn't that different from Kennedy/Finch IMO.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

It's boring because it is a planned town. I wouldn't consider it suburban though, it predates the post-war sprawl, there are plenty of semi-detached houses and is generally a lot denser low-rise neighbourhood than what you find in the 'burbs.

During its maiden years it was very much a working class neighborhood but today average household incomes are in the range of upper middle class.

 

[ehlow]

Wondering why is Leaside considered an upscale/expensive neighbourhood... I drove past it a few times, looks pretty boring and suburban to me. Eglinton/Laird isn't that different from Kennedy/Finch IMO.

There are plenty of places someone might consider "boring" or suburban which are very expensive and upscale, because there are lots of people who like it. Different people like and want different things.

It's boring because it is a planned town. I wouldn't consider it suburban though, it predates the post-war sprawl, there are plenty of semi-detached houses and is generally a lot denser low-rise neighbourhood than what you find in the 'burbs.

During its maiden years it was very much a working class neighborhood but today average household incomes are in the range of upper middle class.

Everyone has different definitions of "suburban" but to me Leaside is an example of an early suburb.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Perhaps. I would definitely agree it is one of the more suburban areas in the old city of Toronto. (Even though technically its not part of Old Toronto)

I believe when the town was originally planned, Millwood and McRae were originally supposed to have more storefronts. I gather that changed or regressed back to residential over time following changing demographics and the automobile.

If we consider Bayview Avenue as Leaside however, I cannot see how you could call that stretch of the city boring. With the subway coming to Eglinton, this part of the city is only bound to become more exciting with mixed used developments between Soudan and Eglinton on Bayview, infill projects in former industrial lands along Laird, and redevelopment along Eglinton Avenue as per the Avenue Plan.


edit: Leaside is also a nice map location for Google Maps Pacman.

 

[ehlow]

Perhaps. I would definitely agree it is one of the more suburban areas in the old city of Toronto. (Even though technically its not part of Old Toronto)

I believe when the town was originally planned, Millwood and McRae were originally supposed to have more storefronts. I gather that changed or regressed back to residential over time following changing demographics and the automobile.

If we consider Bayview Avenue as Leaside however, I cannot see how you could call that stretch of the city boring. With the subway coming to Eglinton, this part of the city is only bound to become more exciting with mixed used developments between Soudan and Eglinton on Bayview, infill projects in former industrial lands along Laird, and redevelopment along Eglinton Avenue as per the Avenue Plan.


edit: Leaside is also a nice map location for Google Maps Pacman.

Yes to me Bayview is the "main street" of Leaside. Although, the big box stores east of Laird are part of it too. It's interesting that such a walkable street is so close to big box plazas.

In terms of "boring" everyone has different standards of what they find boring. Bayview in Leaside is definitely quieter than say King & Spadina, but I'd rather take a walk along Bayview than most suburban places in the city.

 

[r937]

edit: Leaside is also a nice map location for Google Maps Pacman.

as a resident of leaside, i tried this days ago

died every time

 

[Therion]

What separates Leaside from suburbia is it's nearness to downtown, which is what primarily drives house prices, and it's proximity to lots of retail. I can literally walk to 7 grocery stores, soon to be 8 when Whole Foods opens. My wife and I and our two children often load up the stroller and do an evening walking tour of either the Bayview, Mt. Pleasant or Laird strip and stock up on groceries, booze and anything else we might need. It's just a great place to live.

You can't get a sense of the neighbourhood by driving by "a few times". If you lived here for a bit you'd understand why it is not like deep suburbia like anything along Kennedy.

 

[ehlow]

What separates Leaside from suburbia is it's nearness to downtown, which is what primarily drives house prices, and it's proximity to lots of retail. I can literally walk to 7 grocery stores, soon to be 8 when Whole Foods opens. My wife and I and our two children often load up the stroller and do an evening walking tour of either the Bayview, Mt. Pleasant or Laird strip and stock up on groceries, booze and anything else we might need. It's just a great place to live.

You can't get a sense of the neighbourhood by driving by "a few times". If you lived here for a bit you'd understand why it is not like deep suburbia like anything along Kennedy.

Yeah so I'd also add:

- The early 1900s brick houses are nicer than many neighbourhoods. Many are pretty big.
- Narrow tree-lined streets
- Walkable with some good restaurants on Bayview, Mt Pleasant.
- Big box stores east of Laird are convenient. The new plaza with the Longos in a historic building is pretty good.
- Good schools, I've heard
- Near parks & the ravine
- Eglinton east & Lawrence east bus lines are very frequent
- Community buildings, parks etc.

I mean, you could consider Rosedale "suburban" by some definitions, but it's still probably the most desirable, nicest and expensive place in Toronto for a huge amount of people. Everyone wants different things.

 

[r937]

Narrow tree-lined streets

the streets themselves may be only 2 lanes wide, but the houses are ~well~ set back from them

 

[ksun]

Yeah so I'd also add:

-I mean, you could consider Rosedale "suburban" by some definitions, but it's still probably the most desirable, nicest and expensive place in Toronto for a huge amount of people. Everyone wants different things.

Yes, I always consider Rosedale pure suburban. Yes it is close to downtown and stuff, but within Rosedale itself, there is absolutely nothing urban about it.

I agree that being suburban doesn't mean it is cheap or unattractive for homeowners. I believe almost all Toronto's most expensive neighbourhoods are very suburban (Lawrence Park, Sunnybrook, Bridle Path, York Mills etc.)

My definitely of suburban
1) highly car dependent
2) not self sufficient (you would have to go outside the neighbourhood for all necessities including shopping, dining, entertainment.)

 

[r937]

My definitely of suburban
1) highly car dependent
2) not self sufficient (you would have to go outside the neighbourhood for all necessities including shopping, dining, entertainment.)

1) leaside is not car dependent by virtue of location (it can be walked from one end to the other in under an hour) -- it may very well be car dependent because everybody's rich and has lotsa cars (except for those people like me living in mid-rises)

2) you do ~not~ have to leave leaside for necessities, and i say that as someone who makes zero purchases outside of leaside

by the way, dining and entertainment are ~not~ necessities

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I don't get what makes Lawrence Park, Leaside, Rosedale so suburban but the Annex, Forest Hill or Parkdale not. Are we defining suburban as lowrise? That is dumb, you are missing the context of the area; these are all walkable neighbourhoods with access to amenities and frequent public transit.

Bridle Path is certainly very very suburban though.

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@ehlow, what exactly are you defining Leaside as?