King of Kensington
Senior Member
Yes I know the limitations of such exercises...but what's the equivalent to the Annex, Yorkville, Cabbagetown, Kensington, etc. in other cities?
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Toronto counterparts in other cities
- Thread starter King of Kensington
- Start date
Zephyr
Active Member
The closest thing to "The Annex" in Chicago - I'll ignore the so-called "West Annex" of Seaton Village - is the Hyde Park neighbourhood. Like the Annex, Hyde Park has a major University associated with it. In this case it is the University of Chicago, one of the finest Universities in world, but it is more oriented toward graduate study rather than undergraduate lifestyle.
Hyde Park is not an extention of downtown like the Annex, although it is only a short distance away to the south of the Loop (Chicago's CBD). One of its borders is the Lakefront. It is also an area that has poverty and wealth in close proximity, and this often confuses visitors.
Hyde Park, like the Annex, is well situated in regard to public transit alternatives: it has an electric train that goes directly to the Loop, bus and elevated trains are also nearby. Barack Obama lives in Hyde Park, as have a number of well known intellectuals, politicians, etc.
Hyde Park is not an extention of downtown like the Annex, although it is only a short distance away to the south of the Loop (Chicago's CBD). One of its borders is the Lakefront. It is also an area that has poverty and wealth in close proximity, and this often confuses visitors.
Hyde Park, like the Annex, is well situated in regard to public transit alternatives: it has an electric train that goes directly to the Loop, bus and elevated trains are also nearby. Barack Obama lives in Hyde Park, as have a number of well known intellectuals, politicians, etc.
King of Kensington
Senior Member
I believe Hyde Park was the only area of Chicago where the majority of whites supported Harold Washington for mayor. Even the so-called "lakefront liberals" who opposed the Daley machine in favor of "reformers" weren't all that progressive - they're kind of like the condo people here who don't like machine-style politicians like Tony Ianno but still vote Liberal federally in spite of him.
Why exclude Seaton Village?
Hyde Park is funny in that is on the South Side even though almost all of Chicago's affluent neighborhoods are on the North Side. In fact the North Side does have a kind of "old City of Toronto"-ish feel.
While we're at it...must to the delight of Torontonian egos, my wife's parents recently visited us, both of whom grew up in New York. They remarked that our area - the area of Queen between Spadina and Bathurst felt like the East Village!
Why exclude Seaton Village?
Hyde Park is funny in that is on the South Side even though almost all of Chicago's affluent neighborhoods are on the North Side. In fact the North Side does have a kind of "old City of Toronto"-ish feel.
While we're at it...must to the delight of Torontonian egos, my wife's parents recently visited us, both of whom grew up in New York. They remarked that our area - the area of Queen between Spadina and Bathurst felt like the East Village!
adma
Superstar
Maybe the North Side is akin to North Toronto, then? In its "Liberal" inclinations, its relative affluence, and perhaps if we're speaking of present-day Toronto demographics, its relative "whiteness" as well...
King of Kensington
Senior Member
No the North Side includes very "downtownish" areas like the Magnificent Mile and Near North Side, gentirified Lincoln Park, bohemianish neighborhoods like Bucktown and Wicker Park, immigrant-heavy neighborhoods like Rogers Park and Albany Park, Polish neighborhoods along Milwaukee Avenue, etc. North Toronto is mostly affluent WASP and Jewish semi-suburban areas with a "satellite" downtown; Chicago's counterpart to Lawrence Park, say, would probably be the suburbs of Winnetka and Wilmette.
The reason why I made the comparsion is because the Old City of Toronto has a kind of Manhattan/San Francisco/Boston/Seattle demographic where there are tons of university-educated, professional people in the city core. The North Side is like that too. Nothing in Canada really compares to Chicago's South Side.
The reason why I made the comparsion is because the Old City of Toronto has a kind of Manhattan/San Francisco/Boston/Seattle demographic where there are tons of university-educated, professional people in the city core. The North Side is like that too. Nothing in Canada really compares to Chicago's South Side.
Long Island Mike
Senior Member
Toronto and Chicago similarities...
Everyone: I agree that Toronto and Chicago have their similarities as the two largest Great Lakes cities. Mentioned are Near North and North Side communities-my relatives lived on the SW Side in a suburban of sorts bungalow house neighborhood that I was a regular visitor to between 1973-1988. Chicago was the most racially segregated city in the Northern US as well as in some cases ethnic areas were of a predominant nationality-as an example Chicago is one of the largest Polish-population cities in the world.
Hyde Park is a very interesting neighborhood-containing the University of Chicago as well as one of my personal favorite Chicago attractions-the Museum of Science and Industry. As mentioned it is well served by Metra's Electric Rail line(Formerly IC Electric) as well as the South Shore Line trains to Indiana points. A good example of the strict racial divide is going South towards 63rd Street-where the Jackson Park L line ran. In that area is one of Chicago's tough S Side black neighborhoods-a pronounced boundary line of sorts was 61st St. I learned to adhere and respect Chicago's unwritten - but strictly adhered-to - racial boundary lines that ran-another good example-was Western Avenue-E was predominatly Black,W was predominately White on the S Side from about 50th Street on south towards Evergreen Park and Blue Island. Toronto NEVER had a racial divide of that sort!
On my travels I considered many North Side neighborhoods to be almost exotic of sorts-from the Gold Coast to regrentrified neighborhoods like Wicker Park. My uncle worked for the CTA as an L train motorman and in part thanks to him I learned and explored Chicago using in part the CTA rail system. Today my relatives-as well as people that I stayed in contact with-have moved to the southwest or western suburbs. I find so many of those areas so boring compared to the solid City neighborhoods of my 70s and 80s visits.
It amazed me when certain areas that I used to frequent changed racially-I recall people predicting it but I never thought that I would actually see it-until it happened. In closing things DO change-sometimes in ways that you actually DO see-even though it can be so gradual that it almost does not become noticeable until it happens! Comments and Memories from LI MIKE
Everyone: I agree that Toronto and Chicago have their similarities as the two largest Great Lakes cities. Mentioned are Near North and North Side communities-my relatives lived on the SW Side in a suburban of sorts bungalow house neighborhood that I was a regular visitor to between 1973-1988. Chicago was the most racially segregated city in the Northern US as well as in some cases ethnic areas were of a predominant nationality-as an example Chicago is one of the largest Polish-population cities in the world.
Hyde Park is a very interesting neighborhood-containing the University of Chicago as well as one of my personal favorite Chicago attractions-the Museum of Science and Industry. As mentioned it is well served by Metra's Electric Rail line(Formerly IC Electric) as well as the South Shore Line trains to Indiana points. A good example of the strict racial divide is going South towards 63rd Street-where the Jackson Park L line ran. In that area is one of Chicago's tough S Side black neighborhoods-a pronounced boundary line of sorts was 61st St. I learned to adhere and respect Chicago's unwritten - but strictly adhered-to - racial boundary lines that ran-another good example-was Western Avenue-E was predominatly Black,W was predominately White on the S Side from about 50th Street on south towards Evergreen Park and Blue Island. Toronto NEVER had a racial divide of that sort!
On my travels I considered many North Side neighborhoods to be almost exotic of sorts-from the Gold Coast to regrentrified neighborhoods like Wicker Park. My uncle worked for the CTA as an L train motorman and in part thanks to him I learned and explored Chicago using in part the CTA rail system. Today my relatives-as well as people that I stayed in contact with-have moved to the southwest or western suburbs. I find so many of those areas so boring compared to the solid City neighborhoods of my 70s and 80s visits.
It amazed me when certain areas that I used to frequent changed racially-I recall people predicting it but I never thought that I would actually see it-until it happened. In closing things DO change-sometimes in ways that you actually DO see-even though it can be so gradual that it almost does not become noticeable until it happens! Comments and Memories from LI MIKE
adma
Superstar
Well, I guess old Torontonians can finally identify. Or at least, the old Rexdaleans, Scarberians, etc...