Parkdale, Toronto

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, Parkdale's desirability stemmed from its proximity to the lake, the Canadian National Exhibition to the south-east and the popular Sunnyside Beach at the foot of Roncesvalles to the west. From 1911 to 1922, the Toronto Harbour Commission improved the lakefront extending the shoreline from the rail line 100 metres (330 ft) south, with a breakwater and boardwalk. As an example, in 1905, the Parkdale Canoe Club (known today as the Boulevard Club) opened. When built, it was on a pier extending out into the lake. As part of the infill project, it became situated inland. To the east of the current building were baseball and lacrosse fields. It was the site of a popular women's softball league for many years.

Sunnyside Amusement Park was opened in 1922, providing a popular day vacation for Torontonians. Movie theatres were opened, such as the Brighton on Roncesvalles and the Odeon on Queen Street to the east of Roncesvalles. Hotels like the Edgewater at Queen and Roncesvalles were established.

Opened in 1922, Palais Royale is located along Lake Shore Boulevard. The facility is situated near the edge of Sunnyside Beach.

The Palais Royale at the eastern edge of Sunnyside Beach opened in 1922 as a canoe factory and dance hall. Many important big bands played there in the 1930s and the 1940s, and this attracted a large youth patronage. Many war-generation Torontonians courted their future partners in this building. The Palais Royale operates today as a special occasion hall and is a favourite venue for bands, including The Rolling Stones, who played a 2002 concert there, and has been the location for live recordings by Sloan and Downchild Blues Band.

In 1955, the city began work on the Gardiner Expressway, a limited access highway alongside the railway cut. The Sunnyside Amusement Park was demolished, except for the Bathing Pavilion and the Palais Royale hall. The southern section of Parkdale to the west of Dufferin, south of the railway was also demolished. Parkdale was now separated from Lake Ontario and Sunnyside Beach and the expressway effectively halved the amount of usable lakeside parkland. A reorganization of the area's residential streets was also done. Patronage of the beach declined rapidly. Both the Parkdale and Sunnyside train stations closed during the 1970s.

The Gardiner Expressway is a controlled-access highway that runs east–west through Parkdale. The neighbourhood changed greatly with the completion of the highway.

The neighbourhood changed greatly after the highway was completed and the park closed. Population density increased with the building of numerous apartment buildings. Jameson Avenue, which became the conduit to the highway changed from single family homes to a street of apartment buildings, many cheaply built. Nearby, many of the mansions and large houses became makeshift low-rise 'bachelorette' apartment buildings and rooming houses. Several had operated as tourist hotels for visitors to Sunnyside and the CNE. Industrial activity declined along the railways. One former industrial site on West Lodge Avenue became a two-tower apartment complex that has repeatedly been cited by the city for various by-law infractions. Businesses suffered during the transition, with leisure-type businesses compatible with the Park, such as the Brighton and Odeon theatres closing. Along Queen Street, which saw traffic decline substantially, many businesses closed or changed hands.

In the mid-1970s, the Government of Ontario decided to release many long-term care mental illness patients from its Queen Street and Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital facilities to integrate them into the community.[12] Many of the remaining mansions of South Parkdale had already been converted to boarding houses, and were only a short distance away from the Queen Street hospital. Many illegal 'bachelorette' units were also being created and the inexpensive rental stock of South Parkdale soon became home to many of the released patients. The area developed a reputation as a neighbourhood rife with poverty, crime, drugs, homelessness, and large numbers of people living with mental illness.[12]

In 1977, the Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC) was founded to operate a drop-in centre in Parkdale for survivors of mental health ailments, the homeless, the disabled and those with few resources. Community volunteers observed that there were a large number of adults living in rooming houses and boarding homes throughout the Parkdale community after local mental health facilities began to de-institutionalize psychiatric patients. Most of these adults possessed little income, had few or no family contacts, did not have a place to go during the day and had been ostracized. In 1980 PARC found funding, staff and a venue and opened its doors to provide support, meals, employment opportunities and various programs to people with serious mental health and addiction issues.[13]

The Parkdale Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) was established in 1978, and represents the commercial strip on Queen Street West from Dufferin Street to Roncesvalles Avenue. The BIA has highlighted the uniqueness of this commercial district, including its restaurants, antique stores, cafés and shops.[14]

Owing to the many affordable rental apartments and its proximity to the downtown core, Parkdale has evolved into a transient neighbourhood for many newcomers to Canada. Waves of Caribbean, Indian, Vietnamese, Filipino, Tamil, Chinese, Tibetan, Hungarian and Roma immigrants have marked Parkdale in different times between 1980 till present. Parkdale has, since the late 1990s, hosted a large number of Tibetan settlers, with the area known as Little Tibet becoming home to one of the largest Tibetan diaspora outside of India and Nepal. Parkdale has a number of settlement and immigration agencies that deal with the needs of the newcomers and provide them with the necessary support as they explore the opportunities provided in Canada. Some of the agencies are Parkdale Community Information Centre (PCIC),[15] Parkdale Community Legal Services, PIA, and Culture Link. Parkdale is a mixed income neighbourhood,

Some of the recent developments in Parkdale include the Healthy Organic Parkdale Edibles (HOPE) garden in the Masaryk Park, south of Queen and on the west side of Cowan Avenue. This community garden was founded by Shannon Thompson of Greenest City,[16] along with many community members to allow residents who don't have growing space to grow food and build a more inclusive community area. The environmental and community organization based in Parkdale since 2006 works with food sovereignty, youth employment, environmental awareness and community building. Greenest City has also initiated the Youth Garden in Dunn Parkette. The volunteers of the two gardens also host festivals, workshops, field trips along with other activities and projects in the area.

The area has seen an influx of artists working in the relatively inexpensive spaces, close to the exhibit spaces on Queen Street within Parkdale and along Queen Street to the east.[12] The opening of the Parkdale Arts and Cultural Centre, along with efforts to promote businesses in the area, such as the Parkdale-Liberty Economic Development Centre, has spurred the growth of a vibrant creative area along Queen Street, which puts on a large display during Toronto's annual 'Nuit Blanche.'

The housing stock has seen some gentrification, especially in the area north of Queen Street identified with the "Roncesvalles Village" area, again due to the relatively inexpensive property values. In recent years housing prices in Parkdale have caught up with much of the rest of Toronto.[12] Still, sub-standard housing in the units within the older buildings remains a concern of local city councillors and local community members. Numerous conversions into bachelorettes were done illegally and conditions did not conform to building or fire codes. An initiative, known as the "Parkdale Pilot Project" was formed to address the illegal conversions, seeking to bring the buildings into line. One location on King Street was the location of the 'Pope Squat' where Ontario Coalition Against Poverty activists squatted in a vacant apartment building during a visit of Pope John Paul II.[17] After being vacant for over ten years (most of which it was owned by the Government of Ontario), the building eventually re-opened as apartments, after its redevelopment was approved by the Pilot Project's housing committee.. An apartment building on the corner of Queen Street and Dowling Avenue also lay vacant for some time before being expropriated by the city for an affordable housing re-development. It is known as Edmond Place and is a partnership of the city with PARC.

The commercial uses along Queen Street West have seen changes. In 2013, a sudden proliferation of restaurants and bars in one area led to a bylaw limiting the number to 25% of establishments.[18] The bylaw was rescinded in 2018, with a continuing prohibition on backyard and rooftop patios.[19] In 2018, several vegan businesses owned by a single owner "The 5700" opened, between Dufferin and Brock Street. The company attempted to market the area as "Vegandale", dropping the idea after community protest against gentrification and a conflict with the Parkdale Village BIA.[20] Two of the businesses closed in 2020.[21] An increase in the number of residents of Tibetan origin has led to the opening of Tibetan businesses and restaurants informally known as "Little Tibet".

A former Bank of British North America branch on King Street, a major road in the neighbourhood

Queen Street West running east–west is the primary commercial street of the neighbourhood. It is four lanes and the buildings are predominantly 2-3 storey buildings, often with apartments on the upper floors. It ends at Roncesvalles, meeting King Street and the Queensway at the 'Sunnyside' intersection. It continues to the east to downtown. The business along Queen have formed a Business Improvement Association under the name of "Parkdale Village." The street has numerous art galleries, restaurants, cafes and convenience stores. The Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library is at Cowan Avenue.

King Street West, running east–west is a major street continuing to the east to Toronto's downtown, ending to the west at Sunnyside. From Roncesvalles east, it curves along the original shoreline, which is about 30 feet (9.1 m) above and 100 yards (91 m) inland from the shoreline. The south side in that area is open, with views of the Lake. It is predominantly residential, with a commercial section around the intersection with Dufferin Street.

Dufferin Street, running north–south is a major street starting from the CNE to the south, north to Queen Street, where it intersects the railway. The street continues one block to the north and continues north to north of Toronto. It is mixed commercial and residential. South of King along the east side is an old industrial area with loft-type industrial buildings. Construction has been completed to eliminate the Dufferin Street jog at Queen and the railway tracks. Dufferin Street now runs directly north to Wilson Avenue.

Lansdowne Avenue, running north–south from Queen Street north to St. Clair Avenue. It is predominantly a residential street. The former West Toronto Collegiate, now a francophone high school is at College Street and Lansdowne. The former National Cash Register factory at Dundas Street has been a grocery store since the 1980s.

Jameson Avenue, running north–south from Queen Street south to Lake Shore Boulevard. It is predominantly a residential street of apartment buildings. There are two schools on Jameson, Parkdale Collegiate, near Queen, and Queen Victoria Public, just south of King Street. It is also a busy thoroughfare on the west side of Toronto, connecting to the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard.