Cabbagetown, Toronto
Encyclopedia
Cabbagetown is a neighbourhood located on the east side of downtown Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It comprises "the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing
in all of North America", according to the Cabbagetown Preservation Association.
Cabbagetown's name derives from the Irish immigrants who moved to the neighbourhood beginning in the late 1840s, said to have been so poor that they grew cabbage
in their front yards. Canadian writer Hugh Garner
's novel, Cabbagetown, depicted life in the neighbourhood during the Great Depression
.
was the main northern bridge over the Don River. This was near the site where Castle Frank Brook
flowed in the Don River. By the bridge the Don Vale Tavern and Fox's Inn were established to cater to travellers. In 1850 the Toronto Necropolis
was established in the area as the city's main cemetery.
In the late 19th century the area was absorbed into the city as it became home to the working class Irish inhabitants who were employed in the industries along the lakeshore to the south in Corktown
. Brick Victorian style houses were built throughout the area. The name Cabbagetown came from stories of new Irish immigrants digging up their front lawns and planting cabbage, as had been done during the years of the Irish Potato Famine. In this era the Cabbagetown name most often applied to the area south of Gerrard Street, with the part to the north still being called Don Vale. It was a working class neighbourhood, but reached its peak of prosperity just before the First World War, which is when many of the brick homes in the area date from.
After the war the area became increasingly impoverished. It became known as one of Toronto's largest slums and much of the original Cabbagetown was razed in the late 1940s to make room for the Regent Park
housing project. The remaining section to the north, then still known as Don Vale, was also slated for to be cleared and replaced by housing projects. In 1964 a Toronto Star writer wrote that "Cabbagetown has become a downhill ride and if you're on way up, you don't dare stay there for long unless you live in Regent Park."
The construction of new housing projects was halted in the 1970s that saw the rise of the reform movement that opposed such sweeping plans. In Don Mount this effort was led by Karl Jaffary
, who was elected to city council in the 1969 municipal election
along with a group of like minded councillors who soon ended the urban renewal plans. John Sewell
led the effort to preserve Trefann Court
, that covered the southern section of the original Cabbagetown.
by affluent professionals, beginning in the 1970s. Many residents restored small Victorian row houses and became community activists. Darrell Kent (1942–1989), a resident and local businessman, is recognized by the community as having been the driving force behind the restoration of many of the area’s beautiful and unique Victorian houses.
Today, wrought iron fences, stone walkways and beautifully kept gardens are common in some parts of Cabbagetown. In 1983 the Globe and Mail wrote that "Cabbagetown is probably the epitome of successful labelling. The core of the area - generally defined as being bounded by Parliament, Wellesley and Dundas Streets and the Don Valley - was once Toronto's skid row. Today, about a decade after the area was invaded by young professionals, speculators and real estate agents, there are still a few derelicts around to give the area color. The houses, meanwhile, sell for upward of $200,000." 25 years after that article was written, some homes in the area have sold for more than $1 million.
Vestiges of a 1960s, counter-culture ambiance remain at vintage clothing
stores, health food stores and a gestalt therapy clinic. A Victorian farm, once the site of a zoo, is located adjacent to Riverdale Park West, where a weekly farmer's market is held. A short distance away is the Cabbagetown Youth Centre, home of the Cabbagetown Boxing Club, a reminder of an earlier, and rougher, past. In recent years, some businesses from the nearby "gay village" of Church and Wellesley
, have relocated to the area, attracted by cheaper commercial rents.
Despite gentrification, residents from public housing projects and affluent home owners mingle at a discount supermarket and a community medical clinic. Panhandling and drug-dealing are part of the urban landscape; so are gourmet shops, upscale boutiques and arts festivals, booklaunches and wine-tastings at local restaurants. Paradoxically, "The Gerrard and Parliament neighborhood, located near Dundas and Sherbourne Streets, has the largest concentration of homeless shelters and drop-in centres in Canada. The area is also distinguished by a large number of rooming houses and other forms of low income housing." Safety Audit Report Card –Gerrard Street East and Parliament Street – Ward 27; Audit conducted on 29 January 2008
The neighbourhood is home to many artists, musicians, journalists and writers. Other residents include professors, doctors and social workers, many affiliated with the nearby University of Toronto
. Proximity to the financial district and downtown core have also made the area popular with other professionals such as lawyers, management consultants and those in financial services.
Celebrities who have at some time been residents of Cabbagetown include:
As part of a project called 'Cabbagetown People', historical plaques have been placed on noteworthy homes. A map of the locations has been erected in Riverdale Park West, and an index of the addresses, with the names of the former residents, is posted on a website devoted to this project. The people listed include:
Prior to the government housing that replaced much of the original housing beginning in the 1940s, Cabbagetown encompassed the current neighbourhoods of Moss Park, Regent Park and Trefann Court
.
Nelson Mandela Park Public School is located on Shuter Street, south of Regent Park, with a broad multicultural mix of students from the area.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (elementary—Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8) was originally located on Winchester Street in Cabbagetown. 100+ years later, the school occupies modern facilities at 444 Sherbourne Street, just south of Wellesley Street, on the western edge of the neighbourhood. In 2005, St. Martin’s school on Salisbury Street in Cabbagetown was closed and the students and staff became part of the Our Lady of Lourdes school community.
Rose Avenue Public School is located in the centre of the St. Jamestown apartment complex, south of Bloor Street, north of Wellesley Street and west of Parliament Street.
Winchester Junior & Senior Public School is a public elementary and middle school on Prospect St. The school provides French Immersion
, Toddler Learning Centre and they partner in an after school program with the Cabbagetown Youth Centre. This school is over a hundred & twenty five years old. Winchester School Community Garden is Green Thumbs Growing Kids’ flagship school food garden.
, protected by municipal bylaw. The district was established in two stages: first an area centred on Metcalfe, and later areas to the north and east of the initial area.
The boundaries of the combined district are currently:
The area south of Carlton Street and north of, but excluding, Gerrard Street, is under consideration for future inclusion.
and The School of Toronto Dance Theatre
. Close by at 509 Parliament Street, the Danny Grossman Dance Company, the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre, The School of the Canadian Children's Dance Theatre and TILT Sound + Motion share a large renovated building that housed some of the CBC's
radio studios until the early 1990s. These venues host both dance and theatre performances at various times during the year.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It comprises "the largest continuous area of preserved Victorian housing
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
in all of North America", according to the Cabbagetown Preservation Association.
Cabbagetown's name derives from the Irish immigrants who moved to the neighbourhood beginning in the late 1840s, said to have been so poor that they grew cabbage
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
in their front yards. Canadian writer Hugh Garner
Hugh Garner
Hugh Garner was a Canadian novelist.Born in Batley, Yorkshire, England, Garner came to Canada in 1919 with his parents, and was raised in Toronto, Ontario. During the Great Depression, he rode the rails in both Canada and the United States, and then joined the International Brigades in the Spanish...
's novel, Cabbagetown, depicted life in the neighbourhood during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
History
The area today known as Cabbagetown was first known as the village of Don Vale, just outside of Toronto. It grew up in the 1840s around the Winchester Street Bridge, which before the construction of the Prince Edward ViaductPrince Edward Viaduct
The Prince Edward Viaduct System, commonly referred to as the Bloor Viaduct or the viaduct, is the name of a truss arch bridge system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that connects Bloor Street East, on the west side of the system, with Danforth Avenue on the east...
was the main northern bridge over the Don River. This was near the site where Castle Frank Brook
Castle Frank Brook
Castle Frank Brook is a buried creek and south-west flowing tributary of the Don River in central and north-western Toronto, Ontario, originating near the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and Dufferin Street....
flowed in the Don River. By the bridge the Don Vale Tavern and Fox's Inn were established to cater to travellers. In 1850 the Toronto Necropolis
Toronto Necropolis
Necropolis Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Toronto, located on the west side of the Don Valley near Riverdale Farm. Opened in 1850 to replace "Strangers' Burying Ground" , the cemetery is the resting place for many dead Torontonians including:* Joseph Bloor* William Lyon Mackenzie - Toronto's...
was established in the area as the city's main cemetery.
In the late 19th century the area was absorbed into the city as it became home to the working class Irish inhabitants who were employed in the industries along the lakeshore to the south in Corktown
Corktown, Toronto
Corktown is a residential neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is just south of Regent Park and north of the Gardiner Expressway, between Berkeley Street to the west and the Don River to the east, Shuter Street to Lake Shore Boulevard East, this area also includes the Distillery...
. Brick Victorian style houses were built throughout the area. The name Cabbagetown came from stories of new Irish immigrants digging up their front lawns and planting cabbage, as had been done during the years of the Irish Potato Famine. In this era the Cabbagetown name most often applied to the area south of Gerrard Street, with the part to the north still being called Don Vale. It was a working class neighbourhood, but reached its peak of prosperity just before the First World War, which is when many of the brick homes in the area date from.
After the war the area became increasingly impoverished. It became known as one of Toronto's largest slums and much of the original Cabbagetown was razed in the late 1940s to make room for the Regent Park
Regent Park
Regent Park is a neighbourhood located in Old Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Regent Park is Canada's oldest and largest social housing project; built in the late 1940s. Formerly the centre of the Cabbagetown neighbourhood, it is bounded by Gerrard Street East to the north, River Street to the east,...
housing project. The remaining section to the north, then still known as Don Vale, was also slated for to be cleared and replaced by housing projects. In 1964 a Toronto Star writer wrote that "Cabbagetown has become a downhill ride and if you're on way up, you don't dare stay there for long unless you live in Regent Park."
The construction of new housing projects was halted in the 1970s that saw the rise of the reform movement that opposed such sweeping plans. In Don Mount this effort was led by Karl Jaffary
Karl Jaffary
Karl Jaffary , is a former municipal politician in Toronto, Ontario.Karl was born in New Orleans and moved to Toronto with his family in 1940. He went to school in Toronto and attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute and University of Toronto Schools. He went to the University of Toronto and...
, who was elected to city council in the 1969 municipal election
Toronto municipal election, 1969
Municipal elections were held in Toronto, Canada, on December 1, 1969. Across Metro Toronto there were few surprising results, and city of Toronto incumbent mayor William Dennison was easily re-elected...
along with a group of like minded councillors who soon ended the urban renewal plans. John Sewell
John Sewell
John Sewell, CM is a Canadian political activist and writer on municipal affairs; he was the mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1978 to 1980.-Background:...
led the effort to preserve Trefann Court
Trefann Court
Trefann Court is a small neighbourhood in the eastern part of downtown Toronto, Canada. It is located on the north side of Queen Street between Parliament Street and River Street. It extends north only a short distance to Shuter St. In the nineteenth century Trefann Court was considered a part of...
, that covered the southern section of the original Cabbagetown.
Gentrification
Cabbagetown was gentrifiedGentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
by affluent professionals, beginning in the 1970s. Many residents restored small Victorian row houses and became community activists. Darrell Kent (1942–1989), a resident and local businessman, is recognized by the community as having been the driving force behind the restoration of many of the area’s beautiful and unique Victorian houses.
Today, wrought iron fences, stone walkways and beautifully kept gardens are common in some parts of Cabbagetown. In 1983 the Globe and Mail wrote that "Cabbagetown is probably the epitome of successful labelling. The core of the area - generally defined as being bounded by Parliament, Wellesley and Dundas Streets and the Don Valley - was once Toronto's skid row. Today, about a decade after the area was invaded by young professionals, speculators and real estate agents, there are still a few derelicts around to give the area color. The houses, meanwhile, sell for upward of $200,000." 25 years after that article was written, some homes in the area have sold for more than $1 million.
Vestiges of a 1960s, counter-culture ambiance remain at vintage clothing
Vintage clothing
Vintage clothing is a generic term for new or second hand garments originating from a previous era. The phrase is also used in connection with a retail outlet, e.g...
stores, health food stores and a gestalt therapy clinic. A Victorian farm, once the site of a zoo, is located adjacent to Riverdale Park West, where a weekly farmer's market is held. A short distance away is the Cabbagetown Youth Centre, home of the Cabbagetown Boxing Club, a reminder of an earlier, and rougher, past. In recent years, some businesses from the nearby "gay village" of Church and Wellesley
Church and Wellesley
Church and Wellesley is an LGBT-oriented community located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is roughly bounded by Gerrard Street to the south, Yonge Street to the west, Charles Street to the north, and Jarvis Street to the east, with the core commercial strip located along Church Street from...
, have relocated to the area, attracted by cheaper commercial rents.
Despite gentrification, residents from public housing projects and affluent home owners mingle at a discount supermarket and a community medical clinic. Panhandling and drug-dealing are part of the urban landscape; so are gourmet shops, upscale boutiques and arts festivals, booklaunches and wine-tastings at local restaurants. Paradoxically, "The Gerrard and Parliament neighborhood, located near Dundas and Sherbourne Streets, has the largest concentration of homeless shelters and drop-in centres in Canada. The area is also distinguished by a large number of rooming houses and other forms of low income housing." Safety Audit Report Card –Gerrard Street East and Parliament Street – Ward 27; Audit conducted on 29 January 2008
Residents
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
. Proximity to the financial district and downtown core have also made the area popular with other professionals such as lawyers, management consultants and those in financial services.
Celebrities who have at some time been residents of Cabbagetown include:
- Richard BradshawRichard BradshawRichard James Bradshaw, O.Ont was a British opera conductor and the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto....
- General Director, Canadian Opera CompanyCanadian Opera CompanyThe Canadian Opera Company is an opera company in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the largest opera company in Canada and the third largest producer of opera in North America. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.-History:For 40 years until...
(1998–2007) - Brent ButtBrent ButtBrent Butt is a Canadian stand-up comedian actor and writer. He is best known for his role as Brent Leroy on the CTV sitcom Corner Gas, which he also created. The series was an instant hit when it made its debut in 2004....
- comedian - Adrienne ClarksonAdrienne ClarksonAdrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
- journalist and 26th Governor General of CanadaGovernor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II... - Sir Andrew Davis - conductor and musician
- Tarek FatahTarek FatahTarek Fatah Urdu: طارق فتح is a Canadian political activist, writer, and broadcaster. He is the author of Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State published by John Wiley & Sons. In the book Fatah challenges the notion that the establishment of an Islamic state is a necessary...
- author - Jian GhomeshiJian GhomeshiJian Ghomeshi is a Canadian broadcaster, writer, musician and producer of Iranian descent who was raised in Thornhill, Ontario. Now based in Toronto, he is the host of the national daily cultural affairs talk program, Q, on CBC Radio One and Bold TV...
- radio host, musician, author - Barbara HallBarbara HallBarbara Hall is a Canadian lawyer, public servant and former politician. She was the 61st mayor of Toronto, the last to run before amalgamation. She was elected mayor of the pre-amalgamation City of Toronto in 1994, and held office until December 31, 1997...
- 61st mayor of Toronto - Tomson HighwayTomson HighwayTomson Highway, CM is a celebrated Canadian and Cree playwright, novelist, and children's author. He is the author of the plays The Rez Sisters and Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing, both of which won him the Dora Mavor Moore Award and the Floyd S...
- playwright and novelist - Karen KainKaren KainKaren Alexandria Kain, CC is a retired Canadian ballet dancer, and currently the Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada.-Early Training:...
- former ballet dancer and now National Ballet of CanadaNational Ballet of CanadaThe National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
artistic directorArtistic directorAn artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization... - Peter KentPeter KentPeter Kent, PC, MP is a Conservative member of parliament for the riding of Thornhill, and the current Minister of the Environment in the 28th Canadian Ministry.Previously, he was Deputy Editor of Global Television, a Canadian TV network...
- journalist, former news anchor and Conservative MP - Avril LavigneAvril LavigneAvril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
- singer - Amy MillanAmy MillanAmy Millan is a Canadian indie rock singer and guitarist. She records and performs with the bands Stars and Broken Social Scene as well as having a successful solo career. Her second solo album, Masters of the Burial, was released by Arts & Crafts Records in September 2009.- Early life :Amy Millan...
- indie folk/rock singer and guitarist - Michael OndaatjeMichael OndaatjePhilip Michael Ondaatje , OC, is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian novelist and poet of Burgher origin. He is perhaps best known for his Booker Prize-winning novel, The English Patient, which was adapted into an Academy-Award-winning film.-Life and work:...
- novelist - Sarah PolleySarah PolleySarah Polley is a Canadian actress, singer, film director, and screenwriter. Polley first attained notice in her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series, Road to Avonlea...
- actor - June RowlandsJune RowlandsJune Rowlands was the 60th mayor of Toronto, Ontario, and the first woman to hold that office. She had previously been a long time city councillor, unsuccessful federal candidate, and chair of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission....
- 60th mayor of Toronto - Alfred SungAlfred SungAlfred Sung is a Chinese-born Canadian fashion designer, producing apparel, fragrance, accessories and home fashions for women and men. He was born in Shanghai and raised in Hong Kong. Sung is the brother of late Hong Kong actress Lydia Shum.-Early life:Sung aspired to become a fine artist...
- fashion designer - Ben WicksBen WicksBen Wicks, CM was a British-born Canadian cartoonist, illustrator, journalist and author.Wicks was a Cockney born into a poor, working class family in London's East End near London Bridge. He learned to play the saxophone in the British Army and toured Europe in a band with author Leonard Bigg...
- cartoonist, owner of the Ben Wicks pub on Parliament street in Cabbagetown - George F. WalkerGeorge F. WalkerGeorge F. Walker, CM is a Canadian playwright and screenwriter. He is one of Canada's most prolific playwrights, and also one of the most widely produced Canadian dramatists both in Canada and internationally.-Early years:...
- playwright - Alberta WatsonAlberta WatsonFaith Susan Alberta Watson , known professionally as Alberta Watson, is a Canadian movie and television series actress.-Early life:...
- actor
As part of a project called 'Cabbagetown People', historical plaques have been placed on noteworthy homes. A map of the locations has been erected in Riverdale Park West, and an index of the addresses, with the names of the former residents, is posted on a website devoted to this project. The people listed include:
- Hugh GarnerHugh GarnerHugh Garner was a Canadian novelist.Born in Batley, Yorkshire, England, Garner came to Canada in 1919 with his parents, and was raised in Toronto, Ontario. During the Great Depression, he rode the rails in both Canada and the United States, and then joined the International Brigades in the Spanish...
- Ernest MacMillanErnest MacMillanSir Ernest Alexander Campbell MacMillan, CC was an internationally renowned Canadian orchestral conductor and composer, and Canada's only "Musical Knight". He is widely regarded as being Canada's pre-eminent musician, from the 1920s through the 1950s...
- Betty OliphantBetty OliphantNancy Elizabeth "Betty" Oliphant, was a co-founder of the National Ballet School of Canada.Born in London, she suffered from pneumonia as a child and her doctor prescribed ballet lessons to help with her breathing. She studied with Tamara Karsavina, Laurent Novikoff and Marie Rambert...
- Al PurdyAl PurdyAlfred Wellington Purdy, OC, O.Ont was one of the most popular and important Canadian poets of the 20th century. Purdy's writing career spanned more than fifty years. His works include over thirty books of poetry; a novel; two volumes of memoirs and four books of correspondence...
- Gordon SinclairGordon SinclairAllan Gordon Sinclair, OC, FRGS was a Canadian journalist, writer and commentator.-Early life:Sinclair was born in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. In 1916, before finishing his first year of high school, Sinclair dropped out to take a job with the Bank of Nova Scotia...
Boundaries
Original
The original boundaries of Cabbagetown were:- Gerrard Street to the north
- Queen Street to the south
- Parliament Street to the west
- the Don RiverDon River (Toronto)The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
to the east
Prior to the government housing that replaced much of the original housing beginning in the 1940s, Cabbagetown encompassed the current neighbourhoods of Moss Park, Regent Park and Trefann Court
Trefann Court
Trefann Court is a small neighbourhood in the eastern part of downtown Toronto, Canada. It is located on the north side of Queen Street between Parliament Street and River Street. It extends north only a short distance to Shuter St. In the nineteenth century Trefann Court was considered a part of...
.
Current
Cabbagetown's current boundaries may be broadly defined as:- Gerrard Street to the south (east of Parliament)
- Shuter Street to the south (between Sherbourne St. and Parliament St.)
- St. James Cemetery to the north (east of Parliament St.)
- Wellesley Street East to the north (between Sherbourne St. and Parliament St.)
- Sherbourne Street to the west
- the Don River to the east.
Schools
Lord Dufferin Junior and Senior Public School is located south of Gerrard Street. It was completely renovated and expanded in the later 1990s to serve students throughout the area.Nelson Mandela Park Public School is located on Shuter Street, south of Regent Park, with a broad multicultural mix of students from the area.
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (elementary—Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8) was originally located on Winchester Street in Cabbagetown. 100+ years later, the school occupies modern facilities at 444 Sherbourne Street, just south of Wellesley Street, on the western edge of the neighbourhood. In 2005, St. Martin’s school on Salisbury Street in Cabbagetown was closed and the students and staff became part of the Our Lady of Lourdes school community.
Rose Avenue Public School is located in the centre of the St. Jamestown apartment complex, south of Bloor Street, north of Wellesley Street and west of Parliament Street.
Winchester Junior & Senior Public School is a public elementary and middle school on Prospect St. The school provides French Immersion
French immersion
French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French...
, Toddler Learning Centre and they partner in an after school program with the Cabbagetown Youth Centre. This school is over a hundred & twenty five years old. Winchester School Community Garden is Green Thumbs Growing Kids’ flagship school food garden.
Aberdeen Avenue Residents' Group
The residents of Aberdeen Avenue, named for Lord Aberdeen, Governor General of Canada 1893-1898, and his wife Lady Ishbel Aberdeen, established an active community association in 2006, the Aberdeen Avenue Residents' Group (AARG) to address issues unique to this Cabbagetown location.Don Vale Cabbagetown Residents Association
The Don Vale Cabbagetown Residents Association (DVCRA) was originally established in 1967, according to its website. It states its purpose to be protecting and improving the general quality of life and character of the community. The association defines its western boundary as Parliament Street.Cabbagetown South Association
The area between Sherbourne St. and Parliament St., from Shuter St. to Carlton St. has its own residents' association, Cabbagetown South Association. Cabbagetown South Association was formed in 2002 from the amalgamation of Central Cabbagetown Residents Association (CENTRA), which previously represented the part of Cabbagetown South that is north of Gerrard Street E., and the Seaton Ontario Berkeley Residents Association (SOBRA), which previously represented those streets south of Gerrard Street E.Heritage Conservation District
In 2004 part of Cabbagetown became a Heritage Conservation DistrictOntario Heritage Act
The Ontario Heritage Act, first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Province of Ontario, Canada, as being of cultural heritage value or interest....
, protected by municipal bylaw. The district was established in two stages: first an area centred on Metcalfe, and later areas to the north and east of the initial area.
The boundaries of the combined district are currently:
- St. James Cemetery to the north
- just east of Parliament Street to the west (i.e. excluding Parliament Street itself)
- Carlton Street to the south, including the south side
- Wellesley Park, the Necropolis and Riverdale Park to the east
The area south of Carlton Street and north of, but excluding, Gerrard Street, is under consideration for future inclusion.
Cabbagetown Festival
The Cabbagetown Festival is held on the second weekend in September each year. Various individual events during the week lead up to the two-day Festival on the weekend. The highlight of the Festival is a parade on Saturday morning, which usually starts at 10:00 a.m. The route can vary from year-to-year, but the parade usually includes bands, floats and local politicians. Parliament Street between Wellesley Street East and Carlton Street is closed to traffic for the week-end. An arts and crafts fair occurs all weekend in Riverdale Park West, adjacent to Riverdale Farm. Vendors come from far afield for this event. Organization of the festival is coordinated by the Old Cabbagetown Business Improvement Area (OCBIA). The festival also includes a 'Tour of Homes' organized by the Cabbagetown Preservation Association. Each year several different local homes are opened to a paying public. Tickets for afternoon and evening tours are limited and usually sold out ahead of time.Cabbagetown Short Film & Video Festival
The annual Cabbagetown Short Film & Video Festival showcases short films from around the world and is held during the Cabbagetown Festival each year. Actress, producer and writer Gina Dineen founded the Short Film & Video Festival in 1992. Since then it has grown into an impressive international juried screening, showcasing many different Canadian filmmakers and a full range of genres including animation, documentary, dramatic narrative, comedy, experimental and music. None of the productions run longer than 15 minutes.Dance & Theatre Facilities
A heritage-designated renovated church, the Winchester Street Theatre, at 80 Winchester Street, houses both Toronto Dance TheatreToronto Dance Theatre
The Toronto Dance Theatre is a Canadian modern dance company based in Toronto, Ontario. Described by The Canadian Encyclopedia as "one of the foremost modern-dance companies in Canada", the company tours nationally and internationally and regularly performs at the Harbourfront Centre and Winchester...
and The School of Toronto Dance Theatre
The School of Toronto Dance Theatre
The School of Toronto Dance Theatre is a Canadian dance school located in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The School was founded in 1968 by Patricia Beatty, David Earle, and Peter Randazzo, and is today among the foremost institutions of dance education in Canada.-Programs...
. Close by at 509 Parliament Street, the Danny Grossman Dance Company, the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre, The School of the Canadian Children's Dance Theatre and TILT Sound + Motion share a large renovated building that housed some of the CBC's
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
radio studios until the early 1990s. These venues host both dance and theatre performances at various times during the year.
Forsythia Festival
The first Sunday in May sees the annual Forsythia festival organized in large part by the Cabbagetown Preservation Association. The festival includes a small parade from Riverdale Park West to Wellesley Park, where games and family entertainment are held. Local resident, storyteller and entertainer Tony Brady (1935–1991) founded the Forsythia Festival in 1971 and participated each year in character as his alter ego, Briget The Clown.Books about Cabbagetown
- Cabbagetown Store, J.V.McAree (short stories)
- Ryerson Press (1953) (113 pages)
- Working People: Life in a downtown city neighbourhood, James Lorimer & Myfanwy Phillips
- James Lewis & Samuel Ltd (1971) (hardcover) ISBN 0-88862-011-X (274 pages)
- James Lewis & Samuel Ltd (1971) (paperback) ISBN 0-88862-012-8 (274 pages)
- Cabbagetown, Hugh Garner (novel)
- McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Trade (1978) ISBN 0-07-082702-8 (415 pages)
- McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Trade (2002) ISBN 0-07-091552-0 (424 pages)
- Cabbagetown: The story of a Victorian neighbourhood, Penina Coopersmith
- James Lorimer & Co (1998) ISBN 1-55028-579-3 (96 pages)
- Cabbagetown Remembered, George H. Rust-D'Eye
- The Boston Mills Press (1984) ISBN 0-919783-00-7
- Cabbagetown in Pictures, Colleen Kelly
- Toronto Public Library (1984) ISBN 0-919486-71-1
- Touring Old Cabbagetown
- Cabbagetown Preservation Association (1992) ISBN 0-9699394-0-6
- The Banker of Cabbagetown, Eric S. Rosen
- s.n. (1991) ISBN 0-9692017-3-7
- Images of Cabbagetown Photography by James Wiley
- V.A. Gates (1994) ISBN 0-9698392
- The Knot, Tim Wynne-Jones (novel)
- McClelland and Stewart Limited (1982) ISBN 0-7710-9051-X
- The Intruders : A Novel, Hugh Garner
- McGraw-Hill Ryerson (1976) ISBN 0-70822291
- Cabbagetown Diary : A Documentary, (novel) Juan Butler
- Peter Martin Associates, Ltd. (1970) ISBN 0-88778-040-7
See also
- List of annual events in Toronto
- List of neighbourhoods in Toronto
- List of parks in Toronto