Parkdale Neighborhood

 Parkdale

The History

To the world Parkdale is just 43°38′26″N 79°26′12″W / 43.640454°N 79.436731°W.  either on a map, in their books or their atlases. But to 107,035 people living there, they call it home. Parkdale or 'The Village of Parkdale' for the older readers, was founded in 1879. Before it was a "neighborhood", Parkdale was a suburb made of Victorian mansions viewing over Lake Ontario. In 1881 the first church in the area was built, it was the Anglican Church of St. Mark. After in 1884 the village of Parkdale joined the city of Toronto. The village didn't join immediately, as the village's finances were not in order. Liabilities of the village were not clearly stated in the financial statements. In 1888 another vote was held and supported. The village joined the City of Toronto in March 1889.

Parkdale has evolved into a transient neighbourhood for many newcomers to Canada. Waves of Caribbean, Vietnamese, Filipino, Tamil, Chinese, Tibetan, Hungarian and Roma immigrants have marked Parkdale in different times between 1980 till present. Parkdale presently hosts a large number of Tibetan settlers, with the area being home to one of the largest Tibetan diaspora outside of India and Nepal. Some of the recent developments in Parkdale include the Healthy Organic Parkdale Edibles 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, 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.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkdale,_Toronto

Attractions

Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC):

PARC works with members on individual issues of poverty, mental health, addictions, homelessness and food security. Members access services and develop relationships with our staff and one another through four core areas of operation: a drop-in centre, a peer-support program, an outreach program and supportive housing.The idea of PARC was born in 1977 when a group of volunteers observed the large number of adults living in Parkdale rooming houses and boarding homes. Many were survivors of the psychiatric system, had little money, few family contacts and no real place to go and connect with peers. The simple act of walking through our doors is what makes a person a PARC member. Choosing to give back, create and grow is how PARC members contribute and help build our community. Within a shifting urban landscape, PARC also acts as a hub and meeting place for various agencies, enterprises and partners who strive to create lasting social change in Parkdale and beyond.

Link: http://parc.on.ca/

  

The Workroom:

The workroom is Toronto's first "workroom" were people can come and either sew or craft by the hour. They have a laid back staff and a great selection of fabrics to choose from. They also have classes for people who want to learn the craft of sewing. The atmosphere at the Workroom is very relaxed. Everyone there is nice and friendly.  It is more a atmosphere of cooperation, sharing, and collaboration rather than cut throat competition. The shop itself is one big room with several rows of sewing machines and the walls were lined with colorful fabrics, books, and samples of items that you could make if you choose to put your mind to it. The Workroom is becoming a 'fabric' in the neighborhood. (See what I did there)

Link:  http://www.theworkroom.ca/

Reviews: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/the-workroom-toronto 

The Gladstone Hotel:

Internationally recognized as Canada’s favorite Boutique Art Hotel, the Gladstone uniquely blends historical Victorian architecture with contemporary luxury, downtown culture and whole lot of art, making it an iconic Toronto hub for locals and international travelers alike. The Gladstone Hotel is the oldest continuously operating hotel in Toronto. It was originally built in 1889 as a stylish hostelry across from the then existing Parkdale railroad station which serviced the Grand Trunk, the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Canadian National Railway companies. In addition to serving the three major railway companies at the time it provided visitors attending the Exhibition to have a place to stay. The original owner Susanna Robinson was a widow who operated and lived at the hotel with her 13 children. Throughout the years the hotel was tossed from owner to owner and gradually deteriorated in both status and physical appearance. In 2000 a group of developers decided to attempt to rescue this once-luxurious hotel. The Tippins and the Zeidler family combined forces in the attempt, but arguments regarding how to approach the restoration project began between the two families resulting in the Zeidlers ownership of the hotel in 2002.

Link: http://www.gladstonehotel.com/
Reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Review-g155019-d582667-Reviews-Gladstone_Hotel-Toronto_Ontario.html



Problems and Issues

Crime Rate

Parkdale is notorious for it's crime rate. Since 2009, 2/3rds of the neighborhoods crime rate has depleted. But it is still an issue in the community.   In the mid-1970s, the Ontario provincial government 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. Many of the old Victorian mansions of South Parkdale had already been converted to boarding houses, and were only a short distance away from both hospitals. 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. Parkdale is home to a food bank and day centres for the homeless. A pilot programme for a needle exchange is new to the area. 

 

Link:  http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/4128117-police-share-crime-stats-with-parkdale-residents/

 

Current Events

Rare look at Parkdale artist Scott McDermid’s paintings:

 

During his long career as an artist Scott McDermid’s approach to painting has changed and evolved, as has the size and style and the motivation behind his work. But in a rare exhibition of his work pulled from the past 25 years, currently on display at the Mark Christopher Gallery in Parkdale, McDermid said it all comes together quite well. “Even though they are different approaches they melded quite well,” McDermid said. “You can see the same hand in it all.” The exhibition, titled Scott McDermid Retrospective 1989 – 2013, features large-scale paintings from earlier in his career through to the smaller works he currently produces. McDermid has resided in Parkdale for more than a dozen years. The coach house he lives in just off Sorauren Avenue is full to the brim with his art, music gear, records and his extensive collection of kitschy pipe-shaped trinkets. He paints mostly with oils these days, using traditional gesso, an absorbent primer coat substrate for painting. “I’m a gilder and gesso is the material we use in the frames underneath the gold. It absorbs the paint really nicely; it has a good tooth to it,” McDermid said. theme is love and relationships, fear of love, couples, hugging and kissing images. “The ones I chose for the show were the kissing images and then Mark (Mark Zadorozny, owner of the gallery) helped to curate the rest of the show,” McDermid said. “I thought it came together.” Scott McDermid Retrospective 1989 – 2013 is on display at Mark Christopher Gallery at 1594 Queen St. W. until Aug. 18. 

 

Link:  http://www.insidetoronto.com/parkdale-toronto-on/