Ask any Torontonian what is most prestigious shopping and dining area in Toronto and the answer will always be Yorkville. Why? If you want to shop for a dress that is one of each kind, you will not visit any brand name store, but shop independent boutique clothing store in the area. This unique district is about diversity in clothing, goods, personal services, health and well-being services and fine dining. This district is a prime Toronto destination, but also a home to many residents of new condos and luxury apartment buildings. The name has its origin in old Yorkville Village incorporated in 1853. It was beyond the boundaries of old Toronto and absorbed by the city in 1853. On today’s map, we can find Yorkville district as an area extending north of Charles Street to, just north of Dupont, where railway line is. West of Yonge Street to Avenue Road. Over last forty years or so, we have witnessed many transformations and each period might have left long- lasting memories on Many Torontonians. First recognition that the district gained was during sixties. It was the area of Vietnam War with its hippie culture and free love that impacted old sleeping village most. This famous area became synonymous for hippies culture and international meeting place for US draft dodger coming to Canada, students, visitors and many more. “See you in the Yorkville,” was enough to be said and understood. District also impacted Canadian music. Old Minah Bird on the main avenue was a starting point for a number of performers who have become legends since that. Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young and Joni Mitchel just to name few. It also became a starting place for one of Canadian corporate names, since Mr. Submarine opened its first sandwich shop on Yorkville Avenue on 1968. On any visit there, I would buy an assorted sub and Coke, paying only $1.25 with no tax then. During sixties, it might have been a cousin to Greenwich Village in New York City. It made its mark not just in music, but also fostering ground for writers. Bohemian Embassy was a legendary name for art and bohemian lifestyle. In 1923, it becomes the first home to a great Canadian institution, known today as Mount Sinai Hospital. Hospital moved out to University Avenue in 1953, leaving its original building behind. For a while, the building continued to serve as hospital’s nurses residence, until it became St. Raphael’s Nursing Home, in the sixties. The Mount Sinai facade was designated as historical under Ontario Heritage Act and remains in Yorkville until today, serving a new purpose. I recall many interesting sights during hot summer days and nights of 1969, watching elderly residents of nursing home sitting on chairs in front of their nursing home and watching hippie generation walking by. What was on the minds of those residents, seeing new long haired generation smoking their grass? A generation gap or shock was obvious. Yorkville presented new business opportunities to Real Estate developers with foresight who started buying quietly properties that they consider under their value. Early seventies saw two major breakthrough developments there. It was the Four Season Hotel and just across the road Hazelton Shopping centre development. The centre was remarkable because of its placement of skating ring in the middle. It was supposed to be a major attraction that has not survived for too long. It just did not bring enough shoppers, but the idea always reminded me the skating ring in front of Rockeffeler Centre in New York City. Yorkville Shopping phrase was coined and meant shopping for uniqueness and quality unmatched by traditional department stores of those days. It has transformed its image of rags in sixties, to an affluent place in seventies. So many changes have occurred there since that; however, one business and restaurant defied all changes. Le Trou Normand, a French restaurant, it has been an icon there for more than 35 years.
The condominium building at # 80, retained its historical facade as the memories to the past. It was a remarkable construction project to cut the facade, move to the street to allow for construction and then attach it to the new luxury building . Ryerson students in their reality project for a condominium project in Toronto coined the new brand-name Yorkvillism. It is a state of mind describing desire for affluence and replication of lifestyle for rich and famous. It is far removed from the first image during sixties, when it was the centre of anti-establishment and blue jeans were accepted dress code. It is a part of another _ism, a dogma and assumption not based on reality. It means living a fairy-tale life. We come to watch celebrities there, but we can only have a short span of time. Approximately 10 days during Toronto International Film Festival taking place every September. I enjoy the hustle and bustle during International Film Festival and spend a week there every year. I have found my best place to watch it and enjoy my being there from a patio of stylish continental restaurant at the corner of York and Hazel. I made friends with the owner and his staff. I enjoy their food and pay a reasonable price. The owner is a half-celebrity himself, being a circus performer in his prior career. He performed on the stage with my idol singer of sixties, Cliff Richard also Sammy Davis Jr. The area was an exciting place to visit in 1969, on my tight budget spending just a $1.25 for great sub sandwich. These days I can afford to upgrade for Continental food during 2010 and 2011. I have watched some movie stars being driven away from the hotel or even taking a casual walk there.
Although the district strives to be home of celebrities and big spenders, the reality is far from that. Toronto just does not have such a large class of spenders and free wheelers with their money, like New York City of L.A. Yorkville in Toronto has to do on the wannabes most of the time. Vaticano on Bellair Avenue is Italian dining restaurant, genuine place popular with celebrities, also for the duration of Toronto International Film Festival. During the rest of the year, the restaurant is popular with Canadian business crowd and visitors to Toronto. It is ready and place set for opulent lifestyle, but its daily visitors can be very stringent with their money. It is a reality that makes it hard for businesses to survive. Paying high rents to pay that are prevalent in Bloor-Yorkville area. It causes such a high turnover of businesses. There are always ” Going out of business” or “For Rent” signs visible on the street level. It is the let down and reminder that opulent lifestyle is not our everyday phenomenon in Toronto yet.
It is a watching place, including people, automobiles and motorcycles. You can see many sports and expensive cars with displaying Wheelchair Stickers behind their windshield. Do all the handicapped people buy these cars, but where do they keep the wheelchairs? Most likely, it is an attempt to avoid paying expensive parking fines. Parking Control Officers are relentless day or night, issuing expensive fines in droves on all major arteries and parking spots are scare. District is not only retail centre, but a place to obtain many professional services. Yorkvillism as a lifestyle demand well being for your mind and body. You will find many cosmetic dental clinics offering rejuvenation of your smile, plastic surgery clinics, hairstylists, spas and therapists of all kinds, just to name few. Family and Cosmetic Dentistry in Scollard Street is one recommended by a long time local resident. They cater to the young and professional crowd and keep in touch with them with mobile dental website. Older crowd has different needs of dental care, and the Yorkville dentistry provides them all. Chiropractic clinics and massage therapist are also wellness providers. Another local residents and friend of mine visits once a week local chiropractor for affluent and ordinary folks with an office located on the Street, just across the library and fire station. My local friend is a good example of Yorkvillism. He lives in the heart of the district in a condo on Bellair Avenue, just next to the subway entrance. His office is also located on Downtown subway station. We had many discussions on this topic of downtown traffic gridlocks, unnecessary costs for gas, avoiding many unnecessary parking tickets and making environmentally friendly choices. He always agrees that those are right arguments, but not right choices for him! In spite of convenience and economy of using TTC, he continues to drive his car to work and back home every day. He considers it lifestyle choice and status symbol. By his confession, affluent district residents can’t afford to be seen on TTC, or carrying their groceries through the front lobby of their building. Is this belief part of teh affluent area’s dogma?
What is the future in Yorkville? In spite of many new condo developments advertised with ads, proclaiming the future is bright, I am not sure if their predictions are right! I can see a large amount of speculation pushing the purchase prices up, while many businesses have hard times to survive in business. Condo development has not produced many new shoppers and restaurant’s patrons. Local businesses are largely dependent on crowd working downtown and people, like me. Without attracting a large crowd of economy shoppers and spenders, Yorkville might experience winter months, all-year round.
Yorkville For Top Restaurants Courtyard Restaurant, Le Trou Normand and Vaticano with fine dining at its best.
