King West - Wellington Place

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King West – Wellington Place
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      History:

      King West also referred to as Wellington Place was established in 1837 as part of the Military Reserves of the Town of York – the forerunner to the City of Toronto. Victoria Memorial Square  – now a neighbourhood park – was Toronto’s first military cemetery. In the 1830s the military reserves were auctioned off and a “New Town” development was created for this area. Grandiose in concept New Town was to be defined by Clarence Square and Victoria Square which were to be linked by a grand treed boulevard called Wellington Place.
      In the 1850s with the arrival of the railway to Toronto the character of this neighbourhood would change dramatically. King West would evolve as a busy industrial and manufacturing centre. Many of the old industrial buildings from the 1800s and early 1900s have recently been converted to residential and commercial uses. In the 1920’s King West formed what was then known as St. Andrews Ward – one of Toronto earliest neighbourhoods.This Ward was predominantly working class.
      By the 1990s industry and manufacturing had largely moved out from King West. The area was run down and buildings were in neglect. However a new era of prosperity began in 1996 when the City of Toronto enacted the King-Spadina Plan to attract new investment in order to revitalize this area. The plan worked brilliantly as developers began to build new condominiums that catered to young and hip urban professionals. Restaurants and nightclubs soon followed and with it a new neighbourhood name now commonly referred to as Wellington Place or simply King West

      Overview:

      Located in the heart of Toronto’s Fashion and Entertainment King West also known as Wellington Place has been compared to the Soho neighbourhood in New York. It is especially popular with young urban professionals, both singles and couples, who embrace an urban lifestyle close to their downtown offices and within walking distance of Toronto’s entertainment district.This vibrant neighbourhood is known to have one of the most active nightclubs and bar scenes in Toronto.
      King West now has the added cache of being the host neighbourhood for the Toronto International Film Festival which takes place annually in September. This TIFF festival attracts mega-stars to premiere screenings and creates a buzz throughout the whole neighbourhood and the entire city. The headquarters for the festival is the TIFF Bell Lightbox theatre on King West, which is surrounded by glitzy new condominium buildings that reflect the urban-esque lifestyle enjoyed by residents of this neighbourhood.

      Lifestyle:

      You do not have to leave the neighbourhood to furnish your condominium. There are many stylish home furnishing shops and art galleries in the area along King Street, Queen Street, Spadina Avenue and bathurst Street that cater to the tastes of the young urban professionals that live in this neighbourhood. Fitness and lifestyle-related businesses have also set up shop here. Grocery stores and general stores with all the essentials are readily accessible.
      Toronto’s Chinatown district on Spadina Avenue is a short walk north of this neighbourhood. Food markets are plentiful here. Kensington Market to the north is also within walking distance. This old world market will delight the senses with the sounds of international music and the scent of exotic spices emanating from the eclectic mix of shops and restaurants.

      Homes:

      King West has one of the best selection of condominium buildings in the city. These are low and mid-rise buildings. Many of these are designed as soft lofts with units that feature lots of light and open spaces, high ceilings and balconies. Some of these buildings also contain two-storey loft condominium townhouses.
      There are a handful of authentic hard loft buildings in the neighbourhood as well, that are characterized by their red brick exterior, large windows and architectural accents. These loft units may have features such as concrete floors, exposed wood beams, and exposed brick. There are also a handful of historically designated row houses on Draper Street that date back to the 1880s.

      Recreation:

      Victoria Memorial Square located at Wellington and Portland Streets is Toronto’s first military cemetery. A war monument and interpretive plaques in this park commemorate Canada’s fallen soldiers. Today, this urban park represents where new lives are starting and new stories are being told.
      Clarence Square situated at Spadina Avenue and Wellington Street West is a residential urban park that harkens back to the Victorian era. Clarence Terrace a row of historic townhouses facing the square from the north provides a nice visual backdrop for this neighbourhood green space.
      St. Andrew’s Playground off Adelaide Street holds the distinction of being the first Toronto park to have a children’s playground. Today in addition to a playground there is a fenced in dog park. Local residents enjoy mingling in St. Andrew’s Park which is adjacent to the Waterworks Food Hall one of the top foodie destinations in Toronto.
      King West is conveniently located within walking distance of the Toronto waterfront trail which is perfect for walking, jogging and bicycling. Sports fans will delight in the fact that Scotiabank Centre and Rogers Centre, the home of Toronto’s professional sports teams are also within walking distance.
      The Arts are also represented here with numerous galleries and studios nearby and live theatre and musical performances on King Street.

      Transportation:

      A myriad of streetcar routes on Bathurst and King Streets and on Spadina Avenue connect passengers to either the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line or the Bloor subway line. Motorists are just minutes from the Gardiner Expressway and Lakeshore Boulevard which link to all the major highways leading into and out of the city. Dedicated bicycle lanes throughout King West Village offer residents another way to get around the neighbourhood

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          King West – Wellington Place Stats

          Walkability:

          High

          Bikeability:

          High

          Public Transit:

          Medium

          Affordability:

          High

          Greenspace:

          Low

          Recreation:

          Medium

           

          Legend: Low, Medium, High

          Commute Times

          Time to Closest Shopping Mall:
          15 Minutes
          Time To TTC Station:
          5 Minutes
          Time to GO Bus or Train Station:
          15 Minutes
          Time To Hospital:
          10 Minutes
          Time to Toronto Pearson International Airport
          37 Minutes
          Time to Closest Highway:
          5 Minutes

          * All commuting times provided are approximate times only. Commute times may increase or decrease depending on where you live within the neighbourhood and the time of day i.e rush hour versus off hour commutes. Time estimates to public transit are based on walking distance or bus line connection whichever is quicker. All other commute times on the chart above are based on drive times.

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          Toronto School Resources

          Editor’s Note. BEFORE MOVING INTO, BUYING OR RENTING A HOME, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL YOU ARE CONSIDERING BY PHONE to ensure your home is within the designated boundaries and that your child is age appropriate. WE CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MISINFORMATION REGARDING SCHOOL ENROLLMENT SO DO NOT ASSUME that your child can automatically attend a specific school or specialized program until you have official confirmation from that school. Please visit the school board web sites for more information.