mmoreleigh

Hi

I wonder if any of the Toronto based folk on the board can give me an idea of what the danforth area is like?

We are coming over to Toronto on a WP mid Feb and have been lucky enough to do a house swap - we have a place to stay in Eaton Avenue just near Pape subway.

Is it an OK area?

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Cheers

M.

dbd33

It's nice, wow!

That is, it's most definitely urban and cosmopolitan, if you like that it's nice. It's not rural. The predominant ethnicity is Greek but the population is diverse. From there you can walk to countless Greek restaurants, a Cuban restaurant, Allen's (a NYC style Irish pub/restaurant with music) the Cafe Brussels (Belgian, old style decor, wonderful food beyond the myriad types of mussels), a Brazilian restaurant, the subway, a public swimming pool with a 99% gay male clientelle, a public swimming pool used by the public at large, a venue for live bands, Chinatown East (actually mainly Vietnamese but lots of Asian foods for sale). If you have good legs you can also walk to Little India.

mmoreleigh

Thanks alot dbd - we knew it'd be fairly urban - but we are used to that coming from SW London so hopefully it won't be too much of a shock!

We have two young children - is Toronto on the whole child friendly in that people don't mind kids having dinner in restaurants after 5pm!

Cheers

M.

dbd33

Toronto is, by and large, child friendly but along the Danforth you'd do better to think "are the Mediteranean countries child friendly" which, of course, they are. The great strength of Toronto, imo, is that you get almost any food served by someone who came from the country of the food, the mood of the place will slightly reflect that of a restaurant in the country of origin.

One of my daughters attended night school at Danforth and Broadview, while she was in high school (within the past five years) she'd walk home past Pape. I mention this as a measure of the safety of the area, or our perception of it.

There is, or was, a little zoo in Riverdale, if that's still there it's a fun place for small kids. Otherwise there are lots of parks with swings and splash pads. A good neigbourhood all around though one should be both gay and dog positive.

britishvixen21

I think its ok i have a freind in that neighbourhood near pape, its a nice enough area but theres a real funky smell all the time there, prolly from all the trash from the restuarants, and I find the locals very unwelcoming especially the greek men! nice houses though at reasonable rates. I lived Broadview and Danforth and taht was a great area and a little less Scarboroughish than Pape.

dbd33

?

celine_uk

God your depressing……... I'm sure you read the 'UK' Sun everyday and believe every word written

dbd33

I asked what she meant by "Scarboroughish", I thought it an innocent question. Perhaps it's obvious to mmoreleigh as it's not to me. Please explain.


So far as the Sun is concerned I only look at the pictures.

acer rose

<snort>

Plural?

britishvixen21

Scarboroughish= scummy, like a big council estate

come on everyone knows that Scarborough is the pit of Toronto.

dbd33

Oh, you think Pape and Danforth is scummy ? I walked the dog along there last weekend and didn't notice that, my OH went to a knitting class along there and didn't report any edginess. I'll grant you that there are no manicured lawns but I think "scummy" is rather harsh.

Here are some pictures :

http://www.boldts.net/TorT.shtml

sidewalk cafes, trees, unarmed pedestrians, it doesn't look very rough to me.

Scarborough, of course, is huge. Miuch of it is very nice indeed but way too expensive for us.

britishvixen21

well we will have to agree to disagree i think theres way nicer places in Toronto for about the same rental price than Pape and Danforth. sorry thats just my opinion.

snowbunny

Pape & Danforth is lovely, a public library, loads of restaurants, easy access to the Danforth line of the subway..... what's not to like?!?!

britishvixen21

Hve you ever been to Pape and Danforth on Garbage day Phhewww weeeeeee also my freind used to complain about mice and rats cos of the garbage in the back yards of the restaurants. there is a lot of homeless ppl begging down there, and i think the ppl there are unfreindly especially the old greek men, on more than one occasion ive had them say something in greek to and i dont speak greek but i know it was derogatory.

I mean its not terrible but as i said there a way better places along a subway route for the same money with more amenities as well, i mean if your not driving where is the nearest big supermarket, theyve got that little IGA and thats it.

dbd33

There's a Valu-Mart (at Woodbine subway) and a Sobey's (at Main subway) along the Danforth, one could walk one way and take the subway back.