Lvh76

Hello!
My husband is getting transferred to Toronto for a 2 year post. We leave the UK mid May. We will be given a relocation agent but I would like some advice on areas to live in. We have 2 kids - a 3 and 1 yr old - so our criteria is a family friendly area with good daycare/kindergarten within walking distance, shops and no further than a 30 min commute to the Financial District. We have a budget of $5000 per month for rent.

Many thanks,

Leisha

dbd33

Leaside, Beach, High Park, Yonge/Davisville.

A reliable guide: http://www.boldts.net/Toronto.shtml

Lvh76

Thank you!

dbd33

$5,000 gives you a good range of choices so it's going to come down to the sort of area you want, how much trendiness vs. how much quiet. Leaside is solid, conservative, respectable, the Beach more faux-bohemian. Both are ethnic ghettos of the anglo kind, you can, of course, find areas with high concentrations of people of other ethnicites or religions. Most other ethnicities and religions.

Lvh76

I currently live in a very middle class commuter town with very little diversity and I've never liked it!! As long as it's safe for the kids I'm not overly fussed about trendiness although that would be a bonus. I like the look of The Beaches but have also been drawn to Cabbagetown. I might find Leaside a bit too posh!

MarylandNed

Yonge/Eglinton

http://www.yongeeglinton.com/

http://www.godaycare.com/local/ontar...e+and+eglinton

dbd33

I like Cabbagetown but it's a blend of parks and lovely old houses, and harm reduction centres and street people. Camden Town, if you will. Leslieville or the Beach feels like a suburb compared to there. That said, my kids went to school at Jarvis and College which is pretty much Cabbagetown and came to no harm. Cabbagetown is also walking distance to the banks, that'd be a plus.

dgagitw

I'll second Cabbagetown.

London Mike

$5,000 p/month? God, you'd be mad not to live in the Beach for that. You can probably get a place just around Kew Beach Jnr school which is a top elementary school in that region. It's a very family-friendly area with good access to shops. You can streetcar to Bay St in 30 minutes from there I'd say.

That's where we'd live if we had your budget. It's really nice, especially in the summer. The Jazz festival at The Beach is a real highlight in the summer!

Lvh76

Looks like a fab place to live. Thanks for the info. Will add to our list.

Lvh76

The Beach does look amazing but I was worried it was a bit too far out from downtown. One of the reasons we're making the move is that my hubby has big commute to London every morning and misses out a lot with the kids.

dbd33

Compared to Cabbagetown it's a way out but I commuted downtown from various Beach locations by car, by tram, or when getting ready for hiking trips, by foot with a two four on my back. It's an hour to walk, 20 minutes by car, anytime between those by streetcar (experiment with www.myttc.ca) to get real timings, typically half an hour. Cabbagetown would only be quicker if the exact locations were better, streetcar, subway, walk will be within 5 minutes of streetcar from Beach and walk, if you're nearer the Bloor line in Cabbagetown then 2 subways + walk won't be quick and will be nasty.

If looking at the Beach to live, insist on a house with a parking spot.

MarylandNed

Yes, it is. My wife and I lived in that area (Sherwood Ave) for about 4 years. Everything you could want is close by - including parks and recreational activities for the kids.

victorfoxtrot

Have you thought about the Danforth area - basically either just north or just south of it in the areas close to Broadview or Chester subway stations. Broadview subway has the added advantage of being the Eastern starting point for the 504 and 505 streetcars. 504 runs along King which runs right through the Finance district. I live north on Broadview and can get to Union in 30 minutes.

I like the Danforth, plenty of shops, banks, libraries, restaurants (greek ones!) etc and family friendly. I imagine it would be cheaper than the Beaches - although i don't know for sure, but for a commuter it is a well served area - much more so than the Beaches which is just served by a streetcar.

Lvh76

Just had a nose at Sherwood Avenue on Google Maps Street view. It looks lovely and the type of street I would like to live on. Very well placed for shops etc. Would 5000 per month get us a 3 bed propertly somewhere like that? There is nothing available in that area as far as I can see at the moment so it's hard to guage prices