Walkability: Old Town - 98
By Lucas on Apr 08, 2014
For this week’s Walkability feature, we visited Old Town, a neighbourhood for true lovers of downtown Toronto.
Old Town on WalkScore.com
For the purpose of our Walkability feature, the borders of Old Town will be Parliament Street to the east, Queen Street East on the north side, and Church Street on the west (but only as far south as King Street East); between Jarvis and Parliament, Front Street East runs along the south. With these borders, the heart of Old Town is around Sherbourne and Adelaide Street East.
According to WalkScore.com, The intersection of Sherbourne and Adelaide scores an amazing 98! This means that Old Town is a “Walker’s Paradise,” where residents do not need a car to complete daily/regular errands.
Old Town’s Transit Score is also very high, in fact, it’s the highest it can be! A score of 100 means that Old Town offers “world-class public transportation.” The main streetcar lines for this neighbourhood are on King and Queen, but there is also a Wellington line that runs occassionally, and the Yonge Subway line is just a short walk away.
Old Town scores a Bike Score of 84, mostly because of it’s dedicated bike lane on Sherbourne, which runs from King all the way up to Bloor.
The amenities of Old Town
As we mentioned above, Old Town is for the true downtowner. While the neighbourhood offers a wide array of amenities, it also has what some may call “true grit.” As Toronto has evolved over the passing decades, Old Town has seen the opening of many new restaurants, bars, and cafes, as well as a number of services, but the vibe of the neighbourhood has stayed strong to its roots, pushing forward into the future with a strong hold on the past.
A beautiful remnant of Old Town’s past is St. James Cathedral at Adelaide and Church. The structure that stands today dates back to the mid 1800s; the spire was completed in 1875. The first iteration of the church was wood and built in 1807; it was damaged and robbed by American troops in the War of 1812. Other stone versions were destroyed by fire twice. And now St. James stands proudly in Old Town as yet another symbol of the neighbourhood’s perseverance.
So, why is Old Town for the true downtowner? It’s just not as flashy as King West, the Entertainment District, Fashion District, or Financial District. It has all the amenities you need, but don’t be surprised if you spot a few ma-and-pop antique shops, some brick buildings that look like they’ve seen better days, and some vacant storefronts.
Don’t let the vacant spots throw you, though. Old Town is definitely in the midst of a slow and gradual transformation. Developers, like Terracomm Development and Plus Development Group, are going to great lengths to maintain certain aspects of Old Town’s unique streetscapes.
New home developments in and around Old Town
154 Front St. E. - Cityzen Development Group - Preconstruction
Axiom Condos - Greenpark and Fieldgate Homes - Preconstruction
Ivory on Adelaide - Plaza - Construction
King & Parliament - Great Gulf - Preconstruction
King Plus - Terracomm Development and Plus Development Group - Construction
Post House Condominium - Alterra - Completed 2014
Sixty Colborne Condos - Freed Developments and Carttera Private Equities - Preconstruction
Aside from Post House and Ivory on Adelaide, the condo projects on this list are in the early stages of development. It will be very interesting to watch all of them move forward over the coming months and years.
Keep your eye on the neighbourhood, you might be calling Old Town home one day!
