Just like anything in life, there is a pro and a con, a positive and negative side. Without getting too philosophical I will return to real estate where certain Toronto neighbourhoods will be explored.
Roncesvalles Pros & Cons
Positive – Roncesvalles Village is a wonderful neighbourhood for families. This is one of the few Toronto neighbourhood that has it’s own “High Street” like villages in the UK. There is a distinctly Ronci stretch of businesses down Roncesvalles Ave. A wonderful collection of Resturants, cafes and grocers within the village. There isn’t much reason to leave Ronci! Which leads me to the next point…
Negative – If there is one knock on Ronci it is that the transportation to the downtown isn’t great. Roncesvalles is tucked just south of Dundas and Bloor Station. It’s not a far walk by any means (so yes, I’m splitting hairs here!). The other alternatives are the Queen Street Streetcar (this is the slowest in TO) and College and Dundas Streetcars. Neither of which is very quick. The UP Express has opened up a quicker option to get to Union Station.
Dufferin Grove Pros & Cons
Positive – Dufferin Grove is one of downtown Toronto’s finest secrets. The houses are fantastic! The lots are deep! (in some cases 250 feet deep!!). There are coach houses on back laneways. Dufferin Grove Park remains one of the leading lights for public space in Toronto. The list could go on and on! The best way to summarize Dufferin Grove is that it is what The Annex was 25 years ago!
Negative – The restaurant’s scene isn’t great. Neither is the general commercial stretch on Bloor Street West. There are some gems but that is more of the exception. For example, the Common on Bloor Street and the original Common on College at Gladstone are great.
The Annex Pros & Cons
Positives – The Annex has a wonderful cultural mix thanks to UofT students, international business people and artists. The business along Bloor Street reflect the diversity. There is something for everyone in the Annex. The houses are beautiful, the streets are tree lined with some of the oldest trees in the city. A little-known fact: the streets within the Annex are actually pretty quiet…Why? There are too many one-way streets for non-residents to know how to navigate!
Negatives – The Annex has never shied away from controversy, it runs deep in its political bones. Some would say the bike lanes on Bloor are not well received. Some would say that the condos being developed at Bloor and Bathurst are unwanted…that some locals want Honest Ed’s to return despite the fact that the shop didn’t serve the local residents anymore (due to the gentrification and huge increase of local wealth).
