Toronto Yorkville: From Hippy Haven to Shopping HeavenThe district known as Toronto Yorkville began as a Sixties alternative society, hippy place-to-be and has developed into a well-to-do place to be for the young and wealthy. Today, it's very much one of canada's places to live and shop in the city.
The former village is now one of Canada's two top shopping
locations, a title it shares with Robson Street in Vancouver.
Before you rush to set up a store, you should know it's also
one of the highest rent places in North America. This statue of a bull isn't so much a reminder of Yorkville's village past, more a statement of what makes Yorkville rich today. It's a stockmarket bull from Bay Street, toronto's own financial heart.
As the area moved upmarket (during the 1980's and '90's), the
counter-culture moved to Queen Street west and Kensington
Market. As the young radicals left, the international jet
set labels moved in. Stores selling Burberry, Prada, Hermes,
Chanel, Ferrari, Maserati can be found throughout the district,
as well as similarly upscale trendy cafes, and restaurants,
particularly in the Hazelton Lanes Shopping Centre. The photo isn't Hazelton Lanes, it's an old church now doing service as an Urban Wellness Centre on the corner of Hazelton and Scollard Streets.
Adding to the desirability of the neighbourhood are such cultural spots as the Royal Ontario Museum, the ROM, a number
of interesting modern art galleries, Teatro Vert and the MTV Canada headquarters. During the
Toronto
International Film Festival time and, because of the high-end shopping, Yorkville is also famous for its celebrity-spotting possibilities.
The simplest way to Yorkville is a short walk from the TTC's Bloor St station. There is, however, plenty of parking at Yorkville and driving your car slowly along the crowded streets, watching the people on the sidewalks and patios watch you, is a popular thing to do. It's a more expensive and fussy way to arrive but it's more satisfying. Yorkville is about display, not modesty.
Toronto Yorkville is a great place to spend a summer's day, just be sure to bring your charge cards because it's hard to carry the amount of cash you'll need here.
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Yorkville is a former village that became part of Toronto
when the city grew north. The area we call Yorkville lies
between Davenport Road to the north, Bloor Street to the
south, Avenue Road to the west, and Yonge Street to the
east. Because the village and surrounding area was 'annexed'
by Toronto, Yorkville lies within a larger area known
locally as 'the Annex'.
