Remember when the Bayview Extension would spit you out into this strange, baron land where the only noticeable landmark was the Canary Restaurant? The City, in partnership with Developers (Dundee Kilmer) went and built a whole new neighbourhood around it. Introducing The Canary District, Toronto!
When Toronto won the 2015 Pan-Am and Para Pan-Am games the first order of business was to build places for the athletes to live. Athletes village was created, the Pan Am Games was a huge success and was then transformed into The Canary District as we know it today.
The George Brown College Student Residence, Cooper Koo Family YMCA, and the Fred Victor and Wigwamen affordable rental buildings have all been given the green light to occupy and use their spaces. Some minor deficiency work is being completed by Dundee Kilmer and these buildings will be turned over to their respective owners in April. – Waterfront Toronto
We spoke to Rob Spanier – Partner & Principal at LiveWorkLearnPlay who’s been involved with (along with a huge team from various industries from Development to Design) creating the new Canary District neighbourhood. We asked him if there was anything Torontonians may not know about this new community:
Does everyone know there’s going to be mixed housing affordable rental? The diversity of the project extends well beyond the east. We’re also going to have 500 beds for George Brown student housing as well as affordable, mark to market rental affordable housing. – Rob Spanier – Partner & Principal at LiveWorkLearnPlay
Spanier went on to say: “We hope this becomes a demonstration of what’s possible for City Building at this scale. The Canary District is being developed to feel like a community folks can connect to right from the beginning. We’re breaking down this huge area and building it one street at a time focusing on small shops and community minded retailers.”
With rents as high as they are it’s very hard for the local shop to enter the market in some of these newer condo communities and succeed right off the bat. The Canary District has already lined up some incredible community minded retailers with the largest being The Running Room.
What we think is most important going forward is the ability for The Canary District to evolve in the right direction. Towards being the active, lifestyle oriented, vibrant and soulful Toronto neighbourhood. You see, there are many Toronto neighbourhoods but few actual Communities. A Community is created when you have a mix of engaged residents and businesses working together to create a soul. A heartbeat. It’s a beautiful thing when that happens and right now The Canary District is positioned perfectly to achieve just that.
The Canary District in Toronto is off to a great start and we think the apartments and townhouses offered for sale here will be one of the best investments in this heated Toronto Real Estate market. We’re hugely bullish on this area and are driving as many clients as we possible can away from poorly planned condo communities into masterfully planned dream communities like The Canary District. Sales have been going on for a while here but there are some truly special spaces available for you today especially with Townhouses. We’re betting all our chips on The Canary District and think you should too. Email ara[at]property[dot]ca or live chat below to start the conversation.
