North York Centre
Encyclopedia
North York Centre is a town centre
in North York, Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. Prior to the Amalgamation of Toronto
in 1998, it was considered the central business district
of the former city of North York. It is located along Yonge Street
and surrounds the Toronto subway
station of the same name
.
encouraged high-density redevelopment at North York Centre (and other suburban centres) permitting high rise condominium
towers and office buildings. In the past decade over 20,000 units of new housing have been approved, with over 16,000 of these presently built or under construction. http://www.nrupublishing.com/files/070608NRT.pdf Condominiums pack this strip now growing northward past Finch and extending south from Sheppard toward Highway 401. The area has become an increasingly vibrant part of Toronto due to the dense residential population and numerous commercial and entertainment destinations. Growth has become so rapid that on new condominium projects, the Toronto District School Board
and Toronto Catholic District School Board
have posted notices stating that they are unable to accommodate new students in local schools.
The North York Centre subway station
is accessed through the basement levels of the two shopping malls at the intersection of Yonge Street and Empress Avenue; Empress Walk
and North York Centre.
The North York Civic Centre
(formerly North York City Hall) contains City of Toronto offices, and faces onto Mel Lastman Square
on the west side of Yonge Street
.
The station serves Earl Haig Secondary School
(two blocks east), the adjacent North York Central Library
, as well as the Empress Walk shopping centre with a movie theatre (above) and a stage theatre (the Toronto Centre for the Arts
, three blocks south).
A 2001 Census showed that the average household income is approximately $78 000, with a disposable income
of $48 000. It is projected that by the year 2011, the average household income will reach $97 000, with a disposable income of $62 000. http://riocan.creedsolutions.com/demographics/223B.pdf
The Downtown that Mel Built (James Bow)
Town centre
The town centre is the term used to refer to the commercial or geographical centre or core area of a town.Town centres are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the centre of communications with major public transport hubs such as train or bus stations...
in North York, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Prior to the Amalgamation of Toronto
Amalgamation of Toronto
The amalgamation of Toronto was the creation of the current political borders of Toronto, Ontario, Canada after amalgamating, annexing, and merging with surrounding municipalities since the 18th century...
in 1998, it was considered the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of the former city of North York. It is located along Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and surrounds the Toronto subway
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
station of the same name
North York Centre (TTC)
North York Centre is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at 5152 Yonge Street, where Yonge is intersected by Park Home Avenue and Empress Avenue. This is within North York Centre, a high density area of the Willowdale neighbourhood...
.
History
The Yonge corridor between Finch and Sheppard Avenues grew extensively after the opening of the subway station. To relieve pressure on downtown Toronto, the Official Plan for Metropolitan TorontoMetropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
encouraged high-density redevelopment at North York Centre (and other suburban centres) permitting high rise condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
towers and office buildings. In the past decade over 20,000 units of new housing have been approved, with over 16,000 of these presently built or under construction. http://www.nrupublishing.com/files/070608NRT.pdf Condominiums pack this strip now growing northward past Finch and extending south from Sheppard toward Highway 401. The area has become an increasingly vibrant part of Toronto due to the dense residential population and numerous commercial and entertainment destinations. Growth has become so rapid that on new condominium projects, the Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board
Toronto District School Board, also known by the acronym TDSB, is the English-language public school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
and Toronto Catholic District School Board
Toronto Catholic District School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is the publicly-funded Catholic school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada, headquartered in North York. It is one of the two English boards of education in the City of Toronto, serving the former municipalities of Scarborough, North York, York, East York,...
have posted notices stating that they are unable to accommodate new students in local schools.
Landmarks
North York Centre (TTC)
North York Centre is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at 5152 Yonge Street, where Yonge is intersected by Park Home Avenue and Empress Avenue. This is within North York Centre, a high density area of the Willowdale neighbourhood...
is accessed through the basement levels of the two shopping malls at the intersection of Yonge Street and Empress Avenue; Empress Walk
Empress Walk
Empress Walk is a large condominum and retail complex at the intersection of Yonge Street and Empress Avenue in the North York Centre area of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Developed by Menkes Development, Phase 1 was completed in 1997 and Phase 2 by 2000...
and North York Centre.
The North York Civic Centre
North York Civic Centre
The North York Civic Centre is a building that once served as the city hall for the former City of North York, Ontario, Canada.Designed by Adamson Associates Architects, the building is located on Yonge Street north of Sheppard Avenue, and features Mel Lastman Square along the Yonge Street frontage...
(formerly North York City Hall) contains City of Toronto offices, and faces onto Mel Lastman Square
Mel Lastman Square
Mel Lastman Square is a public square at North York Civic Centre in the North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is named for former North York mayor Mel Lastman....
on the west side of Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
.
The station serves Earl Haig Secondary School
Earl Haig Secondary School
Earl Haig Secondary School is a public high school with a student body of about 2,300 students in Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school's principal is Renata Gonsalves.-History:...
(two blocks east), the adjacent North York Central Library
North York Central Library
North York Central Library is located in northern Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at the intersection of Yonge Street and Park Home Avenue, north of Sheppard Avenue. The library is located on the west side of Yonge Street beside Mel Lastman Square in the mall of the North York Civic Centre, which until...
, as well as the Empress Walk shopping centre with a movie theatre (above) and a stage theatre (the Toronto Centre for the Arts
Toronto Centre for the Arts
The Toronto Centre for the Arts, previously known as the Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, opened in 1993 as the North York Performing Arts Centre and was designed by Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler for musicals, theatre productions and other performing arts...
, three blocks south).
A 2001 Census showed that the average household income is approximately $78 000, with a disposable income
Disposable income
Disposable income is total personal income minus personal current taxes. In national accounts definitions, personal income, minus personal current taxes equals disposable personal income...
of $48 000. It is projected that by the year 2011, the average household income will reach $97 000, with a disposable income of $62 000. http://riocan.creedsolutions.com/demographics/223B.pdf
External links
The Downtown that Mel Built (James Bow)