The Junction – An Area Guide
Bordered on the north by St Clair Avenue, on the east by the Canadian National Railway corridor, on the south by Annette Street and on the west by Runnymede Road, The Junction is an up and coming neighbourhood in Toronto north of High Park. It has easy access to Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West, an area touted by many as the next West Queen West attracting investors and entrepreneurs alike due to the area’s cheap rents and proximity to High Park and downtown.
Perhaps the biggest appeal of The Junction as a neighbourhood is that the area is tipped to rise in desirability and price over the coming years if the trendy new restaurants and businesses on every block are any indicator. Just take a walk down the Dundas West strip and it’s not hard to get a sense of the neighbourhood’s viability and growth potential with independent cafes, bars, greengrocers and other stores opening at every corner. The neighbourhood is also turning into something of a destination for interior décor ideas and accessories with retail spaces like Post and Beam Architectural Reclamation, Forever Interiors and Smash.
In essence, gone are the days when The Junction used to be an area populated by empty storefronts and run-down buildings with considerable pollution from the nearby railway tracks and odours from abattoirs and meatpacking factories on St. Clair Avenue West, which shut down in 1993. The area has undergone a swathe of re-development and new investment including the construction of a series of residential buildings and an improvement to public transport links. The Junction is now a prime location in Toronto’s bustling west end, retaining its original small town charm and appeal but offering the very best in cosmopolitan living. In particular, the neighborhood appeals to young families, artists and stylish urbanites with a range of attractions from shopping venues on Dundas Street West to prestigious local schools, a close proximity to High Park and a myriad of retail spaces including a good mix of restaurants and bars.
The Junction is also home to four local parks and features some of the finest architecture in Toronto including winding tree-lined streets. Residential accommodation here ranges from red brick Victorian houses on generous lots to mid-rise apartment buildings. Commuting is straightforward with buses operating on a number of different routes connecting residents to the Yonge-University Line and the Bloor-Danforth Line.
