Introduction
From Bathurst Street to Queen’s Park Crescent, from Bloor Street West to College Street, University is the heart of academia in Toronto. The history and spirit of the University of Toronto St. George campus, the first university to be established in the centre of the city, radiates through the neighbourhood.
Lifestyle
Full of student lodgings and cheap hangouts, research laboratories and museums, performance halls and libraries, University is a bustling quarter driven both by youthful energy and ageless knowledge. There is a wonderful balance between commerce and scholarship in this area, both in terms of servicing the day-to-day needs of students and their professors, and also in terms of larger collaborations between industry and invention, such as Rotman’s Creative Destruction Lab.
Dollars & Sense
College Street tends to be less expensive than Bloor, home to more restaurants and cafés than boutique hotels, although fancy caffeinated concoctions are to be had at either end of the neighbourhood. High-end healthy fare and vegetarian options are as prevalent as beer halls, and there are lots of reasonably priced family-owned restaurants. Shopping is not quite as upscale as the neighbouring Bay/Bloor area.
The Good, the Bad & the Rest
Despite the focus on student-friendly accommodations, there is a wonderful mixture of families, young singletons and older couples in the area. The cultural mix is influenced by the proximity to China town, Kensington Market and the former Jewish area between Bathurst and Spadina south of Bloor. The green space and Romanesque architecture of the university campus make for an inspiring urban escape. Downtown is within easy walking distance.
1.5 km
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
There are dedicated bike lanes along College, Harbord and St. George, and the university campus is safe for cyclists. The College streetcar travels the entire length of the city from east to west, and there are subway stops at College and University, on University just south of Bloor, Bloor and Bedford and at Spadina and Bloor. Cars easily run along major thoroughfares. Parking is available on streets as well.
In the Area
University is right above the rows of hospitals along University Avenue south of College, where you’ll find the most advanced medical care in the country. In addition to the University of Toronto’s main campus, there are important museums, are galleries and performance halls along Bloor, along with venues for outdoor sports and boutique hotels. There are several elementary schools in the area, both public and private, but fewer high schools.
Meet the Neighbours
The University neighbourhood is largely comprised of native English speakers, according to a City of Toronto 2011 census. Second in popularity is Chinese, both Cantonese and Mandarin, as well as other Chinese languages, followed by Portuguese. Many are unmarried and childless, of age to work or study, in their early twenties to mid-fifties. Also unsurprising is the high level of post-secondary education at 81 per cent.
The Vibe
The atmosphere in the University neighbourhood is a wonderful combination of establishment and innovation. Some restaurants and community centres that have long defined Toronto are part of this neighbourhood, and newcomers to the city delight in frequenting such institutions. Many are aimed at the general community, however, the plethora of places to find cheap eats means that new trends in food and coffee culture first emerge here in local diners.
Gallery
Neighbourhood Hotspots
Harbord Bakery
Goldie and Kosower established this bakery in 1945 to serve the Jewish community. Today Harbord Bakery is known and loved all across Toronto for their Challah, bagels, rye bread, honey cake and sweet cheese buns.
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Founded in 1930 as the YMHA, the JCC is open to people of all faiths, although its mission is still based on Jewish values. It has squash courts, pools, an aerobics studio and a theatre.
Hart House
Hart House is a lecture hall for student and the community, hosting the community events. It contains a gymnasium, a theatre, and an archery range as well as an art gallery and reading rooms.
The ROM
Royal Ontario Museum is dedicated to art, nature and world history. Children especially love the dinosaurs and mediaeval suits of armor. The Neo-Romanesque architecture was updated in 2007 by Daniel Libeskind's stunning Crystal.
Caplansky’s
Zane Caplansky started out making house-cured smoked meat sandwiches and homemade knishes in 2007. The popularity of this deli has grown to include a food truck, a delivery service and a line of mustards.
Greg’s Ice Cream
Greg Mahon claims he makes the “happiest ice-cream in the world,” and his fans agree. For thirty years he’s made Toronto’s best with flavours such as toasted marshmallow and gingerbread.