New Toronto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Toronto is a neighbourhood near the southwest corner of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was formerly in the City of Etobicoke and was previously an independent municipality. It is roughly bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, Twenty-Third Street to the west, the Canadian National Railways mainline to the north, and Dwight Avenue to the east.
[edit] History
New Toronto was first established in 1890 as an industrial centre which was expected to rival - if not exceed 'old' Toronto in manufacturing output. It was later incorporated as a village in 1913, with a population of 500, and became a town in 1920. It was amalgamated in 1967 into the Borough (later City, 1984) of Etobicoke; this in turn was merged with five other municipalities and a regional government into the new City of Toronto in 1998.
The Town of New Toronto was a significant industrial community during most of the twentieth century. New Toronto was established as a manufacturing centre in 1890 when the first industries began their operations. The area's largest employer was the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, which established a plant there in 1917. Other major industries included: Campbell Soup Company of Canada, Anaconda American Brass Company of Canada, Continental Can Company of Canada, and Gilbey's distillers. Later industries were attracted to New Toronto by the presence of the Grand Trunk Railway freight yards which opened in 1906, which were located primarily in New Toronto (although named Mimico Yards after the name of the closest railway station). Growing freight traffic in the Toronto area necessitated the creation of an amalgamated facility and a by-pass of the congested Toronto Terminal downtown. A modern hump yard in Maple, first named Toronto Yard and then MacMillan Yard, the freight by-pass opened in 1965 at which time Mimico was downgraded considerably, resulting in the loss of much employment. At the same time the Toronto By Pass line allowed for the creation of GO Transit commuter train line between Oakville and Pickering. GO named its facility Willowbrook. Old CNR facilities in Mimico Yard were used for the startup of this trial train service. Its subsequent growth has resulted in new facilities being built for GO. The availability of the railway yard was an opportunity to relocate VIA Rail passenger facilities from downtown Toronto to New Toronto in 1985. VIA calls its facilities: Toronto Maintenance Centre.
[edit] Character
The Town of New Toronto is now a neighbourhood in transition, as the industrial corridor located at the north end of the community is being redeveloped after being vacant for many years. Industry that gradually moved out of New Toronto over the years is now being re-established, in addition to institutional uses. New Toronto also has a high senior citizen population.
The Lakeshore Campus of Humber College, formerly the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital, is located at the foot of Kipling Avenue. The local high school, Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, was originally built and operated as New Toronto Secondary School beginning in 1951. It is located on the northwest corner of Kipling Avenue and Birmingham Street.
- Transportation
The Toronto Transit Commission's 501 Queen streetcar line, which runs along Lake Shore Boulevard, connects New Toronto to the downtown core.
[edit] External links
- New Toronto neighbourhood profile
- New Toronto Historical Society
- The Former Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital Project
- New Toronto Street Re-naming History
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