as I walk Toronto

and a few places in between.

Amsterdam and Skopje refer to two streets that intersect with O’Connor Drive in the northeast corner of East York, Amsterdam Avenue and Skopje Gate.   There is also a Wakunda Place but the spelling is different from Wakanda, the fictional country that was created of Marvel Comics.

Every neighbourhood has a story to tell, even if it’s just the story of a quiet life in their own corner of the city.  There are many similar threads that run through the many narratives of Toronto neighbourhoods – the ethnic stores and restaurants, the redevelopment of older buildings into new housing, quiet side streets.  There’s probably a mix of residential styles – single family homes, rowhouses, older apartment buildings, and newer glass and steel condos where people are trying to live as best they can.   It is a scene repeated over and over again.  Parts are fascinating, parts are dull and lacklustre.  There will always be utility poles and wires and garbage bins in the way.    Maybe there will be an alley or two to explore – with old abandoned cars, basketball hoops, and graffiti left behind by jilted lovers or angry young men.   There’s probably a vacant lot where a building has been demolished – or perhaps it hasn’t been demolished yet but it’s just sitting there taking up space and looking sadder and sadder with time.

Just because there are many similarities doesn’t make it less interesting.  Here are a few images from “between Amsterdam and Skopje”.

Not every neighbourhood has a large bowling pin (as public art). Backstory – the condo that this pin sits in front of was built on the site of the old O’Connor Bowling Lanes (1951-206).

Of all the similarities that this neighbourhood shares with others in the city, not many of the others can claim to have a cookie outlet….

And even more unique,  it’s also the home of the Peek Freans Biscuit factory.  There was a lovely sweet vanilla-ish smell in the air the day that I walked around.  Peek Freans has a long history in England dating back to the 1850s.  In 1949 they established their first bakery in Canada, here on O’Connor Drive.

Although the company has changed hands numerous times since then, the East York factory still produces cookies (and other items such as Oreos and Wheat Thins) for Mondelez Canada.

Back in 1953 when this photo was taken there wasn’t much else around!

source: City of Toronto Archives, fonds 1128, series 380, item 39

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below: A couple of the metal boxes painted by D. Drew.

After I wrote this blog post I asked google for a list of streets in Toronto named after American cities.  I got this answer: “Toronto has a number of streets named after American cities, such as Chicago Street, Dallas Street, and Milwaukee Avenue. These streets often have historical connections or reflect the city’s relationships with other North American metropolises.”  I had never heard of these streets in Toronto!  Maybe I missed something.

My next move was to look for Chicago Street in Google maps.  “There is no street named “Chicago Street” in Toronto” was the answer.  I also struck out looking for Dallas Street (which is when Google tried to direct me to Yonge Street).  The answer when I searched for Milwaukee Street was the best of all – “There is no “Milwaukee Street” in Toronto; however, there is a street called Ossington Street, often mentioned in lists of the city’s coolest streets, and a retail store named The Milwaukee Road located at Yorkdale Mall).   The next time you walk down Ossington, you can think of Milwaukee!