| King West Village is one of the most | | | | The reason for this unique flavour of |
| dynamic neighbourhoods in Toronto. It's | | | | King West lies not only in its |
| a community full of townhouses, eclectic | | | | historical roots. It offers a vast array |
| shops, fashionable restaurants and | | | | of modern conveniences of great shops, |
| artist studios minutes from downtown | | | | independent galleries, restaurants and |
| Toronto by the TTC. In the past few | | | | clubs. King West has also parks, |
| years, King West has undergone a | | | | carwashes, fitness centers, health food |
| spectacular transformation that now | | | | shops and yoga classes, just as you |
| epitomizes urban living in the city. | | | | would expect from any modern, higher |
| It wasn't always like that. Todays King | | | | class neighbourhood. Have a morning |
| West Village was once a huge industrial | | | | coffee at a cafe and then hop the |
| area with factories such as Macgregor | | | | streetcar for a five-minute ride to Bay |
| Socks. The memories of those times are | | | | Street or the subway station. Or drive |
| still present in the form of street | | | | to the Gardiner Expressway - it's less |
| signs - many streets bear names such as | | | | than five minutes away. |
| Massey and Battery road after the | | | | Despite all these attractive features, |
| manufacturing plants. This is, however, | | | | what really makes King West is the |
| all gone today - now you can see new | | | | genuine sense of community you can |
| spectacular lofts and condominiums | | | | experience here - residents say that |
| served by retail and big box stores such | | | | they actually know their neighbours, and |
| as Dominion, offering nearby cafes, art | | | | see the same people jogging down the |
| galleries, trendy bars and restaurants, | | | | street, shopping and having espresso. |
| and parks that provide places to walk, | | | | It's this ambience of community that |
| bicycle, rollerblade, and entertain | | | | pervades King West and allows the people |
| friends. | | | | here to be at home with urban living. |
| King West Village is bordered roughly by | | | | The location provides residents very |
| Spadina, Front, Adelaide and Bathurst. | | | | easy access to Toronto's business and |
| It has become suddenly very alive - you | | | | financial districts - minutes by car or |
| can see properties being constructed, | | | | streetcar, while the frequent Bathurst |
| demolished, renovated and renewed all | | | | streetcar connects to the Bloor Line in |
| the time. Developers are grabbing every | | | | minutes. Famous destinations such as the |
| available lot in the King West area, | | | | Skydome, Exhibition Place, Harbourfront, |
| driving out long-time fixtures and | | | | Fort York and the Toronto Islands are |
| pushing up values. Six recent land sales | | | | also all very accessible. |
| in the will see 1000 new condominium | | | | King Street itself offers shops, |
| units constructed, with some of them | | | | professional services and restaurants |
| being very luxurious indeed. | | | | that serve the area's day-to-day needs. |
| Another contributing factor to the | | | | In terms of local recreation, Stanley |
| appeal of the neighbourhood is its rich | | | | Park is a favourite neighbourhood |
| history: you can see old factory | | | | meeting place, offering baseball |
| buildings and warehouses along King | | | | diamonds, tennis courts, an outdoor |
| & Wellington streets, the famous | | | | pool, and a soccer field. The community |
| Wheat Sheaf Tavern which has been a | | | | centre located on its grounds is used |
| Bathurst & King fixture for more | | | | for residents' meetings, community-based |
| than 150 years, and Victoria Memorial | | | | programs and social functions. |
| Park, which is actually a cemetery for | | | | With close proximity to another |
| some of the dead of the war of 1812. It | | | | uber-trendy neighbourhood, Queen Street |
| is currently going through a more than | | | | West, King West Village offers few |
| $1 million restoration. The majority of | | | | bargains; however one advantage to those |
| these historical buildings in King West | | | | wishing to purchase in this rapidly |
| Village are protected, and hopefully | | | | emerging area is that properties are |
| this fact will help to keep the | | | | fairly large by downtown standards, |
| neighourhood just as pedestrian-friendly | | | | offering big underground garages and |
| as it's considered now. | | | | elevations up to 20 stories. |