Flemingdon Park

Flemingdon Park is a multicultural community in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, formerly in North York before it was amalgamated into Toronto in 1998. It is part of federal and provincial electoral district Don Valley West, and Toronto electoral ward 26: Don Valley West (South). In 2006, it had a population of 21,290. [http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/cns_profiles/cns44.htm City of Toronto Demographics for Flemingdon Park] ]

It is bordered on the north by Eglinton Avenue East, on the west by the Don River (west branch), and on the east and south by the Don River (east branch). The 2 branches of the Don join at the neighbourhood’s southwest corner. The south border is technically a parkland access road formerly known as Old Lawrence Avenue. Flemingdon Park is somewhat separated from neighbouring communities by river valleys on 3 sides, and a light industrial area, now mostly used as corporate offices, next to several railway lines on the north side.

The community derives its name from its original owner, Robert John Fleming, the mayor of Toronto in 1892-1893 and 1896-1897, and the nearby Don River.

History

Flemingdon Park was originally farmland owned by Robert John Fleming. After his death in 1925, it was sold to become public land.

In 1958, following the trends of many other post-World War II cities, Toronto began to consider a large planned apartment city community for the influx of immigrants. Although there was immediate scepticism based on the density of the development, the community was nevertheless built. [http://www.torontoneighbourhoods.net/regions/northyork/106.html Toronto Neighbourhoods, Flemingdon Park] ] Occupancy of the new apartments began in 1961, [http://www.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/?id=51104 NFB documentary, Flemingdon Park: The Global Village, 2002] ] and the community was completed in the early 1970s.

Like many communities with a significant public housing component, Flemingdon Park gained a reputation as a low income community with crime problems. In 2000, its reputation improved somewhat with the addition of a new section of middle income single and semi-detached housing, and a condominium apartment, converted from an office building that was originally part of the Foresters complex, along the community’s north side.

An older section of low density, middle income housing is found along the community’s east border, in a narrow strip between the Don Valley Parkway and the Don River (east), overlooking the Don Valley.

Demographics

Flemingdon Park’s major ethnic and cultural groups (by ancestry) in 2001:
* East Indian - 15%
* Chinese - 11%
* Filipino - 9%
* Greek - 6%
* Canadian - 5%
* Sri Lankan - 4%
* Iranian - 4%
* English - 3%
* Pakistani - 3%
* Jamaican - 2%
* Other - 38%Following the community’s housing expansion of 2000, the percentage of population belowthe poverty line dropped from 47% (in 1996) to 36% (in 2001).

Commercial buildings

Flemingdon Park only has one shopping centre, an outdoor mall centrally located on the east side of Don Mills Road. Its largest unit, formerly a Food Basics grocery store until 2006, reopened as a Shoppers Drug Mart in 2008.

The largest grocery store serving the community is the Real Canadian Superstore, which is actually located outside Flemingdon Park’s boundary, to the north. But with no other adjacent residential communities, Flemingdon Park is the store’s only local clientele.

A large indoor mall, also close to but outside the neighbourhood's boundary to the southwest, is the East York Town Centre on Overlea Boulevard. It includes a Zellers department store, Food Basics grocery store, and Bowlerama bowling alley.

The largest office tower in the area is the Foresters Insurance building, which was built in 1966. The company (also known as the Independent Order of Foresters, or IOF) occupies the entire site. Other office buildings with various businesses are located alongside Eglinton Avenue and the Don Valley Parkway.

Nearly all land west of Don Mills Road is occupied by the Ontario Science Centre, a science museum which opened in 1969, and is a major Toronto attraction.

Parkland

Flemingdon Park has an unusual abundance of parkland. In addition to being surrounded by river valleys (consisting of parkland and a golf course) on 3 sides, it has a large park of sports fields on public space beneath hydro-electric power lines, and a ravine-like park (without waterway) running north/south through the centre, in addition to several smaller parks. A bicycle path along the west Don Valley runs all the way to downtown Toronto. [http://boldts.net/TorFp.shtml Information and photos of Flemingdon Park] ]

External links

* [http://www.torontoneighbourhoods.net/regions/northyork/106.html Toronto Neighbourhoods: Flemingdon Park]

References