East York
East York is a former municipality within the current city of Toronto. It was a semi-autonomous borough within the overall municipality of Metropolitan Toronto before East York, North York, York, Scarborough, Etobicoke and Toronto were amalgamated into the new "megacity" of Toronto in 1998. One of East York's claims to fame was that, before the amalgamation, it was Canada's only borough.
It is separated by the Don River from the former City of Toronto. Traditional East York is southeast of the river, and the neighbourhoods of Leaside, Bennington Heights and densely-populated Thorncliffe Park are northwest of the river. The heart of East York is filled with middle-class and working-class homes, with extensive high-rise developments along peripheral major streets and in Crescent Town and Thorncliffe Park.
The Township of East York was incorporated on January 1, 1924. At that time East York was comprised mostly of market gardens, a handful of brick making yards and a race horse track that was located in the area bound by Oak Park, Lumsden, Chisholm and Danforth Avenues. These are some neighbourhoods that you would found in East York: Bermondsey, Broadview North, Crescent Town, East Danforth, Governor's Bridge, Leaside, O'Connor-Parkview, Pape Village, Thorncliffe Park, Woodbine Heights and Woodbine-Lumsden.
Present
Past
East York is mainly comprised of two storey or one-and-a half-storey detached and semi-detached houses, as well as an abundance of bungalows and some newer custom designed homes. There are also a large number of high rise rental apartment buildings concentrated along Cosburn Avenue between Broadview and Donlands Avenues. Many bungalows in East York have been "topped" meaning a 2nd floor has been added. These 2 storey converted bungalows provide ample space for growing families as more and more immigrants from the suburbs.
Recently, rapid and accelerated gentrification has changed many neighbourhoods. Many one-story bungalows have added second floors, and many shops have been converted to more upscale shops.
Information from Wikipedia.org
