Toronto is often called the City of Neighbourhoods.
One of the oldest and most well known is the area called
Kensington Market.
My grandmother used to take me here as a child and I was always intrigued
by the vast array of culture and food.
During the 1920's and 1930's it was home to a very large
Jewish community where there were many shops reminiscent
of markets in their homeland.
Post war after the Jewish community moved to more affluent areas of Toronto,
the area became a melting pot of immigrants from Spain, the Caribbean, East Asia,
Central America, Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Vietnam and Chile.
In the '60's plans to demolish the Victorian era row houses and shops were
halted by newly elected mayor David Crombie.
Thank goodness for this!
It has morphed from it's immigrant roots, through the hippie era and now
hosts a plethora of shops, eateries, homes, cafes, pubs yet has
still kept it's charm (somewhat) and it's original function as a market.
Although there is so much more going on here in the summer,
we took a stroll through it one day and found delightful images...
Around the corner from Kensington Market is Spadina Avenue.
Seems like the most streetcar lines in the city run along here...
And there you have it... a little glimpse into the 'hood.
