The Harbourfront area combines a mix of homes, with spots for leisure activities and business establishments all in the local area. It’s like Toronto’s gathering spot near the water where everyone from locals, to tourists can enjoy themselves. This neighbourhood stretches along the Toronto waterfront from Bathurst to Jarvis Street with Queens Quay being the east west street that runs through this community.
Queens Quay boasts a streetcar route running alongside designated car lanes for vehicles as well as bicycle lanes, for cyclists to navigate its lively urban environment efficiently. Notable landmarks in the area include Queens Quay Terminal, Jack Layton Ferry terminal, Harbour Square, Redpath Sugar, Harbourfront Centre, HTO Park, Toronto Music Garden Waterfront Community Centre City School.
History Of Harbourfront, Toronto
The Harbourfront area of Toronto was formed through land reclamation efforts in the 1800s. Evolved into a bustling hub of industry, with shipping docks warehouses train tracks granaries and factories lining the waterfront. Regrettably these physical impediments isolated Harbourfront from the rest of Toronto until 1972 when the sponsored Harbourfront Corporation was established to revitalize the waterfront area. Since then Harbourfront has seen a resurgence in development and activity.
Harbour Fronts’ amazing transformation is exemplified by the Queens Quay Terminal – a building that stood as one of North America’s warehouses back in 1927 before undergoing a renovation in 1980 to become a vibrant hub offering a blend of upscale residential units along, with commercial spaces all housed within its walls.
Lifestyle
The primary shopping area, in Harbourfront can be found on Queens Quay West with a mix of stores catering to both locals as tourists alike. Towards the base of York Street is where you will find the Queens Quay Terminal serving as an anchor point for this area. It’s open every day of the week with two levels containing shops, galleries and eateries. An added bonus is its proximity, to St. Lawrence Market, a food market that’s worth exploring.
Strolling through the St. Lawrence Market offers an array of food treasures such as freshly picked eggs from local farms, rare aromatic herbs, free range chicken, a colourful selection of fruits, veggies, cheeses, deli cuts and seafood. Nestled at the corner of Queens Quay, near Jarvis Street is a hub run by Loblaws that houses not grocery essentials but also a pharmacy. Spanning three floors it boasts a mix of shops, an eatery and a welcoming community space where you can join in workshops, culinary classes and public forums.
Harbourfront, Toronto Parks & Facilities
Harbourfront boasts an array of leisure activities compared to other neighbourhoods in Toronto. The extensive Harbourfront Centre occupies a section of waterfront land. Provides visitors with numerous options for enjoying a memorable day near the Lake. During the winter season at Natrel Rink is where you can take skating lessons or enjoy skating and even attend DJ Skate night parties. Moreover, in March and Summer camps are available for children with 45 mini camps covering activities such as cooking workshops, circus skills training sports sessions, sailing kayaking and digital photography classes. Summer spent in the city might just be the pick for your kids to engage in these enriching entertaining programs.
You can rent sailboats and motorboats, for short term outings at prices at the time as joining the Sailing Club for either a temporary period. The Harbourfront Centre hosts various theatrical performances and houses resident artists along with intriguing art displays that are accessible by the general public. The neighbourhood also boasts popular attractions, like the Air Canada Centre SkyDome C.N Tower and Harbourfront Antique Market. The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) the Marine Museum Pavilion (MM) along, with the Old Fort York are conveniently located a stone’s throw away from Harbourfront area in Toronto’s downtown core!
If you hop aboard a ferry boat from there for ten minutes across the shimmering waters of Lake Ontario. You’ll arrive at the Toronto Islands!. In the heart of it all lies the vibrant Harbourfront Centre situated at York Quay along 235 Queens Quay West street. Truly a bustling spot for social gatherings where a myriad of activities take place year round! From craft workshops to sailing classes; from soulful jazz festivals, to delightful food fairs. This lakeside hotspot is buzzing with nearly 4k diverse events annually that cater to all tastes!
Harbourfront, Toronto Transit
Queens Quay West offers both paced bus service as well as standard bus routes that connect to Union Station. Union Station serves as a transit hub where you can catch Toronto Transit or Go Transit trains that provide access to destinations across Metropolitan Toronto. For drivers looking to navigate in or out of the city the Gardiner Expressway along with Lake Shore Boulevard offer access routes.
Harbourfront, Toronto Elementary, Secondary High Schools
The Harbourfront area in Toronto is a neighbourhood with views of the waterfront and a lively urban environment known for its cultural amenities and vibrant community life. Residents here have the convenience of attending institutions such as public elementary and secondary high school as well as Catholic and private schools situated nearby.
- Public Schools: 4
- Catholic Schools: 4
- Private Schools: 3
Public Schools
- The Waterfront School
- Ryerson Community School
- Central Technical School
- Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Catholic Schools
- St. Michael Catholic School
- St. Joseph’s College School
- Monsignor Fraser College
Private Schools
- The York School
- Branksome Hall
- Royal St. George’s College
The beautiful setting of Harbourfront combined with its city facilities makes it a popular choice, for families looking for notch educational options nearby.
Harbourfront, Toronto Homes
The area around Harbourfront in Toronto boasts a number of condominium buildings compared to other parts of the city with most of them constructed back in the 1980s era with some new additions now in place as well offering stunning views of the lake and equipped with balconies to enjoy the scenery from above it all. Additionally there are Marinas in Harbourfront catering to both locals and visitors seeking boat moorings for those who wish to make the vibrant neighbourhood their summer haven away from home.