With all of the changes happening recently the Riverside BIA recently asked for my opinion on the gentrification of our neighbourhood. I had a maximum of 200 words so it’s short. See below. Please comment on the thread below with your perspective on this subject.
(Written for Riverside magazine 2014)
Not many neighbourhoods offer such a unique combination of both modern and classic architecture. Even in the individual buildings themselves there are beautiful hybrids of both new and old construction (Eg Broadview Lofts)
Part of me is a purist when it comes to our rich history. It’s important to remember and respect our roots – and I think that’s why i’m a history buff at heart. Many make the argument that change and growth is always bad but people need places to live, shop, and play.. and when Riverside was settled the population of Toronto was 80,000. So we are changing. Like it or not. So why not embrace it?
Have you taken a stroll down Howie or Boulton Avenue lately? On one side there are late 19th century Victorians , and Modern Towns that were just completed on the other. Which do you prefer? I like them both. If pressed, i’m a sucker for history and the Victorians have a lot more stories. If only those walls could talk. Speaking of which – do you have any great old stories? Please email me! ben@leslieville.com and we will showcase them on our blog. We are also working on an online home for east end history.
I’m excited about the future development of Riverside. Let’s make sure we stay engaged so that we are guiding this beautiful ship in the right direction.
Ben Ferguson
Matt & Ben Team @ RE/MAX Hallmark Realty
