Research, lovely research: Toronto and kid memories.

[icarus]

While I wait with bated breath for my betas (I sent the next scene of Out Of Bounds ten whole milliseconds ago)...

... I have been doing research on neighborhoods in Toronto.

My childhood memories of Toronto are just that: kid memories. Kids remember places. Their sights and sounds and magic... but not how they got there or how they're connected.

Here's the dismal neighborhood John once lived as a student at U of T, on Yonge Street not far from Church Street (the local gay neighborhood):
http://www.boldts.net/TorYs.shtml

This is where John's apartment was more recently (theoretically) at the Annex, and thank you to by archae_ology and meredydd_recs. It's perfect:
http://boldts.net/TorAn.shtml

According to recommendations by archae_ology, Rodney should live in the Church and Wellesley area: http://boldts.net/TorCw.shtml

But... some back story that's only mentioned once in the story: It was Rodney's grandmother, not Rodney, who picked out the house. She accepted Rodney being gay, but it's very unlikely that she would have picked the prime gay neighborhood. Also, Rodney's place is an area where the property values were lower (and boon-docky) back in the 80s and became more valuable over time. She made a good deal (I've mentioned it in OoB "Thank you, suburban sprawl"). So I'm still looking for Rodney's neighborhood. meredydd_recs recommends down by the lakeshore, though I'm waiting for more clarification:

Here's University of Toronto, where John once went to school:
http://www.boldts.net/TorB.shtml

Here's Church Street, the gay neighborhood where John and Rodney both have spent remarkably little time:
http://www.boldts.net/TorCw.shtml


Any real Canadians or persons who've been in Toronto in the last ten years (unlike me) are welcome to comment. *rolls out the red carpet*

Comments

[archae-ology.livejournal.com]

If you want to know anything about U of T (aka the school that ate my soul) feel free to ask. Also? Housing costs in the area where you put John are through the roof. It really is a rather expensive area, and you can't find an apartment for under about $700 a month, even for a bachelor. Also? Not so seedy. *nods*

Oh! Also, Queen and Coxwell? Expensive as all hell now because of the location and the age of the houses. Most go for 500,000+ now. Church? Some sections lovely, like I mean stunning (also, Ryerson University is there), but other bits are seedy (I occasionally go the clubs there).

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Good, and thank you. Where would you put John? *g*

[archae-ology.livejournal.com]

John? Well, the Annex. I have a ton of friends who live there, and if you're splitting housing costs with a few friends it isn't bad at all. Kensington Market and Chinatown in general can be affordable if you find a good place.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool. The Annex it is. *g* Thank you.

As for Rodney, I'm looking for an area where housing would have been cheaper back in the 80s, something that suburban sprawl would have grown towards between the 70s and 90s.

[archae-ology.livejournal.com]

Welcome! :D

Hmmm. Well, I know my Mom lived around the Coxwell and Danforth area for a decent price back in the 80's. Same with my Dad. So that area would make sense. But right at this moment in time, I could see Rodney living in the Church-Wellesley area. I mean it has it's nice areas and it's shitty areas, but all in all it's quite lovely.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm looking for photos. Has this area improved over time? Because I've written the story as one where Rodney's grandma (not Rodney) bought a house that suburban sprawl took over, over time.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I wrote it with my dad's neighborhood in mind. He had a place that was down towards the end of Queen Street E, near the Beaches, in the early 80s. By the mid-80s gentrification was under way and property values started to rise... so I'm looking for that pattern, only a lower end neighborhood (or boondocks neighborhood) moving up to a mid-income, more in demand neighborhood.

Asking too much?

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, and where would you put Rodney, too?

[meredydd-recs.livejournal.com]

In the Annex, alot of student housing and such in the area that's really kinda frighteningly cheap for Toronto. Basic area is a bit North West of the uni, between Bloor St and St. Clair St.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Cool! Thank you. How about Rodney? It would be a residential, median income-type place.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool. The Annex it is. *g* Thank you.

As for Rodney, I'm looking for an area where housing would have been cheaper back in the 80s, something that suburban sprawl would have grown towards between the 70s and 90s.

[meredydd-recs.livejournal.com]

Maybe some of the areas by the lakeshore. They used to be alot cheaper since alot of them were farther away from the city core and the university

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

So north and east of the Beaches area?

[meredydd-recs.livejournal.com]

I think so, not so familiar with those areas but my roomies parents live down there, and she descried it as sort of an older part of the city where alot of middle income people settled