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

[twocats.livejournal.com]

If you want them living close to each other, there are some areas just north of 'The Annex' which are a wonderful mish-mash of housing. I lived in the 80's in an area just by Christie/Davenport where within 10 square blocks you had everything from 'Social Housing' to solid Blue Collar/2nd Gen Italian Immigrants to Multi-Million Dollar houses. (Suprisingly, the neighbourhood was pretty darn tolerant of folks of 'alternative lifestyles', be them sexual or otherwise) It literally varied block to block, and still does. There are a fair number of the 'single family' homes that are formally or informally divided into multiple apartments/suites/students sharing still, as it's less than 30 min bus ride to the downtown, and within 10 min bus ride of the subway. Like everywhere in T.O. housing values have risen, and a place that would have been modest in the 70's can now be worth $$, especially if it has a nice yard/backs onto parkland. And I love the pics of the neighbourghoods. I know them all, and they made me smile :-)

t.c.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I know them all, and they made me smile :-)

*smiles at you*

Good thoughts. They're within driving distance but not very close, no.

Important point: Rodney does not live in a gay neighborhood. His grandma bought the house and it's just a regular small family neighborhood. Rodney's always a little bit cautious about his neighbors' reaction to his being gay and has never advertised it.

And for your help, (thank you) you get back story:

As a teenager in the late 80s Rodney wanted to buy a sportscar with his winnings. Grandma quickly took the money away and bought a house for him instead. The place was considered far from Toronto in the 80s and relatively cheap. But since then it's become a much more valuable piece of property (though not million-dollar). Rodney's comment in Out Of Bounds, "Thank you, suburban sprawl."