About the Neighbourhood
• In the late 1700s and early 1800s the area now known as Liberty Village was part of the Garrison Common ”a military fortification for the Town of York (which would later become Toronto). Historic Fort York, located at 100 Garrison Road,served as the base for the Canadian militia in the Battle of York against the Americans in 1813.
• The arrival of the railway to this area in the 1850s attracted industry, which in turn led to the building of warehouses and factories.Many of these are now enjoying a new purpose in Liberty Village as funky lofts, hip live/ work spaces and studio offices.
• The name Liberty Village is said to be a reference to the Central Prison and the Mercer Reformatory for Women that were situated here in the late1800s and early 1900s.Story has it that Liberty Street ”the neighbourhoods main east-west thoroughfare ”is so named because it was the first ground prisoners set foot on upon their release.
• Liberty Village is a 43-acre master-planned community, combining residential, commercial and retail uses.This neighbourhood is attracting young professionals in media, high-tech and design businesses who live and work in the urban core.
• There is a gritty, urban feel and a unique vibrancy to Liberty Village,which emanates from the red brick Victorian industrial architecture that dominates the streetscape.The tall chimney smoke stacks that project from some of these old buildings serve as neighbourhood landmarks.
• King West has given itself a branding makeover in the last decade and is now a destination for stylish, high-end restaurants with names like Crush, Blowfish and Thuet, lounges and dance clubs including Cheval and Footwork and Toronto’s best men’s clothing store. A block south, Wellington is home to many of the city’s top advertising agencies and more great restaurants while all around condo developers like Brad Lamb and Freed Developments battle it out to reign supreme as king of the 600 square foot loft style condos in the sky.
History
• In the late 1700s and early 1800s the area now known as Liberty Village was part of the Garrison Common”a military fortification for the Town of York (which would later become Toronto). Historic Fort York, located at 100 Garrison Road, served as the base for the Canadian militia in the Battle of York against the Americans in 1813.
• The arrival of the railway to this area in the 1850s attracted industry, which in turn led to the building of warehouses and factories. Many of these are now enjoying a new purpose in Liberty Village as funky lofts, hip live/ work spaces and studio offices.
• The name Liberty Village is said to be a reference to the Central Prison and the Mercer Reformatory for Women that were situated here in the late1800s and early 1900s.Story has it that Liberty Street ”the neighbourhoods main east-west thoroughfare ”is so named because it was the first ground prisoners set foot on upon their release.
Homes
• Many old factories have been repurposed as lofts while others have become restaurants, gyms, furniture stores and galleries, as this area was primarily a former heavy industrial area which had been largely abandoned for the past 20 years.
• Offices are mostly concentrated in the west end of Liberty Village. New condo developments are currently focused on East Liberty Street, which begins east of Hanna Avenue. Over 20 new restaurants have opened in the past 3 years, providing the residents and workers in the community
with many eclectic places to enjoy a drink after work, dinner, or the ubiquitous Toronto Sunday brunch.
• Liberty Village is also known for its successful Art and Design studios. Many Canadian and US design firms have located to Liberty Village, creating many jobs for the increasing number of citizens that have moved into the growing neighbourhood.
Schools
• (P)Givins/Shaw,49 Givins St.,416-393-1240
• (P)Alexander Muir/Gladstone Jr.& Sr.,108 Gladstone Ave.,416-393-9140
• (PH)Parkdale Collegiate Institute,209 Jameson Ave.,416-393-9000
• (PH)Central Technical School,725 Bathurst St., 416-393-0060
• (PH)West Toronto Collegiate Institute, 330 Lansdowne Ave.,416-393-1500
Recreational Facilities
• Liberty Village residents can take advantage of the nearby waterfront trail that is used by walkers, joggers, cyclists and in-line skaters.
• This neighbourhood is just minutes away from Toronto’s Entertainment District and world-class sporting venues such as Air Canada Centre and Rogers Centre.
• Shopping
• Liberty Village has gained a reputation as a destination spot for those seeking unique furniture and design stores, as well as art galleries, hip coffee shops and urban fusion restaurants.
• The Dominion supermarket anchors a shopping strip that includes a video store, a pet supply store, a dry cleaner and a bank. Cool Things in the Neighbourhood
• The Academy of Spherical Arts
• Allan A. Lamport Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium on King Street West. It is used mostly for soccer.
