The Annex
Shopping
Just west of The Annex proper, between Bathurst and Christie, you’ll find an array of Korean shops in what’s known as Koreatown. The stretch of Bloor Street between St George and Bathurst is also vibrant and social, offering a wide range of services including independent retailers in buildings which often include residential space in upper floors.
Dining
The Annex provides an abundance of dining options catering to everyone, whether it’s cheap eats, a cool drink, or an enjoyable evening. Popular with students and the after-work crowd, the Madison Avenue Pub is a famous spot inside three connected Victorian mansions. The Duke of York is another long-time neighbourhood alehouse serving standard pub fare with a cozy atmosphere and two patios. There’s also The Bedford Academy, a casual gastropub in a converted mansion offering local and imported draft beer, and Pauper’s Pub, a classy place to sit down for a drink or have a nice meal while enjoying the piano bar.
Schools
There is, of course, the University of Toronto in The Annex, but there are also a number of elementary and secondary schools. Huron Street Junior Public School serves Grades JK-6, Jesse Ketchum Senior Public School for Grades 7-8, and then Jarvis Collegiate for high school. Students also have the option to attend Central Technical School or Central Toronto Academy for Grades 9-12. French Immersion is offered at Lord Lansdowne Junior Public School, King Edward Junior and Senior Public School, and Ryerson Community School. St Bruno/St Raymond Catholic School is the neighbourhood separate school, while Royal St George’s College serves as the area’s all-boys private school for Grades 9-12.
Parks & Recreation
The parks in The Annex itself are on the smaller size, but there are a number of them, including Jean Sibelius Square, St Alban’s Square, Huron Street Playground, Taddle Creek Park, and Joseph Burr Tyrrell Park. Christie Pits Park and Bedford Park are also nearby and offer more green space as well as community events.
Accessibility
Public transit in The Annex is within close proximity to nearly every doorstep, including four TTC subway stations: Bathurst, Dupont, St George, and Spadina. Passengers can change lines at Spadina and St George stations which both provide access from the Bloor-Danforth line to the Yonge-University line. The Bathurst 511 and 510 Spadina streetcars run south from their respective stations. By bus, you can travel to and from The Annex via Avenue Road, Spadina Road, Dupont Street, Davenport Road, and Bathurst Street (north of Bloor).
Homes
Many of the houses in the area have been subdivided for multi-family use – which creates living/income opportunities. It is mainly residential, with tree-lined one-way streets lined with Victorian and Edwardian homes and mansions, most of them built between 1880 and the early 1900s. The houses here are closer to each other, with long lots. Many of the homes feature laneway access to garages that enclose their back yards, creating private gardens in the back.
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