Real Estate Guide › West

Mount Dennis

Average 2007 sale price:

$285,000

Property crime:

low

Crime against people:

low

See map

Two centuries of industry have come and gone and the area is set to change dramatically. Founded by shipbuilder and United Empire Loyalist John Dennis in 1797 for its access to the Humber River (through Black Creek), the neighbourhood has been home to sawmills, wool mills, the Mount Dennis brickyards, and the Conn-Smythe Sand and Gravel Pit, which helped build Maple Leaf Gardens. Most recently, it was home to Kodak, which closed its 52-acre facility in 2005. Those lands, at 3500 Eglinton West, are one of the two keys to the future of Mount Dennis. A developer wants to put 600,000 square feet of big-box retail on the site; residents and the area’s city councillor would prefer a new industrial use, to restore jobs to the area. The other key is the massive and fairly upscale condo development surrounding Sidney Belsey Crescent, in the northwest corner of the neighbourhood (just beyond the lone remaining factory, which makes Royale toilet paper).

HOUSING STOCK: Most homes were originally built for workers, with bungalows and detached and semi-detached Victorians being the norm. Because of the rail lines on one side and Black Creek on the other, almost every street is a dead end, which, if you can look past the metaphor, means no traffic—perfect for street hockey.

BARGAIN ZONES: The most expensive part of the area is the Sidney Belsey condo development, though even it offers bachelors for just $740 a month. The rest of the area is one big bargain.

THE VERDICT: With a mix of more than 30 ethnic groups, mostly a result of recent immigration, there’s not much binding the neighbourhood together. Its status as one of the United Way’s 13 “priority” (formerly called “at risk”) neighbourhoods is a deal breaker for some, but there’s no payoff without a gamble. The area’s SUVs signal this ’hood’s on its way up. Like Dupont and the Junction Area (page 91) before it, it’s best to get in on Mount Dennis while it’s still unfashionable.

NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS:
Coffee Time A gathering place for locals of all stripes, this outpost of the unpretentious java franchise is the only place to get a hot cup at any hour of the night. 1263 Weston Rd., 416-245-2200.