Cabbagetown

The name Cabbagetown comes from the 1840’s when newly arrived Irish Immigrants were said to be so poor, that they would grow cabbage in their front yards. Cabbagetown was for the longest time known also as the skid row of Toronto but then in the 1970’s Cabbagetown became gentrified by young professionals and speculators. Old Victorian homes were restored and today Cabbagetown is a sought after neighbourhood in Toronto.

Houses in Cabbagetown

Houses in Cabbagetown are predominantly Victorian homes built between 1840 and 1900 and although some fell into disrepair during the down times in Cabbagetown history, many were restored and others were built with the same neighbourhood feel as the original homes. Wrought iron fences, beautifully maintained gardens and stone walkways are characteristics found throughout Cabbagetown. Today houses in Cabbagetown range from $500,000 to well over a million dollars. Not bad for an area that was left for dead.

Schools in Cabbagetown

Elementary

Lord Dufferin Junior and Senior Public School

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School

Nelson Mandela Park Public School

Rose Avenue Public School

Winchester Junior & Senior Public School

High School

Rosedale Heights Secondary School

Jarvis Collegiate Institute

Recreation in Cabbagetown

Riverdale Park in Cabbagetown is the centre of recreation in Cabbagetown. With fields for baseball, soccer, tennis courts, jogging and biking trails and a swimming pool, summer in the park is where the locals hang out. Riverdale Farm is fun for all with an actual city run farm that hosts local activities for area residents and guests. Winter can be just as exciting with a skating rink and of course a great toboggan hill for kids of all ages to shoot down.

Shopping in Cabbagetown

Shopping in Cabbagetown is predominantly done in Old Cabbagetown on Parliament St. which is populated by many unique one of a kind shops. After a day of shopping there are a number of quaint little restaurants to quench your appetite in. Carlton St. is another shopping strip but a bit smaller in scale to the Old Cabbagetown area. There are also a few small pockets of shops along Gerrard, Sherbourne and Wellesley for shoppers to explore.

Festivals in Cabbagetown

Cabbagetown Festival – The second weekend in September brings about the Cabbagetown Festival with events that lead up to the two day weekend festival. It all kicks off with a parade which features floats, bands and entertainers. Riverdale Park hosts a huge arts and crafts fair and a highlight of the weekend is the Tour of Homes in which a handful of homes are opened up to the public. The Cabbagetown Festival is one of the premier events in Toronto each year.

Cabbagetown Short Film & Video Festival - Filmmakers from all over the world make their submissions to this annual Film Festival. Industry professionals judge submissions of short films no longer than 15min in length and film buffs from all over venture to Cabbagetown to witness the showcase of talent.

Forsythia Festival - The Cabbagetown Preservation Association organizes this annual festival every second weekend in March. Spring gets kicked off with a free family event featuring  arts and crafts, a children’s fair, a beauty pageant, sports tournaments, live entertainment, and a 5K and one-mile fun run. Saturday night features FaithFest, a faith-based singing competition which celebrates faith and music.