Dovercourt Park – Wallace Emerson

Average sold price freehold (2009): $346,746;  (2010): $399,562;  (2011): $465,969; (2012): $536,572

Average sold price condo (2009): $319,830; (2010): $330,309; (2011): $369,470; (2012): $378,847

Postal code: M6H and M6G

Boundaries: Davenport Rd – Bloor St W, Christie St — GO train tracks

Closest Subway Stations: Bathurst, Christie, Ossington, Dufferin, Lansdowne and Dundas West

Bloor St West, between Christie St and the GO train tracks, boasts a high concentration of mixed used residential and commercial buildings. The strip of shops doesn’t have much curb appeal, with random businesses — coin laundry, dental offices, dollar stores, etc., many of which are in poor state of repair. Dovercourt Park was founded in 1870, by English immigrants who built shacks out of tar and paper — as they were too poor to afford stronger building material. The village was originally called Shantytown.

Although Wallace Emerson is zoned for residential and business uses, it’s the Wallace Emerson Community Centre at the heart of the neighbourhood that gives the area a family oriented vibe. A lot of the land between Dupont and Davenport is still post industrial development; warehouses and automotive operations line Geary Ave.  However, as gentrification moves slowly further west, noise and pollution gradually declines. The residents of Wallace Emerson are for the most part Portugese, however, a large Ethiopian population is also present in the neighbourhood.

Real Estate: The neighbourhood is filled with fixer-uppers, perfect for eager buyers looking for that ‘blank canvas’. The majority of houses here are two-storey semis, and most of them have a different style of architecture then their neighbours on either side.

Many of the detached houses have already been torn down and flipped — and they’re easy to spot. In general, the lots are small, the houses are built so close to each other and the streets aren’t very ‘leafy’ — resulting in noticeably less curb appeal.

There are less than a handful of condos in the area, but offer a wide range in price. Eleven Christie offers buyers affordable units, but attracts mostly students. The Bartlett Lofts are one of Toronto’s first loft conversions, with exposed brick walls, staircases and industrial windows — but with only 13 units in the building, they rarely go up for sale.

Parks: Dovercourt Park is a relatively small compared to Christie Pits Park, but it backs on to the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, and it’s usual to see local kids running around. It has a small baseball diamond, tennis courts, a basketball hoop and a playground.

Wallace Emerson Community Centre is equipped with a complete fitness facility, an indoor 25 metre pool with large window for viewing, and dance/yoga studios. The park next to the Centre has an ice rink with changing facilities, as well as a playground.

Hot Spots:

Madras Masala – 796 Bloor St W
This small Indian restaurant is best known for its casual atmosphere, friendly service and spicy dosas.

The Black Horse Pub and Grill – 928 Bloor St W
It’s easy to spot this historic tavern – a horse head protrudes from the brick-and-glass faí§ade. It is a quiet and unassuming restaurant offering enjoyable ambience, drinks and food to local wanderers.

Churrasqueira Aveirense — 1184 Bloor St W
Churrasqueira Aveirense is as authentic a Portuguese dining experience as you can find on this side of the Atlantic. The large space is comfortably designed reflecting its country of origin including large TVs for football coverage.  

Ciro’s — 1316 Bloor St W
Ciro’s is a small west end bar that doesn’t take themselves too seriously. They they have an intimidating beer list chocked full of world class ales.