I was born and raised in Toronto, and I still spend a lot of time there, so I have great familiarity with the city, which still feels like home. Here are a few highlights.
Don Mills (Don Mills & Lawrence)
I grew up in Don Mills and have fond memories of the spaciousness of the outdoors here. Residents of this community take pride in the level of planning that went into developing this neighbourhood, which is centred around the Shops at Don Mills. Also central to the community are Don Mills Middle School and Don Mills Collegiate Institute, which makes walking to school possible for many of the residents.
Willowdale (Yonge & Sheppard)
This area has undergone major expansion over the years. While I was growing up, my grandparents owned a bungalow at Yonge and Churchill. That home, amongst others, has since been torn down and the land has been redeveloped into a condo apartment building, which is a familiar story in that area. Yonge and Sheppard has a good share of jobs, with office towers and plenty of retail to support the expanded residential community. Transit is no problem, with access to Lines 1 and 4 of the TTC subway, as well as buses and close proximity to the 401 highway.
Yonge & Eglinton
A vibrant area, Yonge and Eglinton is always improving. I lived here for a year once. With the TTC subway and buses, entertainment and shopping all within walking distance, there was no need for a car in this area. I even walked home from work once, from downtown to Yonge and Eglinton, when the TTC subway experienced a full outage one day during afternoon rush hour, and shuttle buses were few and far between and the roads were clogged with cars and taxis. It took about an hour and a half, but I did it!
Yonge & College
This area is a very convenient place to live. I spent a year living here as well. On the subway line and still within walking distance to Yonge and Bloor or downtown. And busy, busy, busy with activity all along Yonge Street.
Downtown
Toronto has a lot to talk about – an amazing waterfront, complete with beaches, yacht clubs, boat tours and even an airport, a baseball (and multi-use) stadium, the CN Tower for those who like to see the city from up high, a basketball and hockey arena and the PATH system, which even allows some downtown residents to walk from home to work without having to go outside on those harsh weather days, and employees on lunch breaks to shop at the many underground stores and food courts without crossing streets and waiting for traffic lights on a busy day. I spent many years working in the financial district of downtown Toronto, while enjoying my career as a Real Estate Legal Assistant and Law Clerk, until I went into Real Estate Sales in 2016.