What is East Danforth

The community Streeter covers as “East Danforth” is sometimes called Danforth East and sometimes conflated with the commercial district  known as Danforth Village.

Whatever it’s called, this is a vibrant multicultural area.

East Danforth extends along both sides of Danforth Avenue, east of the better-known area Torontonians refer to as The Danforth or Greektown. This area runs from Coxwell Avenue to Victoria Park Avenue along Danforth, encompassing the residential streets to the north and south.

Its largest component by size is the neighbourhood also known as East Danforth, although you may find several smaller neighbourhoods identified by local residents within this neighbourhood.

The largest nearby neighbourhood by population, however, is the huge highrise and townhouse complex of Crescent Town. lying in the area’s northeastern corner. (Incidentally, Crescent Town is where Streeter, under its old name of Town Crier, began publication, delivering a monthly newspaper in the complex in the late 1970s and early 1980s.)

East Danforth is bordered on the north by the Woodbine Heights community and on the South by Upper Beaches.

Diverse cultures

The Danforth East Community Association (DECA) is active in the central part of the area, hosting cultural events that draw people from across the east end, as well as organizing grassroots initiatives for protecting and improving the area.

DECA arts fair
DECA’s Danforth East Arts Fair draws hundreds of exhibitors and shoppers to East Lynne Park each year. (Rodger Burnside/Streeter)

The area is also quite diverse as it is home to several minority groups, most notably large Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities at the eastern end of the area.

This residents on the streets north and south of Danforth contribute about 70 per cent of the business that fuels this busy commercial strip, which features more than a few chain stores in addition to charming independently owned shops and services.

The most notable shopping centre is the Shoppers Word Danforth plaza and mall, which draws shoppers from around Toronto’s east end.

 

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