'My Parkdale is gone': how gentrification reached the one place that seemed immune

[Smallcock]

Nostalgia aside, I'm glad this area continues to gentrify.

Excerpt:

The neighbourhood’s infamous liquor store at Queen and Brock Streets was the only one I knew with a full-time police detail. Depending on the night, you could see a scuffle in the whiskey aisle, an arrest, or a fistfight or overdose in its parking lot; often, there would be a solicitation for a low-priced trick from one of the prostitutes who routinely patrolled its perimeter. Once, I was witness to a tooth being knocked out, one homeless man to another, over an allegedly stolen beer. (In one of the few good news stories to come out of Parkdale recently, the city is trying to acquire the site of the store, now closed, to build affordable housing.)

In a country like Canada, where we speak smugly of social safety nets and institutionalized humanity, here was a place that made it feel like that was all talk. In the late 1990s, Parkdale could be chilling: group homes housed hundreds battling mental health and addiction issues; the less fortunate were left to the precarious realm of government rent subsidies and dilapidated, poorly-maintained rooming houses – or, just as often, the street. Along a deadened streetscape of mostly empty storefronts, drug deals happened in broad daylight, addicts raged and twitched, and Parkdale earned another name, Crackdale, day by day.

Full Story: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/...tion-reached-the-one-place-that-seemed-immune

 

[Grimnul]

Interesting story: a buddy of mine had a restaurant in Parkdale he wanted to try and wanted me to go with him. So we’re in the area walking to this place and we’re crossing the street, it’s me, my buddy, this one old lady, and there’s this other obviously homeless guy who was very clearly on something crossing the other way towards us. As we meet in the middle, this dude suddenly rushes the old lady and puts his hands around her neck like he’s gonna strangle her, then just stops and runs off. We stuck around to make sure this lady was ok and called the cops who showed up and asked us a few questions. Dunno if they ever caught the guy, he had that crackhead speed.

So that’s my Parkdale story. First, and so far last time I’ve ever been out that way.

 

[JackBurton]

I had a gf in that area, a stones throw from that liquor store. It was a sketchy AF area then. I wouldn’t even go out in the hood after 10pm unless it was absolutely necessary.

But, I was thinking with my penis. She was so hot with great bolt ons as an aged out stripper. Shit she was a lot of fun.

I’d like to say that area had charm but all it really had was super cheap rent. She had a whole 2000sqft loft on Noble st for $900/month.

The area is way better now.

Safer.

People who complain about gentrification should try having their car stereos stolen out of their car 3x before you just give up and wear a discman while driving with a busted passenger window.

I don’t care if it had “seedy charm”, it’s better now despite the rise of vegan restaurants.

 

[Charlemagne]

The McDonalds is going.

 

[Euro Male]

Parkdale along with areas like . . . . . Cabbagetown, Riverdale, Leslieville, The Beaches, Roncesvalles Village, Bloor West Village, Lil India, Lil Portugal, Lil Italy, Lil Israel, Lil Jamaica, East China-town, Greek-town, K-town have a vibe gentrification will kill!

Once upon a time, YONGE ST. . . . . . 'The Copa' Discoteca, Uptown Movie Theatre, House of Lords, 'Whiskey A Go-Go' Hard Rock Bar, The Big Slice, Sam the Record Man, Fun Land Video Arcade, The Grindhouse '4 feature' Exploitation Movie Theatre, Worlds Biggest Book Store, 'Le Strip' Club. --- Bye-Bye :wave:

 

[|2 /-\ | /|/]

Parkdale along with areas like Leslieville, East China-town, Lil India, Lil Portugal, Lil Italy, Lil Israel, Lil Jamaica, Greek-town, K-town have a vibe gentrification would kill!

Once upon a time, YONGE ST. . . . . . Uptown Movie Theatre, House of Lords, The Big Slice, Sam the Record Man Fun Land Video Arcade, Worlds Biggest Book Store, Imperial Six Movie Theatre, Le Strip Club. --- Bye-Bye :wave:

Big Slice on Yonge RIP! It’s proximity to Ryerson was a life saver after many late night parties and lots of good memories. Will be missed and never forgotten.

 

[Euro Male]

Big Slice on Yonge RIP! It’s proximity to Ryerson was a life saver after many late night parties and lots of good memories. Will be missed and never forgotten.

Sooooo true Bro! :biggrin:

Mid 80's all-ages 'Club Z' nightclub, 3-4 A.M. . . . . . this place was a slice of heaven for hundreds of us curly-perm, hair-mousse Gino's!

 

[Euro Male]

 

[Euro Male]

 

[Euro Male]

 

[Euro Male]

 

[Euro Male]

 

[Euro Male]

 

[Euro Male]

 

[Euro Male]

Bye-Bye soon too . . . . . Yucky-Poo! :wave:

 

[Tony Figaro]

A trip down memory lane. Those are some great pics!

 

[eddie kerr]

A trip down memory lane. Those are some great pics!

No pics but I remember the great bars on Yonge Street. The colonial tavern, saw John Lee Hooker, the Town tavern, The Friars, IanTyson & Sylvia, Le Coq Dor, Ronnie Hawkins, The Band, The Brown Derby and others names I cant remember, in the late 50s and early 60s.Torontl was THE PLACE in those days.

 

[Smallcock]

I loved the atmosphere of arcades and I think the one shown is one of many that I went to a child. They were literally the childhood precursor to stripclubs. You wanted to SEE and PLAY the video games; it was always dark and full of flashing lights of all colors and sounds of all ranges on overdrive; the guy with the big sack full of quarters that you'd give paper money to in exchange for quarters - you'd spend whatever money you had; 25cent candies to keep you on a sugar rush; always a dirty seedy ambiance that warmed your heart. I guess it's about 20+ years since arcades stopped existing.

 

[|2 /-\ | /|/]

Some really great pics EuroMale :encouragement: Thanks for sharing this bro and taking us down memory lane.

 

[Euro Male]

I loved the atmosphere of arcades. They were literally the childhood precursor to stripclubs.

A dirty seedy feeling that warmed your heart.

Too funny! :biggrin:

Jr.High we hit the arcades --- High School we were a bunch of spray-shorts geek boys ready (horny) to start hitting the Strip Clubs

15 yrs olds playing hooky from school heading downtown to sneak into the 'Le Strip'. Pop'd our cherries on pervy row, girlies shaking ity-bity titty in our pimply virgin faces. Awesomeness.