About Corktown
Welcome to Toronto’s Corktown neighbourhood!
Just south of Regent Park and north of the Gardiner Expressway we find Corktown. Nobody really knows 110% for certain how the neighbourhood gained its name. There are theories, yes, there are two. Firstly, many believe ‘Corktown’ is a name that pays tribute to its originally (predominantly) Irish-settled community – in which many of these people emigrated from County Cork in Ireland. The second theory is that the area’s name is due to the presence of cork-stopping manufacturers, breweries, and distilleries. To this day, we don’t know what one is right – so I guess you could say we have choices.
Today, Corktown’s once very ‘blue-collar’ demographic has changed. Once abandoned, or unkept, homes are now home to Toronto professionals, and families, drawn to the area’s classic and historically-rich charms. In fact, some of the city’s oldest homes (dating back to 1850) are found in Corktown. We can now see British, and Victorian, style rowhouses peppering residential streets, while converted industrial and multi-use buildings sprinkle laneways and side streets.
Walking through Corktown it’s easy to see the positive effects of the reshaping, and investment, in Regent Park (to the north) as well as the massive West Don Development project. It is estimated that these projects will bring thousands of new residents to this central area and help promote prosperity for local businesses and residential investors.
Excellent shopping, fine restaurants, cafes, art galleries, boutiques, and artisanal goods, can all be found within walking distance from Corktown. Proximity to both the St.Lawrence Market and Toronto’s historic Distillery District make this a highly coveted neighbourhood that will only continue to improve.
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