Niagara
Neighbourhoods
Located along and south of King Street West, bordered by Strachan Avenue to the west, Bathurst Street to the east, and the railway corridor to the south, and so named because Niagara Street runs through the centre of it. The area includes several distinct sub communities including the Fashion District and the eastern part of Liberty Village .
The Niagara neighbourhood has a rich history that dates back to 1793, when it was part of a military garrison for the fledgling Town of York. Old Fort York is still standing on Garrison Road, between Bathurst Street and Strachan Avenue. In the 1850’s, it transitioned into a prominent industrial centre. The factories and mills, along the CN and CP railway corridors, created a demand for workers’ housing which ultimately led to the residential development of the Niagara neighbourhood in the mid to late 1800’s.
In the early 2000’s, an explosion of new condominium and loft developments, town-houses and retail development erupted throughout the community, particularly in Liberty Village, a 43-acre master-planned community. While Queen Street West provides Niagara residents with an eclectic mix of antique shops, art galleries, book-stores, fashion stores, natural food markets and restaurants, there remains a slightly gritty and urban feel. Then there is the unique vibrancy to Liberty Village, which emanates from the red brick Victorian industrial architecture that dominates the street-scape. The tall chimney smoke stacks that project from some of these old buildings serve as neighbourhood landmarks.
Niagara is a close knit neighbourhood with its own small community centre located on the Stanley Park grounds. This centre is used for local resident meetings, community based programming and social events. Niagara has a great transit infrastructure and is close to major east west highway routes.