Amazing! I enjoy stopping to read the Heritage Toronto plaques on buildings, so I throughly enjoyed your videography and commentary. I live in Old Town and would love to see you add it to your neighbourhood series.
Aww, thank you! I lived there 20 years ago as a college student with my Chihuahua in a lower level studio that was quite cheap, even then. I live on the ocean near Boston now, but I am dying to get back there. So many memories near and dear to my heart. Thanks for your videos!
Thank you so much for this video! As a Bronx native from New York I will be moving to Upstate and I cannot wait to experience Toronto Canada with my family❤
I was just there for the Jazz Festival! Wonderful neighbourhood with friendlier than normal people, your mention about the community aspect can certainly be felt.
Thanks so much. You have great knowledge of Toronto. The Beach community looks so charming. The Beach Looks great. I had no idea and I have been to your wonderful city many times. Greetings From🌴 San Diego.
Lol the only place in Toronto that doesn’t make me feel miserable, and is somewhat liveable. I’ve never lived there (Scarborough/Pickering), yet I always try to spend my weekends there
You did a good job with this video of The Beaches. You did not mention that the public primary and secondary schools are ranked as some of the best in the GTA. Which is a reflection of the demographic being mostly professionals. I would also point out that the mix of housing from apartments, to low rose, to semis to stand-alone large lot homes is exceptionally well thought out. We moved to the Beaches in 2022... because of the schools and the trees, which I understand are unique to the GTA. Very large leafy Oaks. Housing here is in demand, with days on market less than a few weeks and selling for way over asking. I bought in the Beaches because I believe it is an undervalued and has potential for growth. It is very WASPy but that is starting to change with younger affluent tech an finance families buying and renovating over 2m. Beaches has a major problem, and it is because of the established older residents. It can be easily summed up with the Beaches Club, which was once a beautiful lake house-style wooden structure that reflected Gatsby's turn-of-the-century elegance. It is now little more than a cinderblock bunker. The locals here have absolutely no ambition for the upmarket potential, they are satisfied with mediocre. They can eat bacon and eggs their entire lives and be satisfied. Which is weird because the locals are very much global travelers. I've lived in some of the finest cities in the world, so I speak from experience. And the Beaches area, which is affluent... is practically a ghetto in comparison to neighborhoods with similar income /asset demographics. I asked Counselor Brad about this, and his only focus is everything low-income above Dundas. There is no vision for the Beaches area. No ambition. No plan. It just exists in a dull lackluster purgatory. It's a real shame because the Beaches neighborhood has the potential to be as great as Kitsilano, Vancouver, or Manly Beach in Sydney. The foundations for a true world-class high-end neighborhood exist, but the ambition and vision don't. PS. Beches was once the go to place for live Jazz and music in the 1960's. But the Karens complained about the music and noise, killing a once vibrant nightlife.
Great video! Thanks for posting! I lived on Queen just east of Woodbine back in the '80s and '90s, what a great neighbourhood! Here's some home video of the area back then... ruclips.net/p/PL-taphl4m69KxtEIzqmS85AR1tBVZ4aqv
I lived in the area just above Kingston Road in the '70s. Of course we'd never think to call that area The Beaches even though real estate agents do. Glad to see you cut it off at Kingston Road. Back in my day, it was a bit more down market except for the houses down by the water. Everyone called it The Beaches expert for pretentious goofs who lived in the fancy houses who fancied themselves our betters, who call it The Beach. This continues to this day. The area is marked by super NIMBYs who resist all efforts to build higher density, such as 8-storey buildings on Queen Street. Many of the cool local shops along Queen have been replaced by chains and the area is overly pricey for nearly anything. Beach and boardwalk and the parks are nice.
I live in the heart of the beaches, south of Queen at Kew. The crime here is through the roof. Every two businesses is shut down and vacant. Rent is unreasonably through the roof also. I’ve lived here over 10 years. As much as I love the beaches, there is a lot of HYPE built around the beaches to keep the housing costs high. You won’t get a house under 2mil and a one bedroom starts at around 2500. 2 bedroom 3500+ but it’s the crime here that the worst. My daughter had a gun put to her head in front of our house in the middle of the day due to gang drive by shootings. People get shot or stabbed here regularly. The beaches also has one of the highest break and enter rates in all of CANADA! My family comes from the beaches. My grandma went to Williamson school. My great grandparents had a little shop on Queen at Wineva. It’s always been the beaches in my family. Never the beach. And it’s always been known for its “ quiet” crime. Few years ago a Starbucks worker stabbed a local customer in the abdomen several times during jazz fest. I can’t even count on one hand the amount of stabbings/shootings/ domestic violence crimes etc I’ve witnessed here. ALOT. BUT we do have a strong little community here where most people know each others business and watch out for each other. We have a solid neighborhood watch going, with a very small town atmosphere. Everyone knows everyone, which is awesome!
Where are you getting this data? Such as "the highest break and enter rates in Canada" ? Also, I looked at certain crimes, such as pointed fire arm rates, according to 'CrimeTO' there was only one reported case of this in the entire year of 2022. That means in the case of your daughter, she would've likely been an extreme minority.
A worthy mention should be how them Beachers fought city hall and stopped the Gardiner from destroying their hood! Hats off!
That’s cool. I didn’t know that.
Amazing! I enjoy stopping to read the Heritage Toronto plaques on buildings, so I throughly enjoyed your videography and commentary.
I live in Old Town and would love to see you add it to your neighbourhood series.
Yes I’ll get that one done too at some point! Thanks and glad you’re enjoying the videos.
Aww, thank you! I lived there 20 years ago as a college student with my Chihuahua in a lower level studio that was quite cheap, even then. I live on the ocean near Boston now, but I am dying to get back there. So many memories near and dear to my heart. Thanks for your videos!
Thank you so much for this video! As a Bronx native from New York I will be moving to Upstate and I cannot wait to experience Toronto Canada with my family❤
That’s cool! Glad you enjoyed the video. There’s tons to see and do in Toronto and Niagara.
It's refreshing to see someone do a high quality video breakdown of Toronto neighbourhoods. Keep it up :)
Thanks 👍
I've lived in Toronto for 2 years and somehow have not gone to The Beaches yet (other than History). Will definitely be checking it out this weekend!
Definitely worth a trip out there!
I was just there for the Jazz Festival! Wonderful neighbourhood with friendlier than normal people, your mention about the community aspect can certainly be felt.
Thanks so much. You have great knowledge of Toronto. The Beach community looks so charming. The Beach Looks great. I had no idea and I have been to your wonderful city many times. Greetings From🌴 San Diego.
Thanks for watching! I’ve been up and down the California coast but never to San Diego. Really hope to get there someday soon!
fun and insightful video! definitely one of my favourite neighborhoods in and around Toronto.
Thanks! Ya I love the beaches too 👍
Been to most places as my mother lived on Beach Avenue for years and years.
Love your vids, man! Stoked for the next one!
Thanks so much!
I would love to see a series like this of other neighbourhoods in Toronto! Your videos are really well done, great work
Thanks! I’m actually doing a series on Toronto neighbourhoods so more videos like this one coming in the weeks ahead.
The colour work in your videos is so pleasing
Thanks!
Gr8 video! Nice Commentary. 👍
Appreciate it thank you
fun fact about the Fox Theatre....Joey Jerimiah took Caitlyn out on a date there :)
wow i didnt even know that area was nice like that. I always thought the further east you go on queen st, the worse and more unsafe it gets
That's why you have to explore for yourself. It's beautiful down here, the video does a good job but you have to see it in person.
Please make this a series!
That’s the plan! 😊
Lol the only place in Toronto that doesn’t make me feel miserable, and is somewhat liveable. I’ve never lived there (Scarborough/Pickering), yet I always try to spend my weekends there
more toronto content!!!!
You did a good job with this video of The Beaches. You did not mention that the public primary and secondary schools are ranked as some of the best in the GTA. Which is a reflection of the demographic being mostly professionals. I would also point out that the mix of housing from apartments, to low rose, to semis to stand-alone large lot homes is exceptionally well thought out.
We moved to the Beaches in 2022... because of the schools and the trees, which I understand are unique to the GTA. Very large leafy Oaks. Housing here is in demand, with days on market less than a few weeks and selling for way over asking. I bought in the Beaches because I believe it is an undervalued and has potential for growth. It is very WASPy but that is starting to change with younger affluent tech an finance families buying and renovating over 2m.
Beaches has a major problem, and it is because of the established older residents. It can be easily summed up with the Beaches Club, which was once a beautiful lake house-style wooden structure that reflected Gatsby's turn-of-the-century elegance. It is now little more than a cinderblock bunker. The locals here have absolutely no ambition for the upmarket potential, they are satisfied with mediocre. They can eat bacon and eggs their entire lives and be satisfied. Which is weird because the locals are very much global travelers.
I've lived in some of the finest cities in the world, so I speak from experience. And the Beaches area, which is affluent... is practically a ghetto in comparison to neighborhoods with similar income /asset demographics. I asked Counselor Brad about this, and his only focus is everything low-income above Dundas. There is no vision for the Beaches area. No ambition. No plan. It just exists in a dull lackluster purgatory.
It's a real shame because the Beaches neighborhood has the potential to be as great as Kitsilano, Vancouver, or Manly Beach in Sydney. The foundations for a true world-class high-end neighborhood exist, but the ambition and vision don't.
PS. Beches was once the go to place for live Jazz and music in the 1960's. But the Karens complained about the music and noise, killing a once vibrant nightlife.
Very interesting. Thanks for all the info and insight into your community.
Great video! Thanks for posting! I lived on Queen just east of Woodbine back in the '80s and '90s, what a great neighbourhood!
Here's some home video of the area back then...
ruclips.net/p/PL-taphl4m69KxtEIzqmS85AR1tBVZ4aqv
Cool thank you!
I lived in the area just above Kingston Road in the '70s. Of course we'd never think to call that area The Beaches even though real estate agents do. Glad to see you cut it off at Kingston Road. Back in my day, it was a bit more down market except for the houses down by the water. Everyone called it The Beaches expert for pretentious goofs who lived in the fancy houses who fancied themselves our betters, who call it The Beach. This continues to this day.
The area is marked by super NIMBYs who resist all efforts to build higher density, such as 8-storey buildings on Queen Street. Many of the cool local shops along Queen have been replaced by chains and the area is overly pricey for nearly anything. Beach and boardwalk and the parks are nice.
The Beach.
Found the pretentious a-hole.
People who live at the bottom of the hill near the lake will the first ones to flooded. I'd rather live in Rosedale or Lawrence Park.
I live in the heart of the beaches, south of Queen at Kew. The crime here is through the roof. Every two businesses is shut down and vacant. Rent is unreasonably through the roof also. I’ve lived here over 10 years. As much as I love the beaches, there is a lot of HYPE built around the beaches to keep the housing costs high. You won’t get a house under 2mil and a one bedroom starts at around 2500. 2 bedroom 3500+ but it’s the crime here that the worst. My daughter had a gun put to her head in front of our house in the middle of the day due to gang drive by shootings. People get shot or stabbed here regularly. The beaches also has one of the highest break and enter rates in all of CANADA! My family comes from the beaches. My grandma went to Williamson school. My great grandparents had a little shop on Queen at Wineva. It’s always been the beaches in my family. Never the beach. And it’s always been known for its “ quiet” crime. Few years ago a Starbucks worker stabbed a local customer in the abdomen several times during jazz fest. I can’t even count on one hand the amount of stabbings/shootings/ domestic violence crimes etc I’ve witnessed here. ALOT. BUT we do have a strong little community here where most people know each others business and watch out for each other. We have a solid neighborhood watch going, with a very small town atmosphere. Everyone knows everyone, which is awesome!
Where are you getting this data? Such as "the highest break and enter rates in Canada" ? Also, I looked at certain crimes, such as pointed fire arm rates, according to 'CrimeTO' there was only one reported case of this in the entire year of 2022. That means in the case of your daughter, she would've likely been an extreme minority.