The industrial core that used to be present in the West Toronto Junction has been replaced through major revitalization resulting in residential lofts and townhomes. Developers were attracted to the neighbourhood as it is close to High Park and the revitalized Junction Gardens shopping district on Dundas Street West, as well as its easy access to the Bloor subway line.

The early development of the Junction began in the1880s when the Grand Trunk, Toronto Grey and Bruce and Northern railway lines began service to this area. Industry increased in the area due to the railway development, which in turn attracted the labourers who were the first residents of this neighbourhood.

By the 1960s however, the commercial railway lines had sidestepped the West Toronto Junction neighbourhood, which led to deterioration in the community industry and jobs. The neighbourhood remained in this low state until recently revitalization reformed the abandoned warehouses and factory buildings into urban lofts and new townhomes were constructed. This neighbourhood has now reshaped itself and become an integral part of the west Toronto landscape. As a result, the Junction has become one of Toronto’s most affordable neighbourhoods.

The narrow tree-lined streets along the Junction’s roads are framed by two and three-storey Victorian-style houses mostly built in the 1910s and 1920s. The brick exterior on many of these houses has been colourfully painted, giving these older homes a bit of a facelift.

The Galleria Shopping Centre, at the corner of Dupont and Dufferin streets, and the Crossways, at the corner of Dundas and Bloor, provide convenient, indoor shopping combined with professional services. Across the tracks on historic Dundas Street West is the Junction Gardens shopping district, which contains a huge variety of shops and restaurants. There are many exciting events happening on an annual basis in Junction Gardens. These include:

• The Contact Photography Festival (May)
• The Junction Sidewalk Sale (June)
• The Junction Arts Festival (September)
• The Home & Style Studio Tour (October); and
• The Cavalcade of Lights/Christmas in The Junction (November/December)

The Junction residents shop along Dupont Street, Bloor Street, and the north part of Symington Avenue. There are also big-box retailers situated at the St. Clair Avenue and Keele Street intersection.

Neighbourhood inhabitants are quite close to High Park, which contains a myriad of recreational opportunities. There are also four neighbouring parks situated within this neighbourhood. Their facilities include playgrounds, wading pools and artificial ice rinks. The local YMCA, at Perth and Annette, offers a wide variety of programs for children and seniors.

The Perth Dupont Public Library has programs for preschoolers and children.

Transportation in the Junction includes bus service on Dupont, Dundas and Keele streets as well as on Symington and Lansdowne avenues. The Dupont and Dundas buses connect passengers to the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line, while the Keele, Lansdowne, and Symington buses connect with stations on the Bloor-Danforth subway line.

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