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krooj said:
From watching various properties go on and off the market on Berkeley St., it seems to have cooled a little. I'd agree that a moderator is the lack of decent schools in the area, although I don't doubt for a second that a family which can afford to buy a 1+ million dollar home would think twice about sending their kids to a private school. I think a greater influence in keeping people out would be the overall scuzz that permeates the area.

Did anyone else see the old HOP location being worked on this past weekend? I wonder if they're underway again, or just cleaning things up. Letting that building and land just sit there is an eyesore and a shame.
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Gotcha - see the only argument I'd make here is the "overall scuzz" has been a fixture in the area for years ! Its nothing new. I've always found it impressive how high home prices are in this area given its close proximity to "scuzz" or whatever term you want to use.

I'm surprised there aren't better schools in the area though, there was one near riverdale farm that I always thought was rated pretty high but I could easily be confusing things.
 
Peepers said:
Prices are high for sure and they have been going steadily up but they would be much higher if there were desirable schools in the neighborhood.
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One thing I've got my eye on is Winchester PS.

3 years ago the TDSB changed intake to 100% French Immersion (previously it was a mix of FI and English). Each incoming class for the past 3 years (first Kindergarten, then Gr 1, now Gr 2) has been 100% FI. Parents have to self-select FI, and it's widely seen as a way to filter the demographic your kids go to school with. FI schools usually have engaged, bright kids with engaged, hardcore, well educated, and wealthier parents. Winchester is now the main FI school for downtown Toronto, so it ought to be filling with the cream-of-the-crop students at the lower grades.

The EQAO test scores are based on Grade 3 and Grade 6 results, so they catch Winchester's "old demographic" which partly includes St Jamestown and Regent Park. So the test scores are not phenomenal. But as the new FI cohort ages, and the "old demographic" is purged, one would think the school would be rated more highly, especially next year when the new FI crowd is writing the Grade 3 EQAO tests.

Does anyone have first-hand experience with this?
 
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krooj said:
Did anyone else see the old HOP location being worked on this past weekend? I wonder if they're underway again, or just cleaning things up. Letting that building and land just sit there is an eyesore and a shame.
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The owners are cheap and uninspired. They want the new tenants (of which there are none) to pay for the interior upgrades themselves and will leave the building generally in this state.

From speaking to the serves at HOP, the owners tried to do the same to the original HOP location after the fire back a few years ago (i.e. the owners got a huge insurance windfall but refused to invest back into the building and wanted HOP to pay for major renovations and improvements to the structural stability of the building) and hence the restaurant moved next door.

It's such a sorry stretch right now.
 
UserNameToronto said:
One thing I've got my eye on is Winchester PS.
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As a former Winchester PS parent, I'd say avoid that place. Just one parent's opinion. I know several parents that have moved their kids to Spruce PS, which apparently is becoming a rather good school, likely helped by the influx of fanatically education-focused South Asian newcomers.
 
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Lots of Cabbagetown kids attend Rosedale PS. Never understood how they could get away with going outside their catchment, but maybe it's because, as noted by UserName, Winchester is now FI...
 
Blovertis said:
Lots of Cabbagetown kids attend Rosedale PS. Never understood how they could get away with going outside their catchment, but maybe it's because, as noted by UserName, Winchester is now FI...
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Easy. Under TBSB rules, any child enrolled in the preschool or daycare at an out of district school gets preference for the optional attendance spots in kindergarten at the same school. Then, any preschooler who has an older sibling already in an out of district school is guaranteed placement in the same school. That is how the CT yoga/latte moms with their Tagalog nannies get their kids into Rosedale PS. It also helps that in Rosedale few kids attend the local public school, thus leaving space for CT kids whose parents know the system. Everyone else in the taxpayer funded system in CT goes to Spruce PS, an alternative program out of district, or Our Lady Lourdes.
 
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Thanks. Classic loophole being exploited to the hilt. Just as well, since Rosedale PS (a tiny school) would be in jeopardy without the CT kids.
 
Admiral Beez said:
Easy. Under TBSB rules, any child enrolled in the preschool or daycare at an out of district school gets preference for the optional attendance spots in kindergarten at the same school. Then, any preschooler who has an older sibling already in an out of district school is guaranteed placement in the same school. That is how the CT yoga/latte moms with their Tagalog nannies get their kids into Rosedale PS. It also helps that in Rosedale few kids attend the local public school, thus leaving space for CT kids whose parents know the system. Everyone else in the taxpayer funded system in CT goes to Spruce PS, an alternative program out of district, or Our Lady Lourdes.
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How can I favorite a post?

Thank you.
 
taal said:
I'm curious, would you say parliament street has gentrified over the years or remained fairly stable ? (i.e. more of a mix of low / high end stores).

What about Cabbagetown proper, home prices that is ? Have they been going up / down or remaining stable ?
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The home prices in "cabbagetown proper" have definitely gone up; but even west of parliament too!

It's fascinating to see...For a neighbourhood with such an uninspiring main strip the prices are fairly high. Once, not too long ago, only the detached homes would command prices upwards of $1million. Now, the semi's command that much!
 
Stupidandshallow said:
The home prices in "cabbagetown proper" have definitely gone up; but even west of parliament too!

It's fascinating to see...For a neighbourhood with such an uninspiring main strip the prices are fairly high. Once, not too long ago, only the detached homes would command prices upwards of $1million. Now, the semi's command that much!
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Yep. My three floor semi was $298K in 1998 when we bought, and MPAC today says it's worth $750K. Not that it matters to me other than property taxes, as I'm never leaving.
 
I just love cabbagetown proper ! You just don't get that feeling in many other area.

I always thought Halloween would be cool there, or do not that many people decorate ?
 
taal said:
I just love cabbagetown proper ! You just don't get that feeling in many other area.

I always thought Halloween would be cool there, or do not that many people decorate ?
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We don't decorate much, but we usually carve at least 2-3 pumpkins. We've got over 1000 kids each of the last two years (moved in just before Halloween in 2011) and ran out of candy both years before we ran out of kids. At times we've had lineups 10 kids long leading to our front door. It's madness at Halloween (but fun).
 
It looks like the old HOP location wIll go another winter without proper windows or doors.

I plan to call 311 tomorrow about the graffitti on the storefront at the NW corner of Parliament and Gerard. It has been covered with tagging for several months now. Also the past two weekends I have seen people doing light construction work inside at night, it appears to have been gutted, but I can't see any building permits outside. It's been vacant for maybe two years now and I am wondering if now they are trying to make a secret conversion into a residence. In any case I just want the major tagging removed.
 
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