Toronto Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==Geography== {{Main|Geography of Toronto}} [[File:Toronto by Sentinel-2.jpg|thumb|Satellite image of Toronto and the surrounding area]] Toronto covers an area of {{convert|630|km2|sqmi|0}},<ref name=population>[http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CSD-P.cfm?PR=35&T=2&SR=1&S=3&O=D Population statistics and land area] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317191603/http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/products/standard/popdwell/Table-CSD-P.cfm?PR=35&T=2&SR=1&S=3&O=D |date=March 17, 2007 }}, Statistics Canada (2001). Retrieved December 5, 2006.</ref> with a maximum north–south distance of {{convert|21|km|mi}}. It has a maximum east–west distance of {{convert|43|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}, and it has a {{convert|46|km|mi|0|adj=on}} long [[Toronto waterfront|waterfront]] shoreline, on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. The [[Toronto Islands]] and [[Port Lands]] extend out into the lake, allowing for a somewhat sheltered [[Toronto Harbour]] south of the downtown core.<ref name="northwest">{{cite web |url=http://www.toronto.ca/attractions/getting_here.htm |title=Getting Here |website=toronto.ca |publisher=City of Toronto |access-date=February 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705224859/http://www.toronto.ca/attractions/getting_here.htm |archive-date=July 5, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> An Outer Harbour was constructed southeast of downtown during the 1950s and 1960s, and it is now used for recreation. The city's limits are formed by Lake Ontario to the south, the western boundary of [[Marie Curtis Park]], [[Etobicoke Creek]], [[Eglinton Avenue]] and [[Ontario Highway 427|Highway 427]] to the west, [[Steeles Avenue]] to the north and the [[Rouge River (Ontario)|Rouge River]] and the Scarborough–Pickering Townline to the east. ===Topography=== {{further|Toronto ravine system}} {{More citations needed section|date=July 2016}} [[File:Leaside Bridge 2023.jpg|thumb|[[Leaside Bridge]] crossing the [[Don River (Ontario)|Don valley ravine]]. The [[Toronto ravine system]] and its [[Toronto waterway system|waterways]] cut through the city's landscape.]] The city is mostly flat or gentle hills, and the land gently slopes upward away from the lake. The flat land is interrupted by the [[Toronto ravine system]], which is cut by numerous creeks and rivers of the [[Toronto waterway system]], most notably the Humber River in the west end, the [[Don River (Ontario)|Don River]] east of downtown (these two rivers flanking and defining the Toronto Harbour), and the Rouge River at the city's eastern limits. Most of the ravines and valley lands in Toronto today are parklands and recreational trails are laid out along the ravines and valleys. The original town was laid out in a [[grid plan]] on the flat plain north of the harbour, and this plan was extended outwards as the city grew. The width and depth of several of the ravines and valleys are such that several grid streets, such as [[Finch Avenue]], [[Leslie Street]], [[Lawrence Avenue]], and [[St. Clair Avenue]], terminate on one side of a ravine or valley and continue on the other side. Toronto has many bridges spanning the ravines. Large bridges such as the [[Prince Edward Viaduct]] were built to span broad river valleys. Despite its deep ravines, Toronto is not remarkably hilly, but its elevation does increase steadily away from the lake. Elevation differences range from {{convert|76.5|m|ft|0|abbr=}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]] at the Lake Ontario shore to {{convert|209|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above sea level near the [[York University]] grounds in the city's north end at the intersection of [[Keele Street]] and Steeles Avenue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/data-research-maps/toronto-at-a-glance/|title=City of Toronto: Toronto at a Glance, Geography|website=Toronto.ca|date=November 14, 2017|publisher=City of Toronto|access-date=March 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425115350/https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/data-research-maps/toronto-at-a-glance/|archive-date=April 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> There are occasional hilly areas; in particular, [[Midtown, Toronto|midtown Toronto]] has several sharply sloping hills. Lake Ontario remains occasionally visible from the peaks of these ridges as far north as Eglinton Avenue, {{convert|7|to|8|km|mi}} inland. [[File:Topographical Map of Toronto.png|thumb|left|upright=1.2|Topographical map of Toronto. The terrain increases steadily away from the shoreline.]] The other major geographical feature of Toronto is its escarpments. During the [[Last Glacial Period|last ice age]], the lower part of Toronto was beneath [[Glacial Lake Iroquois]]. Today, a series of [[escarpment]]s mark the lake's former boundary, known as the "Iroquois Shoreline". The escarpments are most prominent from [[Victoria Park Avenue]] to the mouth of [[Highland Creek (Toronto)|Highland Creek]], where they form the [[Scarborough Bluffs]]. Other observable sections include the area near St. Clair Avenue West between [[Bathurst Street (Toronto)|Bathurst Street]] and the Don River, and north of [[Davenport Road]] from Caledonia to [[Spadina Avenue|Spadina Road]]; the [[Casa Loma]] grounds sit above this escarpment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blogto.com/city/2012/07/a_brief_history_of_the_lake_iroquois_shoreline_in_toronto/|title=A brief history of the Lake Iroquois shoreline in Toronto|website=www.blogto.com|language=en|access-date=April 28, 2020|archive-date=April 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414000450/https://www.blogto.com/city/2012/07/a_brief_history_of_the_lake_iroquois_shoreline_in_toronto/|url-status=live}}</ref> The geography of the lakeshore has dramatically changed since the first settlement of Toronto. Much of the land on the harbour's north shore is landfill, filled in during the late 19th century. Until then, the lakefront docks (then known as wharves) were set back farther inland than today. Much of the adjacent Port Lands on the harbour's east side was a [[wetland]] filled in early in the 20th century.<ref name="utoronto1">{{cite web |url=http://maps.library.utoronto.ca/dvhmp/ashbridges-bay.html |title=Don River Valley Historical Mapping Project |publisher=Maps.library.utoronto.ca |access-date=July 14, 2016 |archive-date=May 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160524162113/http://maps.library.utoronto.ca/dvhmp/ashbridges-bay.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The shoreline from the harbour west to the Humber River has been extended into the lake. Further west, landfill has been used to create extensions of land such as Humber Bay Park. [[File:Views from the CN Tower Laslovarga (20).JPG|thumb|View of the [[Toronto Islands]], an island chain that bounds [[Toronto Harbour#Inner Harbour|Toronto's Inner Harbour]]]] The Toronto Islands were a natural peninsula until a storm in 1858 severed their connection to the mainland,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/tempestuous-isle/|title=Tempestuous isle: A tragic history of Toronto Islands|last=Longley|first=Richard|date=September 14, 2017|work=NOW Magazine|access-date=February 14, 2018|language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215084610/https://nowtoronto.com/news/tempestuous-isle/|archive-date=February 15, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> creating a channel to the harbour. The peninsula was formed by [[longshore drift]] taking the sediments deposited along the Scarborough Bluffs shore and transporting them to the Islands area. The other source of sediment for the Port Lands wetland and the peninsula was the deposition of the Don River, which carved a wide valley through the sedimentary land of Toronto and deposited it in the shallow harbour. The harbour and the channel of the Don River have been dredged numerous times for shipping. The lower section of the Don River was straightened and channelled in the 19th century. The former mouth drained into a wetland; today, the Don River drains into the harbour through a concrete waterway, the [[Keating Channel]]. To mitigate flooding in the area, as well as to create parkland, a second more natural mouth is being built to the south during the first half of the 2020s, thereby creating [[Villiers Island]]. ===Neighbourhoods and former municipalities=== {{main|History of neighbourhoods in Toronto|List of neighbourhoods in Toronto}} [[File:Toronto map.png|thumb|Map of Toronto with major traffic routes. Also shown are the limits of [[Metropolitan Toronto|six former municipalities]], which form the current City of Toronto.]] Toronto encompasses an area formerly administered by several separate municipalities that were amalgamated over the years. Each developed a distinct history and identity over the years, and their names remain in common use among Torontonians. Former municipalities include East York, Etobicoke, [[Forest Hill, Toronto|Forest Hill]], [[Mimico]], North York, [[Parkdale, Toronto|Parkdale]], Scarborough, [[Swansea, Toronto|Swansea]], [[Weston, Toronto|Weston]] and York. Throughout the city, there exist hundreds of small neighbourhoods and some larger neighbourhoods covering a few square kilometres.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} The many residential communities of Toronto express a character distinct from the skyscrapers in the commercial core. [[Victorian era|Victorian]] and [[Edwardian era|Edwardian-era]] residential buildings can be found in enclaves such as [[Rosedale, Toronto|Rosedale]], [[Cabbagetown, Toronto|Cabbagetown]], [[The Annex]], and [[Yorkville, Toronto|Yorkville]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Edwardian Residential Architecture In Toronto – Urbaneer – Toronto Real Estate, Blog, Condos, Homes|url=https://www.urbaneer.com/blog/edwardian_residential_architecture_in_toronto|access-date=April 4, 2021|website=www.urbaneer.com|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413163101/https://www.urbaneer.com/blog/edwardian_residential_architecture_in_toronto|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Wychwood Park]] neighbourhood, historically significant for the architecture of its homes, and for being one of Toronto's earliest planned communities, was designated as an Ontario Heritage Conservation district in 1985.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.torontoneighbourhoods.net/neighbourhoods/midtown/wychwood-park/history | title=History of Wychwood Park | website=torontoneighbourhoods.net | publisher=Maple Tree Publishing | access-date=July 16, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822005638/http://www.torontoneighbourhoods.net/neighbourhoods/midtown/wychwood-park/history | archive-date=August 22, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Casa Loma (neighbourhood)|Casa Loma]] neighbourhood is named after "Casa Loma", a castle built in 1911 by Sir Henry Pellat, complete with gardens, turrets, stables, an elevator, secret passages, and a bowling alley.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.casaloma.org/ | title=Casa Loma | website=casaloma.org | publisher=Liberty Entertainment Group | access-date=July 16, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712101236/http://www.casaloma.org/ | archive-date=July 12, 2016 | url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Spadina House]] is a 19th-century [[manor house|manor]] that is now a museum.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=919d2271635af310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD | title=Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens | website=toronto.ca | publisher=City of Toronto | access-date=July 16, 2016 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160704082331/http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=919d2271635af310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD | archive-date=July 4, 2016 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> ====Old Toronto==== [[File:Cabbagetown houses.jpg|thumb|[[Victorian architecture|Victorian]]-era [[Bay-and-gable]] houses are a distinct architectural [[List of house types|style of residence]] that is ubiquitous throughout the older neighbourhoods of Toronto.]] The pre-amalgamation City of Toronto covers the downtown core and older neighbourhoods to the east, west, and north. It is the most densely populated part of the city. The Financial District contains the [[First Canadian Place]], [[Toronto-Dominion Centre]], [[Scotia Plaza]], [[Royal Bank Plaza]], [[Commerce Court]] and [[Brookfield Place (Toronto)|Brookfield Place]]. This area includes, among others, the neighbourhoods of [[St. James Town]], [[Garden District, Toronto|Garden District]], [[St. Lawrence, Toronto|St. Lawrence]], [[Corktown, Toronto|Corktown]], and [[Church and Wellesley]]. From that point, the Toronto skyline extends northward along Yonge Street.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} Old Toronto is also home to many historically wealthy residential enclaves, such as [[Yorkville, Toronto|Yorkville]], Rosedale, The Annex, Forest Hill, [[Lawrence Park, Toronto|Lawrence Park]], [[Lytton Park]], [[Deer Park, Toronto|Deer Park]], [[Moore Park, Toronto|Moore Park]], and Casa Loma, most stretching away from downtown to the north.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} East and west of downtown, neighbourhoods such as [[Kensington Market]], [[Chinatown, Toronto|Chinatown]], [[Leslieville]], [[Cabbagetown, Toronto|Cabbagetown]] and [[Riverdale, Toronto|Riverdale]] are home to bustling commercial and cultural areas as well as communities of artists with studio lofts, with many middle- and upper-class professionals.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} Other neighbourhoods in the central city retain an ethnic identity, including two smaller Chinatowns, the [[Greektown, Toronto|Greektown]] area, [[Little Italy, Toronto|Little Italy]], [[Little Portugal, Toronto|Portugal Village]], and [[Gerrard Street (Toronto)|Little India]], among others.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Usmani |first=Zain |date=March 27, 2023 |title=Toronto Neighbourhoods {{!}} Ethnic Enclaves to Discover - Prepare For Canada |url=https://www.prepareforcanada.com/before-you-arrive/settling-in-canada/toronto-neighbourhoods-ethnic-enclaves-to-discover/ |access-date=April 10, 2023 |website=www.prepareforcanada.com |language=en-US |archive-date=April 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410051934/https://www.prepareforcanada.com/before-you-arrive/settling-in-canada/toronto-neighbourhoods-ethnic-enclaves-to-discover/ |url-status=live }}</ref><!--There is no need to list every ethnic enclave in Toronto; see [[List of neighbourhoods in Toronto]] instead--> ====Suburbs==== [[File:Crescent Town 2022.jpg|thumb|[[Crescent Town]] and the surrounding area from the air. Crescent Town was a post-World War II suburban neighbourhood developed in [[East York]].]] The inner suburbs are contained within the former municipalities of York and East York.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Toronto: A Tale Of Three Cities {{!}} Smart Cities Dive|url=https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/toronto-tale-three-cities/1217926/|access-date=April 4, 2021|website=www.smartcitiesdive.com|language=en-US|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513024529/https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/toronto-tale-three-cities/1217926/|url-status=live}}</ref> These are mature and traditionally working-class areas, consisting primarily of post–World War I small, single-family homes and small apartment blocks.<ref name=":0" /> Neighbourhoods such as [[Crescent Town]], [[Thorncliffe Park]], [[Flemingdon Park]], Weston, and [[Oakwood Village]] consist mainly of high-rise apartments, which are home to many new immigrant families. During the 2000s, many neighbourhoods became ethnically diverse and underwent [[gentrification]] due to increasing population and a housing boom during the late 1990s and the early 21st century. The first neighbourhoods affected were [[Leaside]] and [[North Toronto]], gradually progressing into the western neighbourhoods in York.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} [[File:York after sunset (2855524410).jpg|thumb|In an attempt to curb [[urban sprawl|suburban sprawl]], many suburban neighbourhoods in Toronto encouraged high-density populations by mixing housing lots with apartment buildings far from the downtown core.]] The outer suburbs comprising the former municipalities of Etobicoke (west), Scarborough (east) and North York (north) largely retain the grid plan laid before post-war development.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 23, 2013|title=Quick comparisons between Toronto's and Chicago's street grids|url=http://spacing.ca/toronto/2013/10/23/torontos-and-chicagos-street-grids/|access-date=April 4, 2021|website=Spacing Toronto|language=en-US|archive-date=May 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508013119/https://spacing.ca/toronto/2013/10/23/torontos-and-chicagos-street-grids/|url-status=live}}</ref> Sections were long established and quickly growing towns before the suburban housing boom began and the emergence of metropolitan government, existing towns or villages such as Mimico, [[Islington-City Centre West|Islington]] and [[New Toronto]] in Etobicoke; [[Willowdale, Toronto|Willowdale]], [[Newtonbrook]] and [[Downsview]] in North York; [[Agincourt, Toronto|Agincourt]], [[Wexford, Toronto|Wexford]] and [[West Hill, Toronto|West Hill]] in Scarborough where suburban development boomed around or between these and other towns beginning in the late 1940s. Upscale neighbourhoods were built, such as the [[Bridle Path, Toronto|Bridle Path]] in North York, the area surrounding the Scarborough Bluffs in [[Guildwood]], and most of central Etobicoke, such as [[Humber Valley Village]], and [[The Kingsway, Toronto|The Kingsway]]. One of the largest and earliest "planned communities" was [[Don Mills]], parts of which were first built in the 1950s.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plan town of 45,000 on Don Mills farms; Will cost 10,000,000 |first=Paul L. |last=Fox |newspaper=[[Toronto Star]] |date=March 12, 1953 |page=3}}</ref> Phased development, mixing single-detached housing with higher-density apartment blocks, became more popular as a suburban model of development. Over the late 20th century and early 21st century, [[North York City Centre]], Etobicoke City Centre and [[Scarborough City Centre]] have emerged as secondary business districts outside Downtown Toronto. High-rise development in these areas has given the former municipalities distinguishable skylines of their own, with high-density transit corridors serving them.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} ====Industrial==== [[File:Toronto's Distillery District in 2023 (52716109425).jpg|thumb|The [[Distillery District]] holds the most extensive collection of preserved Victorian industrial architecture in North America.]] In the 1800s, a thriving industrial area developed around Toronto Harbour and the lower Don River mouth, linked by rail and water to Canada and the United States. Examples included the Gooderham and Worts Distillery, Canadian Malting Company, the Toronto Rolling Mills, the Union Stockyards and the [[William Davies Company|Davies pork processing facility]] (the inspiration for the "Hogtown" nickname).<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Matthews|first1=Geoffrey J.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tWkxht1Oa8EC&q=In+the+1800s%2C+a+thriving+industrial+area+developed+around+Toronto+Harbour&pg=PA162|title=Historical Atlas of Canada: The land transformed, 1800–1891|last2=Measner|first2=Don|date=January 1, 1987|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-0-8020-3447-2|language=en|access-date=April 12, 2021|archive-date=September 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914171830/https://books.google.com/books?id=tWkxht1Oa8EC&q=In+the+1800s%2C+a+thriving+industrial+area+developed+around+Toronto+Harbour&pg=PA162|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=R|first=Thais|title=Why Is Toronto Called Hogtown?|url=https://newcanadianlife.com/why-is-toronto-called-hogtown/|access-date=April 4, 2021|website=New Canadian Life|language=en-US|archive-date=May 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513025145/https://newcanadianlife.com/why-is-toronto-called-hogtown/|url-status=live}}</ref> This industrial area expanded west along the harbour and rail lines and was supplemented by the infilling of the marshlands on the east side of the harbour to create the Port Lands. A garment industry developed along lower Spadina Avenue, the "[[Fashion District, Toronto|Fashion District]]". Beginning in the late 19th century, industrial areas were set up on the outskirts, such as [[The Junction|West Toronto / The Junction]], where the Stockyards relocated in 1903.<ref name="stockyards">{{cite web |url=http://torontohistory.net/junction-stockyards.html |title=Junction Stockyards |website=torontohistory.net |publisher=Toronto Historical Association |access-date=September 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914035408/http://torontohistory.net/junction-stockyards.html |archive-date=September 14, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Great Fire of 1904 destroyed a large amount of industry in the downtown. Some companies moved west along King Street, and some moved as far west as Dufferin Street, where the large [[Massey-Harris]] farm equipment manufacturing complex was located.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/what_king_west_looked_like_in_the_1980s/ |title=What King West looked like in the 1980s |website=blogTO |first=Derek |last=Flack |date=August 24, 2011 |access-date=September 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914035602/http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/08/what_king_west_looked_like_in_the_1980s/ |archive-date=September 14, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Over time, pockets of industrial land mostly followed rail lines and later highway corridors as the city grew outwards. This trend continues to this day; the largest factories and distribution warehouses are in the suburban environs of [[Regional Municipality of Peel|Peel]] and [[Regional Municipality of York|York]] Regions, but also within the current city: Etobicoke (concentrated around [[Toronto Pearson International Airport|Pearson Airport]]), North York, and Scarborough.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} [[File:Skyline,_2013_09_14_(17).JPG|thumb|left|The [[West Don Lands]] is a [[brownfield land|former industrial site]] in downtown Toronto that has undergone redevelopment.]] Many of Toronto's [[Brownfield land|former industrial sites]] close to (or in) downtown have been redeveloped, including parts of the Toronto waterfront, the rail yards west of downtown, and [[Liberty Village]], the Massey-Harris district and large-scale development is underway in the [[West Don Lands]].{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} The Gooderham & Worts Distillery produced spirits until 1990 and is preserved today as the "Distillery District", the largest and best-preserved collection of [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] industrial architecture in North America.{{sfn|Gibson|2008}} Some industry remains in the area, including the [[Redpath Sugar Refinery]]. Similar areas that retain their industrial character but are now largely residential are the Fashion District, Corktown, and parts of South Riverdale and Leslieville. Toronto still has some active older industrial areas, such as [[Brockton Village]], Mimico and New Toronto. In the west end of Old Toronto and York, the Weston/[[Mount Dennis]] and The Junction areas still contain factories, meat-packing facilities and rail yards close to medium-density residential. However, the Junction's Union Stockyards moved out of Toronto in 1994.<ref name="stockyards"/> The brownfield industrial area of the Port Lands, on the east side of the harbour, is one area planned for redevelopment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=6e75397250b16410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=ae9352cc66061410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD|title=Port Lands Acceleration Initiative – City Planning – Your City |publisher=City of Toronto|language=en-CA|access-date=February 4, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205181727/http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=6e75397250b16410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=ae9352cc66061410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD|archive-date=February 5, 2017}}</ref> Formerly a marsh that was filled in to create industrial space, it was never intensely developed — its land unsuitable for large-scale development — because of flooding and unstable soil.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://leslievillehistory.com/timeline-ashbridges-bay/|title=Ashbridge's Bay|date=April 13, 2015|newspaper=Leslieville Historical Society|language=en-US|access-date=February 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205100926/https://leslievillehistory.com/timeline-ashbridges-bay/|archive-date=February 5, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> It still contains numerous industrial uses, such as the [[Portlands Energy Centre]] power plant, port facilities, movie and TV production studios, concrete processing facilities, and low-density industrial facilities. The [[Waterfront Toronto]] agency has developed plans for a naturalized mouth to the Don River and to create a flood barrier around the Don, making more of the land on the harbour suitable for higher-value residential and commercial development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2015/07/city-announces-next-steps-port-lands-revitalization|title=City Announces Next Steps in Port Lands Revitalization {{!}} Urban Toronto|website=urbantoronto.ca|language=en|access-date=February 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205101158/http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2015/07/city-announces-next-steps-port-lands-revitalization|archive-date=February 5, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> A former chemicals plant site along the Don River is slated to become a large commercial complex and transportation hub.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eastharbour.ca/ |title=East Harbour |website=eastharbour.ca |publisher=First Gulf |access-date=September 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914035711/http://eastharbour.ca/ |archive-date=September 14, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> === Architecture === {{Main|Architecture of Toronto}} {{See also|List of oldest buildings and structures in Toronto|List of tallest buildings in Toronto}} [[File:Sharp_Centre_for_Design.jpg|thumb|right|The Rosalie Sharp Centre for Design, an extension of [[OCAD University]]'s main building]] Toronto's buildings vary in design and age, with many structures dating back to the early 19th century, while other prominent buildings were just newly built in the first decade of the 21st century.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Takhar |first=Jas |date=February 12, 2020 |title=The History of Toronto Architecture |url=https://medium.com/@jastakhar13/the-history-of-toronto-architecture-6f7dbbf1ff3a |access-date=April 4, 2021 |website=Medium |language=en |archive-date=May 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513021930/https://medium.com/@jastakhar13/the-history-of-toronto-architecture-6f7dbbf1ff3a |url-status=live }}</ref> Lawrence Richards, a member of the Faculty of Architecture at the [[University of Toronto]], has said, "Toronto is a new, brash, rag-tag place—a big mix of periods and styles."<ref>{{cite web |title=Toronto Architecture |url=http://www.where.ca/Toronto/article_feature~listing_id~95.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101083629/http://www.where.ca/Toronto/article_feature~listing_id~95.htm |archive-date=November 1, 2011}}</ref> [[Bay-and-gable]] houses, mainly found in Old Toronto, are a distinct architectural feature of the city. Defining the Toronto skyline is the CN Tower, a telecommunications and tourism hub. Completed in 1976 at a height of {{convert|553.33|m|ftin}}, it was the world's tallest<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080124080732/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070913/cn_tower_070913/20070913?hub=SciTech Dubai building surpasses CN Tower in height], [[CTV Television Network]] (2007); retrieved September 13, 2007.</ref> freestanding structure until 2007 when it was surpassed by [[Burj Khalifa]] in [[Dubai]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Bill |date=September 13, 2007 |title=CN Tower no longer world's tallest |work=Toronto Star |publisher=Toronto Star Newspapers Ltd. |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2007/09/13/cn_tower_no_longer_worlds_tallest.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816175733/https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2007/09/13/cn_tower_no_longer_worlds_tallest.html |archive-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref> Toronto is a city of high-rises and had 1,875 buildings over {{convert|30|m|ft}} as of 2011.<ref>Most of these buildings are residential. In contrast, the central business district contains commercial office towers. There has been recent attention given to the need to retrofit many of these buildings, which were constructed beginning in the 1950s as residential apartment blocks to accommodate a quickly growing population. As of November 2011, the city had 132 high-rise buildings under construction. {{cite web |date=October 5, 2011 |title=Highrises? We're tops on the continent |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/article/1064773-highrises-we-re-tops-on-the-continent |access-date=April 18, 2014 |work=Toronto Star |publisher=TheStar.com |id=Some 132 tall buildings are currently rising in Toronto, by far the most in North America. }}{{Dead link|date=July 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Through the 1960s and 1970s, significant pieces of Toronto's architectural heritage were demolished to make way for redevelopment or parking. In contrast, since 2000, amid the [[Canadian property bubble]], Toronto has experienced a condo construction boom and architectural revival, with several buildings opened by world-renowned architects. [[Daniel Libeskind]]'s [[Royal Ontario Museum]] addition, [[Frank Gehry]]'s remake of the [[Art Gallery of Ontario]], and [[Will Alsop]]'s distinctive [[OCAD University]] expansion are among the city's new showpieces.<ref>{{cite web |year=2005 |title=Toronto's Cultural Renaissance |url=http://www.livewithculture.ca/livewithculture_ca/about/cultural_renaissance_projects/toronto_s_cultural_renaissance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111050849/http://www.livewithculture.ca/livewithculture_ca/about/cultural_renaissance_projects/toronto_s_cultural_renaissance |archive-date=November 11, 2007 |website=livewithculture.ca |publisher=City of Toronto}}</ref> The mid-1800s Distillery District, on the eastern edge of downtown, has been redeveloped into a pedestrian-oriented arts, culture and entertainment neighbourhood.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Distillery Historic District |url=http://www.toronto.com/things-to-do/the-distillery-historic-district/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160711164809/http://www.toronto.com/things-to-do/the-distillery-historic-district/ |archive-date=July 11, 2016 |access-date=July 16, 2016 |website=Toronto.com}}</ref> This construction boom has some observers call the phenomenon the [[Manhattanization]] of Toronto after [[Manhattan|the densely built island borough]] of New York City.<ref>{{cite news |last=Alcoba |first=Natalie |date=August 27, 2014 |title=Toronto's 'Manhattanization': Downtown development growing at 'mind blowing' rate |newspaper=[[National Post]] |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/toronto/torontos-manhattanization-downtown-office-development-growing-at-mind-blowing-rate |access-date=June 28, 2015 |archive-date=August 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806192737/http://news.nationalpost.com/toronto/torontos-manhattanization-downtown-office-development-growing-at-mind-blowing-rate |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Wide image|Sunset Toronto Skyline Panorama Crop from Snake Island.jpg|1040px|Toronto skyline from [[Toronto Harbour]] looking north at dusk, in 2018|center|alt=}} {{Wide image|320 L1070205 27-020 (50882129891) (cropped).jpg|1040px|Toronto skyline from [[Riverdale, Toronto|Riverdale]] looking west, in 2021|center|alt=}} === Climate === {{climate chart | Toronto |-6.7|-0.7|61.5 |-5.6|-0.4|55.4 |-1.9| 4.7|53.7 |4.1|11.5|68.0 |9.9|18.4|82.0 |14.9|23.8|70.9 |18.0|26.6|63.9 |17.4|25.5|81.1 |13.4|21.0|84.7 |7.4|14.0|64.4 |2.3|7.5|84.1 |-3.1|2.1|61.5 |float=left |clear=none |source = Environment Canada<ref name="TORONTO">{{cite web |title=Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 Station Data |url=http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=5051&lang=e&dCode=0&province=ONT&provBut=Go&month1=0&month2=12 |website=Environment Canada |date = October 31, 2011|access-date=August 30, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403002422/http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=5051&lang=e&dCode=0&province=ONT&provBut=Go&month1=0&month2=12 |archive-date=April 3, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> }} The city of Toronto has a hot summer [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Dfa''),<ref name="Peel">{{cite journal |last1=Peel |first1=M. C. |last2=Finlayson |first2=B. L. |last3=McMahon |first3=T. A. |year=2007 |title=Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification |url=http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf |url-status=live |journal=Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. |volume=11 |issue=5 |pages=1633–1644 |bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P |doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 |issn=1027-5606 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203170339/http://www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/11/1633/2007/hess-11-1633-2007.pdf |archive-date=February 3, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2015 |doi-access=free}}</ref> though was on the threshold of a warm summer humid continental climate (''Dfb'') until the 20th century due to the [[urban heat island]] but still found in the [[Greater Toronto Area|metropolitan region]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=World Map of Köppen-Geiger climate classification – 1971–2000 normals |url=http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/pdf/1976-2000.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215192309/http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/pdf/1976-2000.pdf |archive-date=December 15, 2017 |access-date=June 10, 2019 |website=koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at |language=en}}</ref> with warm, humid summers and cold winters. According to the classification applied by [[Natural Resources Canada]], the city of Toronto is in plant hardiness zone 7a. Some suburbs and nearby towns have lower zone ratings.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service |title=Canada's Plant Hardiness Site |url=http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=22&lang=en&prov=Ontario&val=T |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305141609/http://www.planthardiness.gc.ca/?m=22&lang=en&prov=Ontario&val=T |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |access-date=June 7, 2016 |website=Planthardiness.gc.ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |publisher=Government of Canada, [[Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada]] |title=Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada |url=http://www.agr.gc.ca/atlas/agpv?webmap-en=78529700717d4cab81c13e9f9404ef10&webmap-fr=c1b454842d3748b0bb0807d7817d34c2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727145343/http://www.agr.gc.ca/atlas/agpv?webmap-en=78529700717d4cab81c13e9f9404ef10&webmap-fr=c1b454842d3748b0bb0807d7817d34c2 |archive-date=July 27, 2017 |access-date=July 11, 2017 |website=agr.gc.ca}}</ref> The city experiences four distinct seasons, with considerable variance in length.<ref name="climatedriverv1">{{cite web |year=2011 |title=What are we studying and why? |url=http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/environment_and_energy/key_priorities/files/pdf/tfwcds-chapter1.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820183936/http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/environment_and_energy/key_priorities/files/pdf/tfwcds-chapter1.pdf |archive-date=August 20, 2015 |access-date=September 20, 2015 |work=Toronto's Future Weather and Climate Driver Study |publisher=City of Toronto }}</ref> As a result of the rapid passage of weather systems (such as high- and low-pressure systems), the weather is variable from day to day in all seasons.<ref name="climatedriverv1" /> Owing to urbanization and its proximity to water, Toronto has a fairly low [[Diurnal temperature variation|diurnal temperature range]]. The denser urbanscape makes for warmer nights year-round; the average nighttime temperature is about {{convert|3.0|C-change|2}} warmer in the city than in rural areas in all months.<ref name="climatedriverv3">{{cite web |year=2011 |title=Why is Weather in Toronto the way it is? |url=http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/environment_and_energy/key_priorities/files/pdf/tfwcds-chapter3.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820183939/http://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/environment_and_energy/key_priorities/files/pdf/tfwcds-chapter3.pdf |archive-date=August 20, 2015 |access-date=September 20, 2015 |work=Toronto's Future Weather and Climate Driver Study |publisher=City of Toronto }}</ref> However, it can be noticeably cooler on many spring and early summer afternoons under the influence of a lake breeze, since Lake Ontario is cool relative to the air during these seasons.<ref name="climatedriverv3" /> These lake breezes mostly occur in summer, bringing relief on hot days.<ref name="climatedriverv3" /> Other low-scale maritime effects on the climate include [[lake-effect snow]], fog, and delaying of spring- and fall-like conditions, known as [[seasonal lag]].<ref name="climatedriverv3" /> Winters are cold, with frequent snow.<ref name="climate">{{cite web |title=Weather Expectations |url=http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=0d14c76aa6b12310VgnVCM1000003dd60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=a48832d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909015931/http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=0d14c76aa6b12310VgnVCM1000003dd60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=a48832d0b6d1e310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=September 20, 2015 |publisher=City of Toronto }}</ref> During the winter months, temperatures are usually below {{convert|0|C|F|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="climate" /> Toronto winters sometimes feature cold snaps when maximum temperatures remain below {{convert|-10|C|F|0|abbr=on}}, often made to feel colder by [[wind chill]]. Occasionally, they can drop below {{convert|-25|C|F|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="climate" /> Snowstorms, sometimes mixed with ice and rain, can disrupt work and travel schedules while accumulating snow can fall anytime from November until mid-April. However, mild stretches also occur in most winters, melting accumulated snow. The summer months are characterized by very warm temperatures.<ref name="climate" /> Daytime temperatures are usually above {{convert|20|C|F|0|abbr=on}}, and often rise above {{convert|30|C|F|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="climate" /> However, they can occasionally surpass {{convert|35|C|F|0|abbr=on}} accompanied by high humidity. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons with generally mild or cool temperatures with alternating dry and wet periods.<ref name="climatedriverv3" /> Daytime temperatures average around {{convert|10|to|12|C|F|0|abbr=on}} during these seasons.<ref name="climate" /> [[File:NorthYorkIceStorm2.JPG|thumb|Winters in Toronto are typically cold with frequent snowfall.]] Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, but summer is usually the wettest season, the bulk falling during thunderstorms. The average yearly precipitation is about {{convert|831|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}, with an average annual snowfall of about {{convert|1220|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="annex" /> Toronto experiences an average of 2,066 sunshine hours or 45 percent of daylight hours, varying between a low of 28 percent in December to 60 percent in July.<ref name="annex" /> Climate change has affected Toronto, and as a consequence, the Toronto City Council declared a climate emergency, setting a net-zero carbon emissions target by 2040 through the [[TransformTO]] climate action plan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chief |first=David Rider City Hall Bureau |date=September 26, 2019 |title=City of Toronto aiming to be carbon neutral by 2050 or earlier |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/city-hall/city-of-toronto-aiming-to-be-carbon-neutral-by-2050-or-earlier/article_9faeac39-90c6-59bf-a7b7-d7780b4db815.html |access-date=January 3, 2024 |website=Toronto Star |language=en |archive-date=January 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103182047/https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/city-hall/city-of-toronto-aiming-to-be-carbon-neutral-by-2050-or-earlier/article_9faeac39-90c6-59bf-a7b7-d7780b4db815.html |url-status=live }}</ref> {{Toronto weatherbox}} === Parks === {{See also|List of Toronto parks}} {{More citations needed section|date=July 2016}} [[File:Finch Meandor with Rouge River.jpg|thumb|[[Rouge National Urban Park]] is a [[National parks of Canada|national park]] in [[Scarborough, Ontario|Scarborough]].]] Toronto has diverse public spaces, from city squares to public parks overlooking ravines. [[Nathan Phillips Square]] is the city's main square in downtown, contains the [[Toronto Sign]],<ref>{{cite web |date=June 21, 2016 |title=Iconic Toronto sign starting to show wear, needs funding to survive |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2016/06/21/iconic-toronto-sign-starting-to-show-wear-needs-funding-to-survive/ |access-date=May 3, 2020 |website=CityNews Toronto |archive-date=May 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517223859/https://toronto.citynews.ca/2016/06/21/iconic-toronto-sign-starting-to-show-wear-needs-funding-to-survive/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and forms the entrance to [[Toronto City Hall|City Hall]]. [[Yonge–Dundas Square]], near City Hall, has also gained attention in recent years as one of the busiest gathering spots in the city. Other squares include [[Harbourfront Centre|Harbourfront Square]], on the Toronto waterfront, and the civic squares at the former city halls of the defunct Metropolitan Toronto, most notably [[Mel Lastman Square]] in North York. The [[Toronto Public Space Committee]] is an advocacy group concerned with the city's public spaces. In recent years, Nathan Phillips Square has been refurbished with new facilities, and the central waterfront along Queen's Quay West has been updated recently with a new street architecture and a new square next to Harbourfront Centre. [[File:Toronto City Hall (25383892988).jpg|thumb|[[Nathan Phillips Square]] is the city's main square. The square includes a reflecting pool that is converted into an [[ice rink]] during the winter.]] In the winter, Nathan Phillips Square, Harbourfront Centre, and Mel Lastman Square feature popular rinks for public ice skating. Etobicoke's Colonel Sam Smith Trail opened in 2011 and is Toronto's first skating trail. [[Earl Bales Park]] offers outdoor skiing and snowboarding slopes with a [[chairlift]], rental facilities, and lessons. Several parks have marked cross-country skiing trails. There are many large downtown parks, which include [[Allan Gardens]], [[Christie Pits]], [[Grange Park (Toronto)|Grange Park]], [[Little Norway Park]], [[Moss Park]], [[Queen's Park (Toronto)|Queen's Park]], [[Riverdale Park (Toronto)|Riverdale Park]] and [[Trinity Bellwoods Park]]. An almost hidden park is the compact [[Cloud Gardens]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Urban Design: Cloud Garden Park |url=http://www.lostrivers.ca/points/cloudgrdnpk.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308153337/http://www.lostrivers.ca/points/cloudgrdnpk.htm |archive-date=March 8, 2008 |access-date=March 27, 2009 |work=Lost Streams, Toronto, Web site}}</ref> which has both open areas and a glassed-in greenhouse, near Queen Street and Yonge. South of downtown are two large parks on the waterfront: Tommy Thompson Park on the [[Leslie Street Spit]], which has a nature preserve and is open on weekends, and the Toronto Islands, accessible from downtown by ferry. [[File:Spring has arrived at James Gardens! Toronto, May 13th, 2018 (42086291601).jpg|thumb|A crossing over the Humber River at [[James Gardens]], a botanical garden operated by [[Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division]]]] Large parks in the outer areas managed by the city include [[High Park]], [[Humber Bay Park]], [[Centennial Park (Toronto)|Centennial Park]], [[Downsview Park]], [[Guild Park and Gardens]], [[Sunnybrook Park]] and [[Morningside Park (Toronto)|Morningside Park]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 6, 2017 |title=Parks Listings |url=https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/prd/facilities/parks/index.html |website=City of Toronto |access-date=October 4, 2020 |archive-date=December 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216203443/https://www.toronto.ca/data/parks/prd/facilities/parks/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Toronto also operates several public golf courses. Most ravine lands and river bank floodplains in Toronto are public parklands. After Hurricane Hazel in 1954, construction of buildings on floodplains was outlawed, and private lands were bought for conservation. In 1999, Downsview Park, a former military base in North York, initiated an international design competition to realize its vision of creating Canada's first [[urban park]]. The winner, "Tree City", was announced in May 2000. Approximately {{convert|8000|ha|acre}}, or 12.5 percent of Toronto's land base, is maintained parkland.<ref name="gnpark">{{cite news |last1=Armstrong |first1=James |last2=McAllister |first2=Mark |date=April 5, 2013 |title=Toronto boasts thousands of hectares of parkland |work=Global News |url=http://globalnews.ca/news/459228/toronto-boasts-thousands-of-hectares-of-parkland/ |url-status=live |access-date=October 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003102200/http://globalnews.ca/news/459228/toronto-boasts-thousands-of-hectares-of-parkland/ |archive-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref> Morningside Park is the largest park managed by the city, which is {{convert|241.46|ha|acre}} in size.<ref name="gnpark" /> In addition to public parks managed by the municipal government, parts of [[Rouge National Urban Park]], the largest urban park in North America, is in the [[Rouge, Toronto|eastern portion]] of Toronto. Managed by [[Parks Canada]], the [[National parks of Canada|national park]] is centred around the Rouge River and encompasses several municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 22, 2017 |title=Ontario hands over last piece of land for Rouge National Urban Park, but skeptics remain |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rouge-urban-park-ontario-leases-farms-1.4365896 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320221548/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/rouge-urban-park-ontario-leases-farms-1.4365896 |archive-date=March 20, 2018 |access-date=March 7, 2018 |work=CBCNews |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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