ABOUT ALEXANDRA PARK

The neighborhood is named after the park located on Dundas Street West and Bathurst Street, which takes its name from Queen Alexandra wife of King Edward VII.

The first records of development in the area indicate that it became a baseline in 1791. In 1841, Sir Casimir Gzowski purchased the land and built the first residential property there, known as “The Hall.”

The area around Mr. Gsowski’s grand house increasingly developed, turning into a neighborhood between the 1920s and 1930s. Then, most of the population living in the area came from Ukraine and Poland.

In the 1960s, population growth and the high number of migrants made development imminent. The region became a suburban area. As a result, many old houses were demolished, including The Hall, to create the necessary space for public housing complexes and thus, fulfill the residential needs.

On an interesting note, a branch of Toronto’s Public Library lies on the land where The Hall stood in the past.

The development of the neighborhood drew the attention of more immigrants from different parts of the world such as Africa, Vietnam, China, and the Caribbean.

Today, Alexandra Park is known for its multicultural heritage and its numerous commercial buildings. It also has excellent private and public housing options and continues to receive migrants from around the world.