Riverdale, Toronto
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Riverdale is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly east of the Don River Valley south of The Danforth (Greektown) and north of Lake Ontario. The neighbourhood is characterized by two large recreational parks; Riverdale Park adjacent to the Don River and Withrow Park to the north east of Riverdale.
Riverdale is known by many Torontonians as a thriving residential neighbourhood represented by a strong arts community that cater to independent galleries on Queen St. to the large corporate film studios along the waterfront. The tree-lined side-streets are complemented by the various styles of Victorian and Georgian residential architecture, primarily built between the 1880's until the depression.
The Riverdale Zoo was Toronto's zoological park before the opening of the Toronto Zoo in the early 1970s. Now named the Riverdale Farm, it continues as an educational farm for school children and the general public. Riverdale Farm is located west of the Don River in Cabbagetown.
Other well known areas within Riverdale include Queen-Broadview Village, a funky patio-lined pocket named after its busy intersection. Just east of Queen-Broadview Village is Leslieville, which ecompasses a few quaint blocks of late 19th century storefronts lined with antique shops, galleries and cafes.
Many locals debate where the true eastern and southern boundaries of Riverdale are located. Some theorize that Riverdale stops east of Greenwood Ave., while others argue Coxwell Ave. Accordingly, the southern boundary limits are often debated as ending either on Gerrard St East or further south onto the shores of Lake Ontario.
See also
Riverdale was a short-lived Canadian Broadcasting Corporation soap opera broadcast in the late 1990s that was set in Riverdale, which had the reputation of being home to many CBC employees at the time. Riverdale was modelled on the United Kingdom's Coronation Street.