At Sidorova Inwood, Toronto’s most popular neighbourhoods and communities are always at the top of our hearts and minds. While we’ve made our name and reputation in the city’s west end, the popularity and buzz around Toronto’s east end neighbourhoods have become too hard to ignore.
And in the east end, one community in particular has continued to pique our interest — the Riverside neighbourhood. What was once a modest working-class community formed around the industrial railway station in the area, the neighbourhood of Riverside has blossomed into one of the city’s most desirable areas to live in today.
With such a rich history and some spectacular heritage-driven architecture, there are plenty of reasons to fall in love with Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood — here are a few of our own.
Curious about the West End and what it’s like to live there? Learn more in our extensive guide, All About Life in Toronto’s West End.
Where Is Riverside in Toronto?
We call this neighbourhood “Riverside Park” because it’s situated–well, beside the river (the Don River, to be exact). Its location in a southern, scenic section of Toronto’s early east end makes it highly desirable!
Similar in name and location to the famous Toronto neighbourhood of Riverdale, you can find Riverside just a bit further south.
Riverside’s southernmost border is along Eastern Avenue, with its northernmost border outlined by Gerrard Street East. To the west, Riverside is bordered alongside the Don River, with Logan Avenue to its east.
Thinking about downsizing in Toronto? The posts below can help you through the planning stages:
- Your A to Z Guide to Downsizing in Toronto
- Tips for Downsizing in Toronto
- 9 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Downsizing
What’s Around
As Toronto’s east end further expands in size and popularity, the numerous businesses and storefronts within communities like the Riverside neighbourhood have seen a swift upturn in attention. Whether they’re recognizable household brand names or smaller mom n’ pop shops, the businesses within Riverside have begun to thrive in recent years.
When it comes to the publicly accessible destinations within the neighbourhood, Toronto landmarks such as Jimmie Simpson Recreation Area and De Grassi Street are also within Riverside’s borders.
Searching for West Toronto homes for sale? Our featured listings page is a resource to keep handy.
Things to Do in Riverside, Toronto
Living in Riverside means there’s always a cool restaurant or venue to visit, along with a variety of events throughout the year, such as the Caribbean Food Festival.
If you love live music, the Opera House lies in the heart of the neighbourhood. Despite the name, this venue showcases artists from multiple genres, which ironically, rarely includes opera.
Rock and punk acts take centre stage, along with a variety of indie and alternative pop artists. This iconic landmark opened its doors in 1909, and has been the site for music videos from Canadian treasures like The Tragically Hip and the Barenaked Ladies.
Riverside Common Park is another community gem, just steps away from Queen and Broadview, where residents regularly attend events and live musical performances. A permanent art installation becomes home to “Light Up Riverside,” a festive celebration of lights during the holidays. This is also where you can enjoy great food and music during the highly anticipated Riverside Eats & Beats Streetfest, usually sometime in June.
The Riverside neighbourhood also has a fascinating history for sports enthusiasts. Long before the Blue Jays, or the Rogers Centre (formerly known as the SkyDome) were a gleam in fans’ eyes, there was Sunlight Park, a stadium on Baseball Place that opened in 1886 and was demolished in 1913.
The area eventually gave way to industrial development before the city redeveloped it into the current park. Today, it’s a great place to keep your eye out for a nice modern condo or a loft!
Fun fact: you can still find “easter eggs” paying homage to the stadium all through the park. Look for the diamonds etched into the ground and the overhead lighting!
Riverside’s Homes
Riverside’s collection of iconic, heritage-driven homes are a great window into the area’s history, age, and character. Most of Riverside’s detached, semi-detached, and red brick rowhouses were built over a hundred years ago, and feature common Victorian and Edwardian architectural details.
These quaint heritage homes can be found on Riverside’s more quiet residential side streets while the condo and high-rise housing markets are more popular along busier main roads, like Queen Street, Dundas Street, and Broadview Avenue.
In terms of Riverside’s real estate market, there’s something for everyone here. Whether you’re on the search for a charming forever home for your growing family or are a young single who is looking for a modest one-bedroom, Riverside is a fantastic place to start your next house search.
Do you have your sights set on a home in Toronto? Learn more about the buying process in the posts below:
- Buying Your First Home: Preparing for Success
- What Should You Look for in a Home Inspection Report?
- Home Buying Checklist
Riverside’s Neighbours
As Toronto’s east end neighbourhoods begin to expand and flourish, an increasing number of Toronto residents have moved into newly desirable neighbourhoods like Riverside.
Today, you can find almost anyone living here, from large affluent families to ambitious young singles. The Riverside neighbourhood particularly appeals to creatives of almost all disciplines, with numerous production houses, restaurants, and studios located in the area.
No matter who you are, you can expect to find a local population with diverse income levels and cultural backgrounds within the inspiring Riverside neighbourhood.
Do you see a future for yourself in Riverside? Let our team of West Toronto real estate agents help you relocate to this fantastic east end neighbourhood. Reach out to 416-769-3437 or email info@sidorovainwood.com with any questions.
