ENROUTE TV   ENROUTE FM   MEDIA KIT   AIR CANADA   LINKS   WRITERS'   GUIDELINES	CANADA'S COOLEST NEIGHBOURHOODS When today's archetypal young graphic designer leaves home, he is looking for something different than what his parents may have sought. Text: JEAN BERNARD, MANON CHEVALIER, JOSHUA KNELMAN, PHILIP PREVILLE, MIREILLE SILCOTT When today's archetypal young graphic designer leaves home, he is looking for something different than what his parents may have sought. Often, he will look for a "young" place inhabited by his peers. He will seek out a "fun" place, where he can indulge in his favourite leisure activities. But most of all, he will look for an area that makes him feel distinct and at home at the same time, a neighbourhood that reflects his tastes - a place that is cool. The following is enRoute's first-ever survey of Canada's Coolest Neighbourhoods, chosen by a panel of 38 prominent Canadians. Some of the results may surprise you. Wisdom has it that once a neighbourhood has been identified as cool, the cool factor begins to disappear. But today, with cool having been both democratized and commodified, even the infiltration of Starbucks and Gap doesn't seem to erase hipness entirely. Witness two already quite commercialized districts - Toronto's Queen West and Montreal's Plateau - taking the gold and silver in our Top 10 list. There are some undiscovered 'hoods in the Top 10 too. The Exchange District in Winnipeg boasts all of 254 residents, but still made it to No. 7. Further proof that, even in this age of corporatized cool, sometimes you still never know what will hit. TORONTO Queen Street West Population: approx. 10,000 Main intersection: Queen Street West and Bathurst Average price of one-bedroom 700-square-foot loft in 1996: $130,000 Average price of loft in 2001: $210,000 Number of seats at Swan Restaurant: 36 Number of oysters shucked at Swan on a Friday night: 125 In truth, Queen Street West defies description as a "neighbourhood." It extends for a full 25 blocks, and different segments have decidedly different characters. The Entertainment District, from University to Spadina, has been a hub of youth culture ever since MuchMusic set up shop in the ChumCity Building (299 Queen West) some 15 years ago. Today, this stretch is dotted with brand-name shops and numerous clubs, making it a festival of flesh on summer weekends. But the real treasures are found along the stretch from Bathurst to Trinity-Bellwoods Park, brought to life over the last 10 years by custom retailers of clothing, art and furniture. For home furnishings, Quasi Modo (789 Queen West) and Fluid Living (622) showcase top designers. For antiques, Red Indian (536) specializes in art-deco finds. Stop at Dufflet (787) for the best pastries in the city. Dinner at Swan (892) is rich in oysters, ribs, steak and duck. All tribes mingle here; all histories converge. The best place to experience it up close is on the venerable 501 - Toronto's busiest electric streetcar route. "My neighbourhood exemplifies what I most appreciate about Toronto: a neighbourhood with a village feel located in a big city." Floria Sigismondi, video director MONTRÉAL Le Plateau Mont-Royal Population: approx. 100,000 Main intersection: Saint-Laurent and des Pins Price single family home, 1997: $160,000 Price single family home, 2001: $232,001 Average number of kilograms of smoked meat sold on a Friday night at Schwartz's deli: 270 World-famous singer who regularly calls Schwartz's from her limo to announce her arrival: Céline Dion It is the area immortalized in Mordecai Richler's novels and Michel Tremblay's plays. Le Plateau Mont-Royal is the beating heart of this city; its fabled winding-staircase triplexes begin at the foot of Mont-Royal and straggle east to where the Olympic Stadium comes into plain view. The Plateau's central artery, boulevard Saint-Laurent was the commercial lifeline of waves of immigrants well into the last century. In the late 1960s, the cheap, roomy apartments attracted Montreal's artistic counterculture. By the 1990s, young French and English Montrealers wouldn't dream of living anywhere else but the multicultural Plateau, with its Portuguese rotisseries (Rotisserie Portugalia, 34 Rachel Ouest) and old Jewish delis (Schwartz's, 3895 Saint-Laurent). But you could still find a three-bedroom apartment for only $600 a month. Not anymore. Apartment prices have skyrocketed and vacancy is less than 1 percent. The strip of Saint-Laurent from Sherbrooke to Rachel is a night owl's delight, packed with spot-the-celebrities restaurants (Globe, 3455 Saint-Laurent), nightclubs and designer boutiques (Space FB, 3632). Saint-Denis, another main street, is chic as can be, with its top French restaurants (l'Express, 3927 Saint-Denis). Although the price of cool has pushed many residents out of the Plateau, the population is still young and creative. "Between the Italian coffee bars, the polish church bazaars, the bagels and the borscht, no matter how branché this area becomes, I can't see this 'hood ever losing its charm." Alexandra Spunt, model scouting Director, Next Canada MONTRÉAL Old Montreal Population: approx. 3,500 Main intersection: McGill and Saint-Paul Price of condo, 1997: $195,000 Price of condo, 2001: $365,000 Price of a meal at Cube: $100 Price of a meal at Stash: $12 Even if the historic district that encompasses the Old Port of Montreal, Bonsecours Market and the Notre Dame Basilica had a short run in the 1970s as a trendy area with its lofts and new music scene, it would have had a hard time making it onto this list only a few years ago. Sure, there was the odd well-loved local institution, like the Polish restaurant Stash (200 Saint-Paul Ouest), but Old Montreal lost its cool in the 1980s and 1990s once McDonald's and IMAX moved in. The boom of the new economy saved the cobblestoned district from being just another tourist trap. In 1996, plans were drawn up for the sprawling techie office complex Cité Multimedia, just west of rue McGill. Soon to follow was a group of new boutique hotels, restaurants (try Soto, 500 and 506 McGill, for high-brow sushi) and trendy design shops like fashion emporium Want Stil (231 Saint-Paul Ouest). At night, places like the expensive Cube (355 McGill) attract the cream of the city's beautiful people. Although the district is still lightly populated, loft conversions and condo projects are on the rise, bringing new dwellers willing to trade in supermarkets, gas stations and big box drugstores for what feels like a little patch of Europe in Canada. "You wake up on a Saturday morning to the sounds of ringing church bells and horses clopping along cobblestones. Then you stroll downstairs, pick up your newspaper and have a croissant and café au lait on a bakery's patio." Byron Peart, owner, Want Stil Boutique VANCOUVER West End Population: 41,000 Main intersection: Davie and Denman Price, one-bedroom apartment, 1996: $140,000 Price, one-bedroom apartment, 2001: $172,290 Number of bikes rented per day in high season at Denman Bike Shop: 200 West End population between 20 and 39: 51.5 percent Vancouver's West End, one of Canada's most densely populated neighbourhoods, stretches along the peninsula from the financial district westward to Stanley Park. Davie and Robson streets, linked by the busy retail corridor of Denman Street, host most of the area's restaurants (CinCin, 1154 Robson), pubs (Fox & Firkin, 1762 Davie) and cafés (Bidwell Bistro and Cafe, 1707 Davie). Nearby are tree-lined residential areas. More than 100 years ago, Vancouver's upper class cleared this land as a getaway from inner-city living. Hence, sprawling Victorian mansions (now converted into suites) crouch next to apartment towers built in the last 30 years. An entire neighbourhood crammed full of multi-unit dwellings means there is always something happening on the street, where baby boomers rule. Because it occupies the peninsula, the West End's southern border is a magnificent ribbon of beach. The public seawall is ideal for bike rides and rollerblading, and the Denman Bike Shop (710 Denman) is always busy renting out equipment. The grassy stretch just inland from the water with its hot-dog vendors and buskers is a comfy spot for picnics. To get a feel for the neighbourhood, try standing at the corner of Davie and Denman, near one of the neighbourhood's most popular restaurants (Raincity Grill, 1193 Denman), where you can stare at the waves without even straining your neck. "I like the West End for its density and its diversity. The area teems at virtually all hours." Timothy Taylor, author TORONTO Little Italy Population: approx. 10,000 Main intersection: College and Clinton Price, one-bedroom 700-square-foot apartment, 1996: $130,000 Price of a loft, 2001: $225,000 Most popular pizza at John's Classic: pesto with goat cheese Time in which John's fastest pizza maker can "board" a pie and slide into the oven: one minute A harmonious blend of old-world style and new-world dazzle, College Street West, Little Italy's main artery, is a Toronto melting pot par excellence. Following World War II, the Jewish neighbourhood (stretching from Bathurst westward to Ossington) was gradually claimed by the fast-growing Italian and Portuguese communities. By the mid-1980s, young urbanite families and university students had discovered the area's cheap rents, importing with them more sophisticated pretentions and a lively music scene. Wander off the main strip and you'll find narrow streets of red brick houses tightly squeezed together. While Subway and Starbucks have been moving in, Little Italy has managed to maintain its independence (for authentic pizza, visit John's Classic, 591 College). By day, the street is awash with the smells of Portuguese bakeries and butcher shops. At night, locals and suburban adventurers frequent Italian bars and eateries like the famed Bar Italia (582 College), the well-worn Café Diplomatico (594) and the dimly lit College St. Bar (574). Rock venues and clubs also come to life, and the street is lit up with the Italian "boot" shape hung from every lamppost. "It's a classic Toronto ethnic frontier: Grizzly old toothless men from the Azores drink muddy coffee outside Mediterranean-style cafés right next to so-hip-it-hurts restaurants, snooker halls and children's clothing stores." Daniel Richler (with daughter Poppy), Editor-in-chief, Book Television EDMONTON Old Strathcona Population: approx. 25,000 Main intersection: Whyte Avenue and 104th Street Price, single family home, 1996: $120,000 Price, single family home, 2001: $200,000 Number of people who attended the Fringe Theatre Festival in 2001: 570,000 Number of volunteer hours donated to the Fringe in 2001: 26,787 Old Strathcona was once notable only for Uncle Albert's pancake house on Whyte Avenue, a breakfast stop on the way out of town. Then came the Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival in 1981, Canada's first and still the country's biggest, at which point a varied cast of characters - theatres, stores, restaurants, subcultures - moved in permanently. The avenues on either side of Whyte are dominated by four-storey apartment complexes; further north toward the river, homes on large lots are plentiful. It's a housing mix that makes for a diverse lifestyle. Greenwoods' Bookshoppe (10355 Whyte) is a top-drawer independent bookseller, and on Saturdays the Old Strathcona Bus Barn (84th Ave.) hosts the city's best farmer's market. At night, Whyte is its own year-round fringe fest, with students flooding in from the nearby University of Alberta campus. Jazz fans gather at the Yardbird Suite (11 Tommy Banks Way), while clubbers get down at Parliament (10551-82nd Ave.). "The area is like one big choose-your-own-adventure book - every time you visit, the adventure will be different but is guaranteed to be lively and fresh." Darryl Lindenbach, Artistic Producer, Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival WINNIPEG Exchange District Population: 254 (!) Main intersection: Albert and McDermot Price, studio rental space, 2001: $3.50 per square foot Price, studio rental space, 2002: $7 to $12.50 per square foot Art galleries within a three-block radius of Albert and McDermot: 12 For 50 years, the Exchange District was Winnipeg's financial core, home to stately banks, Chicago-style warehouses and the largest commodities market on the continent. But the Great Depression knocked the wind out of the Chicago of the North, and for decades the area was the most architecturally stunning ghost town in Canada. Today, those buildings house Winnipeg's cultural communities. For art, the (55 Arthur) and the cutting-edge Plug In (286 McDermot) are must-sees. The District also serves up the Prairies' most diverse food - from Vietnamese at Little Saigon (333 William) to beer and pickled eggs at the Royal Albert Arms (48 Albert). Now that the banks and the traders are gone, the radicals have moved in. The A-Zone building on Albert is home to the long-standing socialist magazine Canadian Dimension and the punk-rock label G7 Welcoming Committee. It's only fitting since the Old Market Square across the street was a focal point for the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike. Artists, aesthetes and actors mingle with punks, pinkos and politicos - a human Exchange District indeed. "The historic Exchange District is the best place to get lost in. It oozes history from the cracks in every Tyndall stone wall; it is the living history of the West." Glen Murray, Mayor of Winnipeg HALIFAX Lower Water Street Population: 17,000 Main intersection: Lower Water Street and Bishop Price, one-bedroom condo, 1996: $54,000 Price, one-bedroom condo, 2001: $125,000 Longest wooden boardwalk in the world: Halifax Boardwalk (from Pier 21 to the Nova Scotia Casino) Number of people who stroll on it every year: 2.5 million Harbourfronts, packed with salty sailors and longshoremen looking for trouble, have always been fishy places in more ways than one. In Halifax, the place for trouble was seaside Lower Water Street and its adjacent blocks. Then the government threw some cash at the problem. In 1995, when Halifax hosted the G7 summit, the city received an epic facelift. Streets were cleaned, museums were created, a scenic oceanfront boardwalk was constructed, and the trouble was swept away. The effort merely finished what the city's budding cultural scene had already started. Salter Street Films, the CanCon producers of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, has expanded from one to three locations in the area. And the Halifax Pop Explosion takes over every live music venue in the district for three days each fall. The area also draws in the business crowd and students, who mingle at the Granite Brewery (1222 Barrington), a microbrew mansion. Hamachi House (5190 Morris) serves up the East Coast's freshest sushi from a floating sushi bar. Still, the foghorns blow. Cruise liners fill the area with tourists in summer, and the Navy is stationed here too. "The buildings are nice, and there is little of those looming modern constructions that punctuate most downtowns. It's still enough of a community that you recognize faces at the Farmer's Market, at the grocery and on the streets." Waye Mason, Executive Producer, Halifax Pop Explosion CALGARY Inglewood Population: 2,800 Main intersection: 9th Avenue and 12th Street Price, single family home, 1996: 105,759 Price, single family home, 2001: 191,291 Average number of people in Tipperary House on a Saturday night: 75 Average number of pints served in Tipperary House on a Saturday night: 250 Like Winnipeg's Exchange District, Inglewood is the cradle of Calgary. But whereas the District has an air of faded nobility, Inglewood, with its century-old storefronts, embodies Calgary's frontier-town ethos. Inglewood ranks as our Top 10's least known 'hood - surprising for an area five minutes from downtown and flanked by both the Bow and Elbow rivers. The rejuvenation began in 1997 when Loose Moose Theatre, the local improv hotbed, relocated to the historic Garry Theatre (1229-9th Ave. SE) and pulled Calgary's young thespians into the region's orbit. Still free of Gaps and Second Cups, Inglewood's commercial core is a collection of quirky oddities. At Recordland (1208-9th Ave. SE), stacks of eight-track tapes supplement the CDs. As army surplus stores go, Crown Surplus (1005-11th St. SE) is delightfully not standard issue. Spolumbo's upscale deli (1308-9th Ave. SE) is famous for its sausage, while a diverse crowd gathers at Tipperary House (1219-9th Ave. SE) for food, drink and live music. Inglewood is now in the midst of a real-estate boom, with bungalow retrofits galore and new condos along the banks of the Bow. Thankfully, in this suburban two-car-garage town, Inglewood's quaint back alleys and car sheds remain - unsightly to some, a web of urban poetry to others. "It has begun transforming itself from a forgotten rundown neighbourhood into a hip, happening, shopping-friendly heaven." Jann Arden, singer-songwriter QUEBEC CITY Old Quebec Population: approx. 5,000 (inside the wall) Main promenade: Terrasse Dufferin across from the Château Frontenac Price, two-bedroom condo, 1998: $110,000 Price, two-bedroom condo, 2001: $150,000 Number of centuries that the Old Quebec stone wall has lasted: two Number of minutes that the chain-link fence erected before the anti-globalization protests lasted: seven With more than 4 million tourists a year, you'd think that Old Quebec would be the worst kind of trap. But many people are only too happy to live in North America's last remaining fortified city north of Mexico. Increasingly, it is Americans with their strong dollars who are snapping up the restored historic homes of the Haute-Ville (the Upper City inside the fortifications) and the artists' lofts of the river-hugging Basse-Ville (Lower City). Along with their pure laine neighbours, these new residents revel in such pleasures as the gastronomy of 47e Parallèle (24 Sainte-Anne) or La Grande Table (1200 Saint-Jean), the antique and art galleries of rue Saint-Paul and tea time at the Château Frontenac (1 des Carrières). In 1985, Old Quebec became one of the few neighbourhoods to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Last year the area earned a new claim to fame as the site of the anti-globalization protests at the 2001 Summit of the Americas. A little cloud still hangs over the neighbourhood. But then the riots have done much to replace "quaint" with "cred" in the annals of neighbourhood cool. "Architecture fans will be impressed by the quality of the buildings. From small residential houses to the impressive Chateau Frontenac, people will discover pleasure in the details that keep Old Quebec beyond classification." Joseph Sarrazin, chef-owner, 47e Parallèle RUNNERS-UP Some on the rise, some past their prime - here are the neighbourhoods that almost made it: Centretown, Ottawa Chinatown, Victoria High Park, Toronto Kitsilano, Vancouver Mount Royal, Calgary Petite Italie, Montréal Riverdale, Edmonton Riverdale, Toronto Rosemont, Montréal Victory Square, Vancouver SMALL IS COOL TOO The top neighbourhoods off the well-trodden big-city track. Dundarave, West Vancouver "It has a lovely pier and oceanside park, hippie food, regular food, a wine shop. It's close to many other things, yet still far enough away. Every few years some bonehead tries to modernize the place, and they always fail, thank God." Douglas Coupland, author The Village, Whistler "The crowd there is more responsive and appreciative than anywhere else I spin. The restaurants, lounges, pubs, clubs and hotels all offer great service. The hiking and camping are, in fact, relatively undiscovered." Brent Carmichael, DJ Downtown Yellowknife "Restaurants and bars are focal points during the winter - a meeting place for friends and co-workers, all full of life to the wee hours of the morning." Pierre LePage, chef-owner Bistro Le Frolic Broadway, Saskatoon "Or downtown Saskatoon. What makes both areas unique is the blend of small-town friendliness and relaxed pace, plus the variety of amenities you'd expect to find in a larger city." Mike Spindloe, owner, Vinyl Exchange Wortley Village, London "The core in the city's old south, featuring gorgeous old homes as well as every kind of merchant and shop run as independent businesses. Residents don't even need a car." John Acquaviva, DJ Downtown St. John's "Home to infamous George Street, known for its nightlife and music. Just walk off Water Street to the harbour and enjoy the architecture and scenery of downtown St. John's from the Atlantic Ocean. A sight to behold." Timber, rock band Panellists John Acquaviva, DJ, London (Ontario) | Jann Arden, singer-songwriter, Calgary | Sylvie Berkowicz, design correspondent MusiquePlus, Montréal | Nick Blasko, co-owner, Lucky Bar and Suze Lounge, Victoria | Gary Burns, filmmaker, Calgary | Dalton Camp, political advisor and columnist, Fredericton | Douglas Cardinal, Aylmer | Brent Carmichael, DJ, Victoria | Douglas Coupland, author, Vancouver | François Desmeules, editor-in-chief, Voir Québec, Québec | Brad Fraser, playwright and director, Toronto | Tyler Gibney, designer, co-founder, Heavyweight Production House, Montréal | Jay Gildenhuys, co-owner , Lucky Bar andSuze Lounge, Victoria | Sophie Gironnay, architecture critic and co-founder Monopoli, Montréal | Noam Gonick, filmmaker, Winnipeg | Jack Layton, Chair, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, City Councillor, Toronto | Pierre LePage, chef-owner, Bistro Le Frolic, Yellowknife | Darryl Lindenbach, Artistic Producer , Edmonton Fringe Theatre Festival, Edmonton | Richard Liukko, owner, Freecloud Records, Edmonton | Mike Magee, manager, Stomp Records / Union Label Group, Montréal | Waye Mason, executive producer, Halifax Pop Explosion, Halifax | Una McAvoy, owner, loftsonline, Delta | Glen Murray, mayor of Winnipeg| Byron Peart, owner, Want Stil Boutique, Montréal | Larry Regan, Vice-President Real Estate, The Second Cup Ltd., Etobicoke | Daniel Richler, editor-in-chief, Book Television, Toronto | Joseph Sarrazin, chef-owner, Bistro 47e Parallèle, Québec | Fateema Sayani, editor-in-chief , Ottawa Xpress | Floria Sigismondi, video director, Toronto | Mike Spindloe, owner, Vinyl Exchange, Saskatoon | Alexandra Spunt, Model Scouting Director, Next Canada, Montréal | Jim Sutherland, editor-in-chief , Western Living, Vancouver | Timothy Taylor, writer, Vancouver | Timber (Chris Sooley, Greg Mercer, Billy Hickey and Rick Hollett), rock band , St. John's | Peter Wuensch, owner, Café Mokka, Halifax.
	© 2004 enRoute is published monthly by Spafax Canada Inc. All rights reserved. FRANÇAIS