Baldwin Village

Baldwin Village is on Baldwin Street, from McCaul Street to Beverley Street.

Current

Baldwin Village hosts Pedestrian Sundays in the summer.

History

The street was laid out and named after William Warren Baldwin, who owned much of the area, in the early nineteenth century.

The neighbourhood developed in the early 20th century as an offshoot of the Kensington Market Jewish community, and the strip became home to a number of Jewish stores and restaurants.

As the Jewish community moved north from downtown, the area's proximity to Chinatown led it to be populated by Chinese-Canadians.

Also close to the University of Toronto and surrounded by the area known as the "Student Ghetto" it also became a centre for the 1960s youth movements. Most notably it was the central location for Draft dodgers from the Vietnam War in Toronto. The Draft dodgers converted a number of homes to shops catering to the new community. In 1978 the first cafe on the block opened, and since then the area has become one of the best known restaurant districts in Toronto.

Baldwin Village Links