Crescent-Town, Toronto

A self-contained community, Crescent Town lies amidst the tree-mantled East Don Valley Parklands. Canada’s trailblazing industrialist Hart Massey’s son Walter Massey laid the foundation of Crescent Town in 1887 when he bought a 240-acre property near Victoria Park Avenue and Dawes. The farm was initially called Dentonia after the Denton surname of Mrs Massey’s paternal family. Interestingly, the first producer of Canada’s pasteurized milk, City Dairy Company, was located on this farm. Susan Massey from this family donated 40 acres of farmland to Crescent School in 1933 as a tribute for the education her grandsons had received. In 1969, Crescent School closed down and the land was sold to real-estate developers. Once new constructions started, the locality was named Crescent Town. Kiefer Sutherland, a Hollywood actor, was among the initial residents. The Town boasts of stellar community planning. Every pedestrian walkway, connecting to various social infrastructures, is built above the level of the street for ease of access.

Let us now dive into Crescent Town’s overall livability and lifestyle score: Crescent Town is a safe place to live despite the crime rate being 1% higher than the national average. The occurrence of violent crimes is 5% more than what's seen across Canada. Here, the chance of becoming a crime victim is just 1 in 24, a stat that offers a sense of security. Crescent Town’s safety record is better than 19% of Ontario's cities, making it a safe place to live.

Crescent Town is the perfect example of unity in diversity. People from various ethnic cultures peacefully coexist in this flourishing neighbourhood. Differences are celebrated and residents exhibit warmth in their relationships. In Crescent Town, the median household income is almost 35% lower than the national average. This can be attributed to the area’s unemployment rate which is 9% higher than the national average. The community, however, can afford the subsistence of its residents. Interestingly, a modest 15.3% of residents earn $20,000 or less, and 8.9% of the neighbourhood's people earn between $80,000 and $100,000. Moreover, an insubstantial 0.4% of people earn $300,000 or more in the area. Crescent Town’s community takes pride in its multicultural identity. About 44.05% of the inhabitants hail from South Asian nations. 10.83% of the residents are Black. Filipinos and Chinese constitute 3.7% and 3.8% of the population respectively. All other visible minorities make up 2.4% of residents. From a linguistic viewpoint, Crescent Town basks in the vivacity of different languages spoken by its natives originating from various ethnic backgrounds. Although the majority of residents prefer to communicate in English, the population mix reflects the harmonious coexistence of different cultures.

Crescent Town has the reputation of being a welcoming neighbourhood where people with different identities co-exist harmoniously. The livability index of the region is high because good schools, medical centres, markets, transportation modes, and other social infrastructure are present within easy reach.

Schools

Crescent Town has a few good schools where high-quality education is imparted. Both catholic and elementary schools are present in this district. Here is the list of some of the popular schools in the area:

• Crescent Town Elementary School
• Secondary Elementary School
• Community Life Christian School

Restaurants

Many good restaurants in the area serve indigenous and exotic cuisines. The flavour of lip-smacking preparations is enough to make you drool. Delicious food is served by restaurants like:

• Maison Selby
• Grillies (Main and Danforth)
• Halibut House Fish and Chips Inc.
• Dhaka Kebab
• Bailey Kitchen
• Camino Bistro
• Bento Sushi
• Padma Restaurant

Shopping Malls

Crescent Town has a market where one can shop for fruits, dairy products, farm produce, groceries, and items of daily needs. While there is no shopping mall in Crescent Town, Danforth Avenue is located within walking distance where shopping malls are present. Many retail stores selling branded products are also situated here.

• The Market Place
• Shoppers World
• Danforth Avenue Retail stores

Hospitals

Crescent Town doesn’t have large multispecialty hospitals. Small hospitals and medical centres cater to the health needs of the residents. These include:

• Danforth Main Medical Office
• Nymark Medical Centre
• Regent Park Community Health Clinic
• Providence Healthcare
• Queensway Health Centre

Crescent Town is endowed with nature’s bounties. The Sylvan surroundings enjoy proximity to many places of tourist interest.

Taylor Creek Park

This valley, situated north of Crescent Town, has bicycle and pedestrian trails along with Vita Parcours fitness trails where you can stroll, ride a bicycle, or jog while enjoying the spellbinding beauty of nature.

Crescent Town Club

The club complex hosts multi-recreational activities. You can enjoy swimming in the 25-meter pool, jog on the indoor track, work out in the fully-equipped gymnasium, and play games like handball, racquetball, and squash in dedicated courts. Many cultural programs are held year-round for adults and kids.

Detonia Park Golf Course

Situated at 781 Victoria Park Avenue, this is a par three course of the finest type. You can enjoy a game of golf on the well-maintained course or savour the beauty of the landscaped area and verdant surroundings.

Rouge National Urban Park

This is one of the largest urban parks in North America and is located just 24 km from Crescent Town. Black bears among other wild animals are prominently found here. Trails, marshlands, creeks, and forest patches with untamed natural regions are in abundance. The vestiges of human history as old as 10,000 years have been unearthed here.

Toronto Sign

This 3-dimensional illuminated sign is installed in Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square. The 22-meter-long and 3-meter-tall sign spelling ‘Toronto’ is adorned with a medicine wheel and maple leaf. The LED lights are capable of creating almost 228 million combinations of vibrant colours.

Crescent Town is a small but happening locality near Toronto. Residents have many options to spend their time gainfully and enjoyably. There is no dearth of attractions and recreational activities. Here are a few recommendations -

Enjoy Indoor Sports

The multi-recreational Crescent Town Club offers indoor sports facilities for handball, swimming, racquetball, and squash. You can enjoy athletics activities on the indoor track. There is a fully-equipped gymnasium as well.

View Cultural Programs

Crescent Town is inhabited by people from different ethnic backgrounds. In the community centre of Crescent Town Club, different cultural and recreational programs are organized by natives all year round.

Local Sightseeing

You can marvel at the enchanting natural beauty with flora and fauna at Taylor Creek Park, Toronto Botanical Garden, and Rouge National Urban Park.

Shop and Dine

You can shop for groceries and items of daily necessities at the ‘Market Place’ of Crescent Town. This area in the town centre near Concourse Strolling Point also has a drug store, bank, hair salon, and office spaces. Danforth Avenue, at a walking distance, is a shopping district. Shoppers World and other malls are present here.

View Historical Places

Crescent Town has many historical buildings that offer glimpses into the rich heritage of the area.

Visit Lakesides

Near Crescent Town, you can visit lakes like Devonian Pond, Grenadier Pond, and Lake Ontario. There are trails for walking and enjoying the beauty of serene water. In winter, the water freezes and the surfaces are used as skating rinks.

Crescent Town residents have convenient access to all major locations in Toronto and other Canadian regions. This can be attributed to superb transportation means available within close reach of inhabitants.

• Victoria Park subway station on the Bloor-Danforth subway line is the nearest railway station. Direct connection to the station, just 550 meters from the city centre, is available through an internal pedestrian walkway.
• GO Bus terminal is nearby and is serviced by Victoria Park and Dawes Road buses. The buses ply on Danforth Avenue which is the district’s prime arterial roadway. Motorists can go to the downtown core at Bloor Street Viaduct where the avenue terminates.
• Toronto Pearson International Airport is 36 kilometres away and is a 45-minute drive from Crescent Town.

There are some great markets in the neighbourhood where all the items needed for a healthy lifestyle are available.

Market Place

This popular market is situated in the strolling area of the concourse near the Crescent Town Center. One can shop for groceries, fresh farm products, fruits, meat, drugs, and items of daily necessities in this market. There is a bank, dry cleaner shop, hair salon, and restaurant here. Professional office spaces are available for renting.

Danforth Avenue Market

The bustling market district of Danforth Avenue is within walking distance. Malls like Shoppers World add glamour to the continuous linear retail frontage on either side of the street.

The population density in Crescent Town is 342% higher than in Toronto. The area has a slightly younger demographic as the median age of inhabitants is 7% lower than Toronto’s average.

Crescent Town offers a wide array of activities for families to participate in with their kids and pets.

• Enjoy Cultural Programs: At the community centre of Crescent Town, residents present cultural and recreational programs frequently all year round.
• Enjoy a Leisurely Walk on the Promenade: Crescent Town community is well-planned. This is evident from the raised pedestrian walkways which demarcate the walking area from the street. It is safe to use the walkway with kids and pets for a leisurely walk or jogging.
• Commune with Nature: Crescent Town has creeks, botanical gardens, ponds, lakes, cycling trails, wildflower meadows, and other natural wonders located within easy reach. Spending time with loved ones amidst nature can prove to be a healthy and wonderful experience. You can enjoy boating and fishing at some of these places as well.

The cost of living in Crescent Town is 17% lower than Toronto’s average and 8% lower than the national average. The price of goods and services is 8% higher than the Canadian average, and housing cost is 48% lower than the rest of the country. The general sales tax in Ontario is 33% higher than the national average. A table showing the cost of living in Crescent Town (on a scale of 100) is given below:

Crescent Town, Toronto, has diverse real estate offerings for people wishing to move into the area. The housing pattern is dominated by condominium apartment buildings and stacked condominium townhouses on Massey Square. High- and low-rise apartment buildings are available for renting on Crescent Town Road. The market score of properties for sale is ‘Balanced’ and the average days on the market for a saleable property is 22. The median property price is $743,500. However, the majority of properties come with price tags in the range of $250,000 to $500,000. Renters have to pay somewhere between $1,800 to $3,500 monthly for accommodation.