EAST YORK, EAST YORK

?? I love history and honing in on histori-city, the old days of urban communities, that influence what they are today. Here, a piece I did for a small community newspaper I helped start up in the East York community of Toronto in 2012/2013:

East York, East York

?? Whether separated at birth or evolving independently, there's something about towns with the same name many of us find intriguing. There's an "East York" in Toronto, Ontario – but also one in York, Pennsylvania. And in some ways, it’s like a miniature (just over 8,000-population) version of us here in Canada.

Let’s begin with our own diversity, in East York, Toronto. Since the 1970s, this population composition has changed from predominantly British, to a rich tapestry of ethnicities. By 2001 almost half the East York population was foreign-born.

Today, we have folks from Bengal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Jamaica and the Philippines – along with a strong Greek population, a growing Chinese one, and other cultures.

?? The town of East York, Pennsylvania may be considerably smaller, but has its own diversity. Though the majority may be of English, Irish, Scottish-Irish, German, and Italian background, there also are small concentrations of African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, Hispanic/Latinos and Pacific Islanders.

But like most urban communities, both East Yorks likely have had a smattering of other cultures from the early 20th century onwards.

And now…beyond those newfangled automobiles, how did people get around in East York and East York in the old days?

?? Here in Ontario, it was Old East York that really made tracks. Beginning life in the 19th century, it focused on the Danforth/Dawes Rd. intersection, with a train station, East Toronto. And the building of the Prince Edward Viaduct, over the Don River, connecting Bloor Street and Danforth Ave., really opened up the main drag of Danforth for some serious rail travel.

The Luttrell Loop was built, as was a streetcar terminus for several streetcar routes, including Bloor-Danforth. And in fact through the 1910s to 1930s, the Danforth streetcar line created an actual ‘streetcar suburb.’

?? As for Old East York, Pennsylvania – proudly on the National Register of Historic Places in the US – it has its own well-tracked history – though 2023 marks the 84th anniversary the York Railways Company trolleys stopped running in York there. In its new-century time, the YRC vehicles ran along main thoroughfare Market Street and out to adjoining boroughs. In the railway company’s heyday, you could ride the whole length of Market Street for one single carfare.

?? Contrast that, with the fact that here in Ontario, for one single TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) fare you can ride all over East York – and beyond, to many other parts of Toronto. Today, East York, Pennsylvania – along with its York, North York and other city sections – is served by its Rabbit Transit buses, while our own East York, York, North York and other city sections in Ontario are served by an impressive variety of rapid-or-not transit.

And what could be better than riding the rails with a tasty treat like chocolate? It’s probably a given that many Pennsylvania East Yorkers sipped and nibbled on goodies from the nearby Hershey factory, which goes back to 1893, and has bubbled and firmed its way to phenomenal success.

Here in East York, Ontario, we had the neighbourhood landmark Donlands Dairy, right between Mortimer and Cosburn Ave. (and later swallowed up by the Neilson corporation). Decades ago at the CNE, Canadian National Exhibition, the dairy’s booth with its slogan “It’s good, it’s Donlands,” was a popular place to satisfy a craving.

The booth headlined its advertising with its milkshakes – and the winning word was, not surprisingly, “Chocolate”.

And that brings us to the Old's Cool General Store, to be found here in East York, ON! https://oldscoolgeneralstore.com/ And it has more than a few signs of the times – like the Chocolate Supreme Rooibos Tea you can buy here :) Perfect companion for going through some archives in this modern age...

? Winnie Czulinski

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Map on Left from Old's Cool General Store, Toronto