'Danforth Avenue' is a major east-west artery in east
Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada.
The road was named for contractor
Asa Danforth, who built
Queen Street and
Kingston Road, and started work in 1799. It was officially built by the 'Don and Danforth Plank Road Company' in 1851 to
Broadview Avenue, as well as connecting to
Queen Street East and
Kingston Road. The street connects with
Bloor Street East via the
Prince Edward Viaduct, spanning the
Don River valley, the
Don Valley Parkway and
Bayview Avenue. The road is colloquially referred to by locals as 'The Danforth'.
The
Bloor-Danforth Subway line runs parallel to most of the road's route, offset to the north some 50 metres. The subway follows Danforth from the
Viaduct west of
Broadview Station to
Main Street Station. The
GO Transit Danforth Station, just off Main Street, takes its name from the avenue, where the commuter rail line intersects with it, on the
Lakeshore East route.
In
Scarborough, 'Danforth Road' is part of the original road that connects Danforth Avenue with
McCowan Road. It is possible, therefore, to stand at the intersection of "Danforth and Danforth". Local references are careful to note whether it is the Avenue or Road being referred to.
Previously, this route continued around the
Highland Creek along roadways now known as 'Painted Post Drive', 'Military Trail' (where the
University of Toronto Scarborough Campus is located), 'Colonel Danforth Trail', and the eastern end of
Lawrence Avenue near
Port Union and the
Rouge Hill (GO Station).
Major attractions on Danforth Avenue
★ Danforth is also home to Toronto's Greek community, also known as
Greektown.
★
Shoppers World Danforth, a World War II Munitions plant, converted into a shopping plaza in the 1950s.
★ 'Scarborough
War Memorial', at the eastern end of Danforth Avenue at
Kingston Road, once the junctions of former
Highways 2 and
5.
★
Variety Village, an athletic facility for disabled adults and youth.
★
Birchmount Stadium and Scarborough Arena Gardens.
References in Pop Culture
-The
Barenaked Ladies reference this street in their song "
The Old Apartment" from the album "
Born on a Pirate Ship" (1996) in the line "I know we don't live here anymore/We bought an old house on The Danforth"
See also
Major streets in Toronto which intersect with Danforth Avenue (west to east):
★
Broadview Avenue
★
Pape Avenue
★
Coxwell Avenue
★
Woodbine Avenue
★
Victoria Park Avenue
★
Warden Avenue
★
Birchmount Road
★
Kennedy Road
Major Streets in Toronto which intersect with Danforth Road (west to east):
★
St. Clair Avenue
★
Brimley Road
★
Eglinton Avenue
★
McCowan Road
References
★
Toronto: A Meeting Place
★
History and Fame of the Danforth