Garden District, ON
Renting Guide
Where parks and churches, students and the rich, and subsidized housing collide
About
Many say the Garden District of downtown Toronto, also called Moss Park, is divided into east and west sections, it may be more accurate to split it into north and south, the former being home to middle-income families and older couples who reside in lovely Victorian homes or penthouse apartments overlooking the gardens for which the neighbourhood is named. Contrarily, the south, called Moss Park, is one of the city's biggest subsidized housing projects, with some extremely low-income residents. Adding to the uncommon mix is that the north end of the Garden District falls within Toronto's Gay Village, which has incredible nightlife and attracts thousands of tourists every year. Ryerson University is located within the Garden District's boundaries, as is Allan Gardens, the indoor botanical gardens for which the community is named.
Rental Options
The Market:
Avg. rent by housing type and size
Studio/Bachelor: $1,000
1-bedroom: $1,380
2-bedroom: $1,850
3-bedroom: $2,475
Avg. rent compared to other Toronto neighbourhoods
The Garden District is 9% lower than TO average
Garden District Rental Market: Though there are plenty of Garden District condos for rent in the multitude of high-rise condo buildings, prices remain pretty high, especially on the nicer streets of the neighbourhood. Renting a house the Garden District is a little tricky, with most houses being owner-occupied, although some can be found from time to time. The Garden District apartments for rent, however, are mostly new and often have great views. The Garden District's incredible location near to everything means rental rates here won't be on the decline anytime soon.
Life & Style
As the name suggests, outdoor space is a big part of life in the Garden District. There are a ton of parks around besides the centrepiece, the Allan Gardens. There's also endless shopping around, from Eaton Centre – Toronto's biggest mall – right on the other side of Yonge, to the whole Downtown Yonge area that stretches on for ages along Yonge Street and beyond, and has great shops, bars and restaurants. There's even more shopping along Sherbourne, Church and Gerrard, and around Yonge-Dundas Square. All that aside, Ryerson University is located within the neighbourhood and hosts sports events at Maple Leaf Gardens.
Neighbourhood
The Allan Gardens park attracts thousands of visitors every year, hosts weddings during the summer and is one of Toronto's oldest parks. Its glass-topped conservatory called the Palm House is beautiful inside and out, and the venue puts on seasonal displays every year, which change frequently. Outside of the conservatory is a playground for kids and a big off-leash dog park.
