Bloor West Village
Encyclopedia
Bloor West Village is a shopping district in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. Located along Bloor Street
, it encompasses all businesses along Bloor Street
between Jane Street and Ellis Park Road, consisting of more than 400 shops, restaurants and services. The mix of stores include specialty clothing stores, book stores, restaurants and cafes. The businesses organized in 1970 into the first mandatory business improvement district
, an idea that has spread to numerous other commercial streets in Toronto and to cities around the world.
Bloor West Village is located between two neighbourhoods. To the north is Runnymede
, a former streetcar suburb
and to the south is Swansea
, a former village dating to the 19th century. Bloor West Village is also considered the name of the immediate vicinity of Bloor Street.
In 1980, Ling founded the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA), an organization that now represents 66 BIAs across Toronto. Ling was chairman of the Bloor West Village BIA for 24 years. The organization promotes business activity in the area by holding several annual events and festivals. It also puts efforts into the beautification of the area.
The BIA hosts:
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Located along Bloor Street
Bloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
, it encompasses all businesses along Bloor Street
Bloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
between Jane Street and Ellis Park Road, consisting of more than 400 shops, restaurants and services. The mix of stores include specialty clothing stores, book stores, restaurants and cafes. The businesses organized in 1970 into the first mandatory business improvement district
Business improvement district
A business improvement district is a defined area within which businesses pay an additional tax or fee in order to fund improvements within the district's boundaries. Grant funds acquired by the city for special programs and/or incentives such as tax abatements can be made available to assist...
, an idea that has spread to numerous other commercial streets in Toronto and to cities around the world.
Bloor West Village is located between two neighbourhoods. To the north is Runnymede
Runnymede, Toronto
Runnymede is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada located north of Bloor Street West between Jane Street and Runnymede Road north to Dundas Street West. It is located directly north of the former village of Swansea and west of the High Park North neighbourhood...
, a former streetcar suburb
Streetcar suburb
A streetcar suburb is a residential community whose growth and development was strongly shaped by the use of streetcar lines as a primary means of transportation. Early suburbs were served by horsecars, but by the late 19th century cable cars and electric streetcars, or trams, were used, allowing...
and to the south is Swansea
Swansea, Toronto
Swansea is a neighbourhood in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, bounded on the west by the Humber River, on the north by Bloor Street, on the east by High Park and on the south by Lake Ontario...
, a former village dating to the 19th century. Bloor West Village is also considered the name of the immediate vicinity of Bloor Street.
Business Improvement Association
In 1967, the new Bloor-Danforth subway line opened in the area, allowing shoppers to shop downtown instead of the businesses along Bloor Street. Competition was also developing from enclosed shopping centres. Businessmen of the district attempted to set up a business association to pay for improvements to the area, but received only partial support from businesses in the area, and not enough to pay the estimated expenses to renovate and market the area. The businessmen lobbied the Toronto and Ontario governments for legislation to compel all business owners within a designated area to pay towards improvements, as directed by an elected body. The Ontario Municipal Act was amended in 1970 and the Bloor West Village Business Improvement Association (BIA) was founded as the first of its kind in the world, first chaired by Alex Ling.In 1980, Ling founded the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA), an organization that now represents 66 BIAs across Toronto. Ling was chairman of the Bloor West Village BIA for 24 years. The organization promotes business activity in the area by holding several annual events and festivals. It also puts efforts into the beautification of the area.
The BIA hosts:
- Annual Ukrainian Festival in September (music, foods and crafts).
- July Festival, which is a local fair of amusements and entertainment.
- Halloween Festival on Armadale Avenue, Beresford Avenue and Glendonwynne Road (family-friendly activities).
- Participates in the Toronto city-wide "Cavalcade of Lights" (December)