Smithfield, Toronto

Smithfield
Neighbourhood
Kipling Ave in Smithfield Kipling Ave in Smithfield
Location of Smithfield
Coordinates:
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
City	Toronto
Community	Etobicoke-York
Established	1870 Postal village 'Etobicoke'
Changed Municipality	1998 Toronto from Etobicoke
Government
• MP	Kirsty Duncan (Etobicoke North)
• MPP	Shafiq Qaadri (Etobicoke North)
• Councillor	Vincent Crisanti (Ward 1 Etobicoke North)

Smithfield is part of the Rexdale neighbourhood in the northwestern area of Etobicoke, in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Some new residents to Toronto and new immigrants to Canada are attracted to this neighbourhood, mainly because there is a large amount of affordable public housing. It is named after the former village of Smithfield that was located at the intersection of Albion and kipling.

The neighbourhood covers the residential areas of Etobicoke north of the west branch of the Humber River and west of Kipling Avenue. The west and north of the neighbourhood are small industrial areas. For social purposes, the city identifies the neighbourhood a.s Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown, named for three streets in the area. Mount Olive is the name given to the area north of Albion Road between Kipling and Martin Grove. Jamestown is the part of the community south of Albion between Kipling and Martin Grove. Silverstone covers the area west of Martin Grove and north of Finch. The northernmost section of the neighbourhood, above the hydro right of way, is known as South Steeles. The western projection of the area running along the south side of Finch is known as Woodbine Downs.

Character

The community, once home to a large Anglo-Saxon population. It has the largest collection of Victorian homes outside the former municipality of old Toronto and has a number experienced a large influx of citizens from Eastern Europe, Asia, Caribbean, and the Middle East. The impact of the various cultures has led to a communal diversity that can be said to be unparalleled in any area of such small size. The large expanses of rowhouse developments dating back to the 1910s located on Mount Olive Drive just off Kipling Ave has been home to the first new comers especially from Somalia and the West Indies. North Albion Collegiate Institute, located on Kipling and Mount Olive, has for years held showcases for the Asian and South East Asian Communities, attracting audiences from far and wide. Directly across the street, the St. Andrews School and Father Henry Carr Secondary School reflect the Catholic tradition and culture that is shared by many resident Filipinos, and Assyrians.

The Albion Centre (formerly known as "Shoppers World Albion") Is the main shopping mall in the area. Containing a variety of small boutiques and stores, the Albion Centre also contains such franchises as Pizza Pizza, Canadian Tire, and Shoppers Drug Mart. The Albion Cinemas have been operating since before 1994 and are still in operation. The cinemas, well known for their broadcasts of modern Bollywood/Indian/Asian films, have attracted many to this location.

In May 2006, Toronto Police apprehended 106 members of the "Jamestown Crew" in the largest gang sweep in Toronto's history. In total, there were over 1,000 charges laid in the anti-gang offensive called Project XXX. Sometimes known by the nickname Doomstown because of its reputation as a poor neighbourhood ridden with gang violence, the neighbourhood was the setting of the 2006 Canadian television movie Doomstown.

Institutions

• Humber College North Campus
• Etobicoke General Hospital
• Albion Public Library
• Albion Community Centre
• Albion Centre
• Finch Albion Centre
• Smithfield Park
• Highfield Park

Churches

• Martingrove United Church
• Kipling Baptist Church
• Thistletown Baptist Church

Gurudwaras

• Rexdale Singh Sabha Religious Centre
• Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto

Hindu Temples

• BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Toronto

Schools

• Albion Heights Junior Middle School
• Beaumonde Junior Middle School - A public elementary school near the intersection of Albion Road and Finch Avenue. It was opened in 1959 as a Kindergarten to Grade 8 school. From 1970 until 1984, the school operated from Kindergarten to Grade 5. After 1984, it reverted to a full elementary program.
• Elmbank Junior Middle Academy - A public elementary school located at 10 Pittsboro Drive, near the corner of Martin Grove Road and Finch Avenue. It opened in 1967.
• Greenholme Junior Middle School - A public elementary school located at 10 Jamestown Crescent, close to the intersection of Albion Road and Kipling Avenue. It overlooks the Humber River.
• Highfield Junior School - A public elementary school located at 85 Mount Olive Drive, which opened in 1845. At the top of the school crest burns the lamp of learning that has lit the way for young children for over 160 years. The three bells on the crest represent the three locations for the school since 1845 when the first log schoolhouse was erected in the village of Highfield. The black iron school bell from the brick 1874 schoolhouse hangs at the end of the new student forum, part of the extensive addition completed in 1997. In September 2006, Highfield earned the National Quality Institute's Blue Leaf Award for excellence in education.
• Humberwood Downs Junior Middle Academy - A public elementary school located at 850 Humberwood Blvd. It was opened in 1996.
• Melody Village Junior School - A public elementary school located at 520 Silverstone Drive. It was built in 1970.
• Smithfield Middle School - A public middle school located at 175 Mount Olive Drive. It officially opened on October 17, 1966.
• John D. Parker Junior School - A public elementary school located at 202 Mount Olive Drive. It was opened in 1974 and was expanded in 1994 and 1996. The school was named in honour of Mr. John D. Parker, one of the original seven trustees elected to the Board of Education for the Township of Etobicoke in May 1969. He served on the Board from that time until the end of 1972.
• St Angela Catholic Elementary School
• Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School - moved in 2007 to the former Marian Academy, which was located within an area that, in 2001, was the poorest in Smithfield.
• West Humber Collegiate Institute

External links

• City of Toronto - Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown Neighbourhood Profile
• Rap Dictionary: Jamestown
• Rap Dictionary: Mount Olive