Why is our neighbourhood area called “Corktown”? A quick answer appeared awhile ago in Toronto Life. Local historian Bruce Bell wrote a more extensive explanation in an Aug 2005 Bulletin article. Here is an excerpt.

“One of Toronto’s “newest” neighbourhoods is also one of its oldest with Irish roots dating back a thousand years to the old country. Even though Toronto’s Corktown is named after County Cork in Ireland, a misconception still lingers that the area is so named because there were once a few cork bottle stoppers factories in the area. Not so.
Cork City, the major city of County Cork, is today Ireland’s third largest (after Dublin and Belfast) and has always been an important seaport beginning as an island in the swampy estuary of the River Lee. The name Corcaigh is Gallic for a marsh, hence Corc or Cork.
County Cork was one of the worst affected areas in the Great Irish Famine that at its peak between 1845 and 1847 the county lost 200,000 people (about one-quarter of the total population) to the ravages of starvation after a virus systematically destroyed the potato crop. In Cork 150,000 people were dead and with the graveyards overflowing and the streets besieged with the wandering sick, 50,000 men, women and children had no choice but to emigrate.
And so it was from this ancient Viking seaport that the majority of the 19th-century starving Irish refugees escaped the horrors of the potato famine boarding the steam ships or coffin ships as they were eventually dubbed that would take them to the new world. All told a million Irish would eventually die and another million would flee. Upon arrival in Boston, New York, Detroit, Hamilton, St John’s, Philadelphia and Toronto these ragged, starving and emaciated Irish settled into neighbourhoods that were hence nicknamed Corktown after the home they left behind.”

Ireland Park is being created at Bathurst Quay; the park will contain sculptures by Rowan Gillespie, depicting “Arrival” of Irish Famine immigrants in 1847, In that year, 1,100 migrants died and were buried in Toronto, either in the plots set aside by St. James Anglican Cathedral, or in the graveyard adjoining St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Parish.

The 51 Division CPLC is hosting a Town Hall meeting at Lord Dufferin School: Monday March 19, 7pm, in the school auditorium (303 Berkeley, just north of Dundas). Chief William Blair will be the guest speaker.

From Feb 19 until Nov 2007, the TTC is rebuilding the streetcar tracks on Dundas, so remember that the Dundas streetcars will be detouring - click on the map for more details.

A few items from the latest Toronto Public Space Committee (TPSC) newsletter:

• The TPSC is campaigning to get “truck billboards” off Toronto’s streets. These trucks drive around the city at the busiest times causing congestion, adding to smog and visual pollution.
• BikeFriday is an initiative to promote bike events happening in Toronto on the last Friday of every month, with the aim of turning that day into a de facto “Bike Day” that happens once per month.
• Visual pollution: have you noticed that advertising messages have become more prevelant throughout the city? IllegalSigns.ca is a grassroots community-based team of volunteers who fight illegal billboards. Here is one of several illegal billboards within Corktown.

Streetcar Developments has moved into Corktown in a big way. This developer specializes in mid-rise (4-6 floor) developments, and has completed 2 projects in the Beaches. Streetcar Developments has 2 projects underway just east of the DVP: Riverside Lofts (747 Queen E) and Edge Lofts (625 Queen E). Their first Corktown project is the Vinegar Lofts (located at 19 River).
At the March 6 Corktown meeting, Streetcar Developments shared the following tentative plans (subject to change). They have acquired 6 properties in the vicinity of King/Sumach, which they hope to develop in 2 phases during the next 3 years. In total, 300 condo units and 45,000 ft² of retail space, at at 6 locations. Phase I (construction starting Nov 2007) will be 52 Sumach, 549 King E and 569 King E. For these 3 properties, there will be a single rezoning application, and they will be managed by a single condo corporation. At each location will be a 6 storey condo (42-44 units each) with underground parking. The 52 Sumach development will include 3 townhouses along Bright St. 549 King E will include ground floor retail, 4 townhouses along Percy St. Ground floor retail is also planned for 569 King E. The developer asked for community input on the type of retail that persons would like to see.
Phase II will comprise 510, 512 and 530 King E. Streetcar Developments also hopes to lease and make improvements to 2 parking areas underneath the Richmond / Adelaide ramps.

(March 15: corrected # townhouse units on Bright)