Draft:Sumach Street (Toronto)

  Sumach Street is a north-south street in the eastern part of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada'''. ''' The street is one of the major streets west of the Don River and is part of a grid of lanes and streets composing Cabbagetown, Regent Park and Corktown neighborhoods.

The street is in two parts;
 * The southern portion is a northward continuation of Cherry Street, running 500 metres from Cherry Street and Eastern Avenue to Shuter Street
 * The northern portion runs north-south one kilometre from Dundas Avenue to Wellesley Street

Sumach Street stands as a testament to the city's history and the resilience of its communities, reflecting the dynamic growth and change that have shaped Toronto over the years.

= Toponymy = It was named after the Sumac shrubs or trees, a common plant found in the area at the time of its creation (early 19th century).

= History =

The area where Sumach Street is now located was covered by forests and inhabited by Indigenous peoples, primarily the Mississauga of the Credit First Nation.

The Indigenous peoples in the region utilized the land for hunting, fishing, and gathering, living in seasonal camps along the shores of Lake Ontario and the banks of the Don River.

Today’s Corktown neighborhood used to have 3 creeks that meandered across King Street East between Berkeley and Sumach Streets, all likely serving as waterways and fishing grounds for First Nation People.

European settlement in the area began in the late 18th century with the establishment of Fort York in 1793 by the British.

19th century
It wasn't until the 19th century, with the expansion of the city and the development of the Don Vale, Cabbagetown and Corktown neighbourhoods that Sumach Street originated as a result of urban planning efforts, with city officials and developers laying out grids of streets to organize the growing city. During this time, Cabbagetown actually referred to the area south of Gerrard Street, the north side was called Don Vale.

Sumach street is the oldest street name in Corktown, dating back to 1819 when the area was first surveyed.

Until the 1840s, Sumach street’s area was mostly farmland, but Ireland's potato famine was about to change that.

It became home to many Irish immigrants who arrived in 1840s-50s to escape desperation and famine in their homeland. Brick Victorian-style Houses, stately middle-class homes and working-class cottages were built along Sumach.

During this period, Sumach Street was part of the thriving industrial landscape and lined with factories, warehouses, and workers' housing, serving as a hub for manufacturing and trade. Most of the residents found employment at the local or breweries or brickyards. The street was bustling with activity, as workers commuted to their jobs and businesses operated around the clock.

In 1856, the Toronto General Hospital was constructed imon the north side of what was to become Gerrard, between Sackville and Sumach Streets. It was a very grand-white brick building with Mansard roofs. Originally built to accommodate 250 patients, it was expanded repeatedly, acquiring an excellent reputation in the medical world and was a major training facility.

In 1883, the Toronto Women’s Medical College (WMC) was the Canada first medical school for women and opened at 227 Sumach Street through the effort of Emily Stowe. It moved to a larger building at 291 Sumach Street in 1890 (the building still stands Today). in 1906 when the University of Toronto opened its doors to permit women to study medicine, the WMC at Sumach closed its doors.

In the 1890s, a fundraising drive to build the Riverdale Zoo and in 1899, on Sumach (north side), Riverdale Park West became the home of one of Toronto's first zoos. It housed lions, bears and monkeys (closed in 1974 and replaced by an heritage farm opened in its place and boasts horses, pigs and heritage chickens).

20th century
The 19th century brick houses were not well maintained in this period.

Regent Park was Canada's first social housing complex, built in the 1940s and 1950s and largest public housing communities in Canada.

The nickname “Cabbagetown” is now applied to the remaining historical which used to correspond to Don Vale (West to Don River, east to Parliament and north to Gerrard Street).

Since 2000
More than a half-century old, the Regent Park projects were aging rapidly and in need of costly repairs. The city government developed a new Regent Park Revitalization Plan  to demolish and rebuild Regent Park over the next many years, with the first phase having started in the fall of 2005.

Sumach Street has been part of the broader revitalization of the Regent Park neighbourhood with efforts to create a more vibrant and inclusive urban environment.

This has involved the redevelopment of housing, the creation of new community facilities, parks, and commercial spaces. Sumach Street continues to evolve, reflecting Toronto's ongoing urban development and the changing needs of its residents.

Sumach Street remains well-connected to the rest of Toronto, with easy access to public transportation, amenities, and employment opportunities. Its history, from its industrial roots to its present-day role in a dynamic urban community, reflects the ongoing evolution of Toronto as a diverse and thriving city.

= Public Transit = Public transit is at the Sumach’s doorstep for easy travel around Toronto.

Streetcar lines with intermediate stop at Sumach Street


 * 501 Queen / east–west route stretching from Neville Park Loop to Humber Loop


 * 504A King / east-west route stretching from Dundas West station to Distillery Loop
 * 504B King / east-west route stretching from Dufferin Gate Loop to Broadview station
 * 505 Dundas / east-west route stretching from  Dundas West station and Broadview station
 * 506 Carlton / east-west route stretching from  Main Street station and High Park Loop

Bus stations near Sumach Street


 * Line 121 Esplanade-River from Union Station to Broadview Avenue, closest stop to Sumach Street - River Street at Queen Street East (short distance walking)


 * Line 65 Parliament from Castle Frank Station to Lower Sherbourne Street, closest stop to Sumach Street - Parliament Street at Queen Street East (short distance walking)

Subway line closest to Sumach Street


 * Line 1 Yonge-University, closest stop to Sumach Street – Queen Station or Dundas Station (by streetcar)


 * Line 2 Bloor-Danforth, closest stop to Sumach Street (Old Cabbagetown side) – Castle Frank Station (walking distance)


 * Future Ontario Line (by 2031), closest stop to Sumach Street (Regent Park and Corktown sides) – Corktown Station or Moss Park Station (walking distance)

Bike Share Toronto Stations at Sumach St

Sumach St / Carlton St (Riverdale Farm)

Gerrard St E / Nasmith Ave

Oak St / Sumach St

Dundas St E / Regent Park Blvd

Sumach St / Queen St E

= Landmarks = Landmarks and notable sites along Sumach from north to south

= References =