Etobicoke
Etobicoke, is the western portion of the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with an official population of approximately 440,000 as of the 2006 Census.
While it only contains 13% of Toronto's population, it occupies about 20% of the total land area. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the east by the Humber River, on the west by the city of Mississauga and directly next to the border Pearson International Airport, and on the north by the city of Vaughan.
The name "Etobicoke" was derived from the Mississauga word wah-do-be-kang, meaning "place where the black/wild alders grow", which was used to describe the area between Etobicoke Creek and the Humber River.
Etobicoke has the lowest population density out of the former cities and boroughs that currently make up the city of Toronto. This is mainly due to its vast expanses of industrial lands. Several major freeways are routed through the area, making the area ideal for automobile-based transportation. Public transit does not serve the area well, with few rapid transit connections.
Many exceptions to Toronto's gridded street matrix are found in Etobicoke. A number of overpasses and awkward intersections, such as Bloor/Kipling/Dundas West, have been created in an effort to reconcile the grid with these planning anomalies.
Etobicoke has numerous public parks, notable among them is James Gardens on the banks of the Humber River. The park includes seasonal flowers, walkways, a rock garden, streams, and waterfalls. It is a very popular site for taking wedding photographs. The Humber Bay park is mostly located in Etobicoke.
The central/southern areas of Etobicoke are better served by public transit and closer to the city centre. These areas, such as Markland Wood, The Kingsway and New Toronto, consist of large green spaces, numerous parks, golf courses (including St. Georges Golf & Country Club, ranked 3rd best in Canada), numerous restaurants and cafes, and fine boutiques. Residential development consists primarily of single-family dwellings. Kingsway South neighbourhood has attracted many affluent individuals and families (as of 2001, over 50% of households have an income in excess of C$100,000/year), and remains one of Toronto's more prominent neighbourhoods.
The central areas of Etobicoke, although farther from the subway line, are still well-served by public transit buses. These neighbourhoods are generally middle class.
Unfortunately, some areas in Etobicoke have become neglected, "inner-ring" suburbs, such as Rexdale. Car culture infrastructure built in the 1960s is in a state of disrepair. These areas are dominated by unadorned, single-story development and treeless, tarmac-covered prairie. Deflated real estate values have made these areas concentrated areas of poverty and crime. These central and northern areas of Etobicoke contain numerous high-density apartment complexes set in the middle of sizable, open fields and parks.
Etobicoke is home to Humber College, University of Guelph-Humber, Woodbine Race Track and Slots, Woodbine Centre and Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre.
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