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For 80 years, Kodak played a central role in the communities of Mount Dennis. It employed a number of the local residents until it closed its doors in 2006. In many ways the decline of the Kodak Factory lead to the decline of the neighbourhood for a time. Luckily, the end of Kodak did not mean the end of Mount Dennis. In fact, a serious bounce back is about to happen. Why? Well, the neighbourhood of Mount Dennis will be home to a massive transit project that will be no short of transformative. The Eglinton-Mount Dennis Mobility Hub allow this neighbourhood to have speedy access to the Bloor Line, the Yonge Line, the new Eglinton Crosstown route, GO Transit, the UP Express, the airport and Union Station.

The buffet of new transit is so impressive that Mount Dennis will go from a neighbourhood with limited and poor transit to a neighbourhood that will have some of the best connections to the rest of the city. It will be home to the second largest mobility hub outside of Union Station.

What will this mean? Well, it means this neighbourhood is one to watch very closely since it is poised to go from down-on-its-luck to an advanced emerging neighbourhood with the completion of the transit hub in 2022.

Many buyers are not familiar with Mount Dennis. They are more familiar with more advanced emerging neighbourhoods to the south like the Junction, chock a block with vegan bakeries, yoga studios, amazing Mexican food, and designer clothes and furniture. That is not in Mount Dennis, but I think it’s on the horizon.

At some point, it may be a bit of a luxury to own a house in this city. But not in Mount Dennis. Not yet. Mount Dennis has home prices that are far less that the Junction to the south. In fact it some cases in is half to two-thirds of the price. Once the mobility is firmly established and used, those prices may take off at a far quicker rate than the rest of Toronto. So, it would be a good idea, if you have the pioneering spirit to get in on this neighbourhood before it gets fully connected to the rest of the city.

Mount Dennis has its heart at the intersection of Eglinton West and Weston Rd. The main street on Weston Rd is not fantastic yet despite some impressive spots like V’s Caribbean Vegan Restaurant, Golden Crisp Fish and Chips and of course the anchor to the whole street, the polished and long-standing Caplan’s Appliances. Besides some notable businesses, you’ll also find a lot of boarded up shops or sad-looking fronts. Still, Mount Dennis does have the obligatory independent cofeeeshop, the early indicator of a neighbourhood about to change. To be clear, Supercoffee is not something to push the old neighbourhood away, but one that invites in new people but still functions as a community centre piece for the locals. In fact, the owner has grown up here and is very supportive of local initiatives. Also new to the neighbourhood, as of 2016, is the York Recreation Centre near Black Creek and Eglinton West. Here you’ll find a 6 lane indoor 25 meter pool, a weight room and a running track to name a few. If you prefer to be outside, you’re not too far from the biking and nature trails of the Humber River to the west.

The housing stock does vary from historic homes to little bunglows to older condos. There are not a great deal of newer condos here yet, but there are some very big and dynamic condo proposal that are proposed, largely around Eglinton West and Weston – not far from the mobility hub.  There is green space, ravines, and for those drivers, easy access to the 401. Practical things like banks and supermarkets are not far away.

So, if you’re looking to get in early on an emerging neighbourhood, this is it.