North York, then and now
Paul Oulahen moved into the Yonge-Sheppard area of North York in 1959. As a youngster, he and his friends shopped at Northtown Plaza and Dempsey`s Hardware, hung out at the Willow Theatre and Mitchell Field`s outdoor rink, and collected chestnuts from the bountiful trees along Yonge Street. There were no buildings taller than three storeys, and nobody knew what a high-rise condominium meant.
By the mid-1970s, young Paul and his teenage pals were awed as the area`s first major shopping plaza and office tower ` the Sheppard Centre ` took shape. After that, every time he and his neighbours turned their heads there was something new on the horizon. In the 1980s, it was the North York Civic Centre (and City Hall), which housed gregarious mayor Mel Lastman, then the popular Douglas Snow Aquatic Centre, and the addition of the North York subway station and the Sheppard subway line. As the area buzzed with activity, a wealth of trendy restaurants, shops and theatres opened their doors to the influx of young professionals and empty nesters moving into the area`s new high-rise condominiums.
Now, with 11 high-rise condo projects in the works and another 10 coming to market soon, Mr. Oulahen`s old neighbourhood will see even more changes. `I can`t wait until these new developments are up,` says Mr. Oulahen, of Re/Max Realtron, who works alongside his wife and two sons. `It`s been a long time coming. When you compare it to Bloor Street, Yonge/Eglinton and Bloor West Village, there will be a lot more shops and amenities for people who are living in this community.`
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