The Annex: The Story of a Toronto Neighbourhood

by Jack Batten

The timely lessons of a timeless neighborhood. The Annex is a unique urban neighborhood of Toronto. While it now rests deep within the city, at one time -- until its annexation in the late nineteenth century -- it was a separate entity. The Annex retains a certain pride that enabled it to withstand much of the urbanization that has blighted other major cities. Today, the district is considered one of the most chic neighborhoods in a city known for its chic neighborhoods. The Annex is the illustrated story of how a nineteenth-century subdivision owned by a single land developer became the upscale, multi-ethnic, trendsetting hub for much of downtown life in Toronto. This story involved the city's wealthiest citizens and farsighted architects who gave the Annex its look, as well as the neighborhood activists who resisted changes that inevitably come with modern urban planning. This book features 128 black and white photographs The Annex is an inspiration for people everywhere who want to protect the distinctive character of their neighborhoods.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 2004

About the author

Jack Batten, after a brief and unhappy career as a lawyer, has been a very happy freelance writer for many years. The author of thirty-five books, Batten writes the weekly Whodunnit column in the Toronto Star, has reviewed jazz for the Globe and Mail, and has reviewed movies on CBC Radio for twenty-five years. He has written over thirty books on subjects that include biography, crime fiction, law and court cases, and sports. Not surprisingly, jazz, movies, and crime turn up frequently in Crang’s life. He lives in Toronto.

Reviews

[Anya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what it says on the tin. An interesting cross section of history & class & architecture in Toronto.