Suzanne Senst

North Riverdale, is a large and diverse community, popular with young affluent professionals and especially well-known for its colourful shopping districts and quaint Victorian homes that are shaded by some of the tallest maple trees in the city. Riverdale's two and three storey Victorian houses were built largely between 1880 and 1924. Riverdale has traditionally attracted a wide mix of people looking for affordable homes close to downtown. Formerly called Riverside the area’s name was changed to Riverdale largely due to the large park that borders on the east side of the community.
Riverdale's best known shopping district is along Danforth Avenue, east of Broadview. The Danforth is the heart of Toronto's Greek community, the second largest such community outside of Greece. It features many first class Greek restaurants and a dazzling array of stores catering to everything from the home & garden to fine jewellers, clothing stores, gifts and collectibles, spas and salons, and more. A walk down Danforth Avenue reveals its rich cultural heritage: street signs are in English and Greek, blue and white Greek flags line the avenue, and the classical architecture of the National Bank of Greece and other buildings contribute to the Mediterranean atmosphere.
Riverdale also has a Chinatown shopping district centred around Gerrard and Broadview. This stretch of stores is known for its bakeries, grocery stands, and restaurants.  Gerrard Square located at the corner of Pape Avenue and Gerrard Street is a large indoor shopping mall with over 70 stores. 

Riverdale has a myriad of parks and parkettes situated throughout the neighbourhood. The two largest parks are Riverdale Park, which has an outdoor pool and a running track and Withrow Park, popular with families and pets. Each of these Parks contains tennis courts, a wading pool, a hockey rink, and a baseball diamond.

Schools

• "Withrow Avenue Junior Public School",  "Jackman Avenue Junior Public School",  "Frankland Community School",  and "Pape Avenue Junior Public School" are the four local junior public schools in North Riverdale.
• "Holy Name Catholic School" is overseen and owned by the Toronto Catholic District School Board and teaches grades K - 8. Holy Name is a feeder school for graduates who would later attend St. Patrick, Neil McNeil and Notre Dame high schools.
• "Montcrest School" is located on Montcrest Boulevard and several houses on Broadview Avenue just north of Riverdale Park. Montcrest School has classes from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8.
• Riverdale Collegiate Institute is the neighbourhood's local high-school.
• Pape Avenue Junior Public  School (JK to Grade 6)

• The annual Taste of the Danforth festival, held in early August - an outstanding opportunity for recreation.
• With multiple modes of transportation, an ideal area for commuters
• Unusually large parks
• Excellent schools, shopping, restaurants, entertainment
• A culturally diverse community