Leslieville

Leslieville is an often forgotten district of Toronto, Ontario, bounded by the CN railway line, and Carlaw, Eastern, and Coxwell Avenues, just east of downtown. This quiet east end neighbourhood is reminiscent of a small village in the heart of the city, with its cozy houses, quaint stores, and tree-lined streets.

The neighbourhood began as a small village in the 1850s, which grew up around the Toronto Nurseries owned by George Leslie and sons, after whom the community is named. Most of Leslieville's residents were gardeners or were employed at one of the brick-making factories in the area.

Alexander Muir, the composer of The Maple Leaf Forever, was the first principal of the Leslieville Public School, one of the first buildings in the village. Muir was inspired when a brilliant maple leaf fell on his jacket from a Leslieville tree. That tree is still standing today and has become a famous landmark in the community.