Sure, the Toronto Public Library will transfer books to any old branch, but readers like to browse. These livable spots are all within walking distance of one of the system’s most notable branches.
College and Bathurst 52 Borden St. (pictured above) #COL
The price: $589,000 (sold for $596,052)
The draw: There are three bedrooms and lots of cozy reading nooks in this rambling, two-storey house. It’s walkable from Kensington Market, U of T, and the gryphon-guarded science-fiction and children’s collections at the Lillian H. Smith branch.
The catch: The bathroom is small, the kitchen could use a reno and the backyard is kind of scraggly.
Yonge and Eglinton 39 Roehampton Ave., Unit 108 #MID
The price: $439,900 (maintenance fees $800)
The draw: This two-storey condo has a 17-foot-high wall of windows, bamboo floors, a private terrace, fancy kitchen appliances, more than 1,000 square feet of living space and a storage locker. It’s a two-minute stroll to the spacious, newly renovated Northern District library.
The catch: The apartment is airy, slick and urban, but there are just 27 units in the La Piazza building, which might explain why the maintenance fees are hella high.
Eglinton and Kingston Road 90 Dale Ave., Unit 1506 #SCR
The price: $199,900 (maintenance fees $554)
The draw: This two-bedroom condo is about 750 square feet, simple and clean, and in a building with a pool. A $9-million reno has made Cedarbrae library glassy and bright, with over 35,000 new materials just waiting to be borrowed.
The catch: Highland Creek park is nearby, but the big living-room windows look out onto the bustling traffic of Kingston Road. The galley kitchen is a tight squeeze. Guildwood GO station is very close, but public transit around here is abysmal.
Kipling and Rexdale 49 Tofield Cr. #ETO
The price: $369,900
The draw: Ah, the suburbs—less than $400,000 for a three-bedroom house on a very green 45-by-105-foot lot, with a rental unit in the basement. The 401, 400 and 427 are all close.
The catch: The kitchen is move-in ready but could use an update.Nearby Northern Elms library is small, and not likely to get a boost anytime soon from local councillor Doug Ford, who prefers Timmie’s to TPL. Still, it hosts social events that appeal not just to book readers but also to kids, crafters and history buffs.
