Welcome to the Leslievillain: an ongoing photo documentation project by Vanessa Rieger.

My name is Vanessa Rieger and I grew up in the lower east side area of down town Toronto, known more specifically today as the “trendy” and “up-and-coming” neighbourhood of Leslieville. But the east end wasn’t always known as “Leslieville”. For a long time it was just a no man’s land. Most people didn’t even notice it from their streetcar windows while on their commute towards the Beaches. “Leslieville” was a tough, blue-collar, hardworking neighbourhood with a chip on it’s shoulder.

Growing up in the east end, I never felt it was a desirable place to live. In fact, it was neglected by the city for a long time. It had very serious problems with drugs and prostitution but the neighbourhood possessed an inherent charm and contained a community of people who worked hard together to keep it thriving.

Today, Leslieville is becoming gentrified. Although gentrification may be good for business, it isn’t necessarily good for culture. Through gentrification we can lose the very things that made the neighbourhood what it is. I see the memories of my childhood slowly fading away into drywall dust of newly built condos and high end grocery stores. Neighbourhood faces are also changing, crafts people and local artists can no longer pay increasing rent fees and property value in the neighbourhood has sky rocketed. People are either moving to where the rent is realistic, or selling their properties to the highest bidders.

It’s weird, but at the age of 26, I’m already coming to terms with the loss of my childhood nieghbourhood. I find myself almost jealous of friends who grew up outside of Toronto, who tell me their home towns haven’t changed in 50 years and probably never will. In a way they’re lucky. They can always go back there and have that familiarity.
In the past 3 years alone my “home town” has become barely recognizable.

I have been experiencing a wide variety of feelings about this gentrification process. Sometimes it’s sadness and loss, sometimes happiness and understanding, mostly it’s a cold bitterness that i’m not especially proud of.

I have decided the best way to deal with these emotions is through an art project. I am to rediscover my neighbourhood, if for the last time, and document my experiences and photograph my memories. As the Leslievillian, I will reveal the real history behind some east end landmarks, shine light on the places and businesses who have impacted the neighbourhood, and tell you shady stories the real-estate agents don’t want you to know about.

These are the shadowy corners of Leslieville.