Area Description

Islington-City Centre West (also known as Six Points or Etobicoke City Centre) is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of Toronto's CBDs located in the former City of Etobicoke. Islington is bounded on the north by Rathburn Road, on the east by Kipling Avenue, Mimico Creek, and Islington Avenue, on the south by the Gardiner Expressway, and on the west by Etobicoke Creek and Highway 427.

Islington centres on a commercial strip along Dundas Street West (originally The Governor's Road, the first highway connecting Toronto to London, Ontario) which runs along an escarpment (the Lake Iroquois Shoreline, ancient shore of Lake Iroquois) across the width of Etobicoke. To the west where Kipling Avenue crosses Dundas Street West (and Bloor Street West) is the Six Points intersection, the central point in Etobicoke's grid. To the east, Dundas Street W. crosses the Mimico Creek. The original community called Mimico grew west of Montgomery's Inn, which was built in 1832 at Dundas St. W. and Islington Avenue (beside the Mimico Creek) to serve travellers coming or going from Toronto to western Ontario along Dundas St. Unlike the better-known Montgomery's Tavern (formerly in North York, now demolished), Montgomery's Inn was used by soldiers remaining loyal to the government during the 1837 rebellion. Etobicoke was officially incorporated as a township in 1850, first using Montgomery's Inn for its meetings until the nearby original Methodist Church was purchased. Etobicoke's first cemetery began with the burial of a traveller on Dundas who died on his way to Toronto just before reaching Montgomery's Inn. Despite the dying man's request to be buried in Toronto, he was buried beside the Methodist Church (later the Etobicoke Council Offices) in Islington. This cemetery remains a prominent historic site in the heart of Etobicoke where many of Etobicoke's early families are buried.

Islington has a number of housing styles ranging from older, single family dwellings to apartment and condominium towers. Many of the older homes in the neighbourhood have been torn down and replaced with larger, more luxurious homes, particularly in the areas north of Dundas and east of Kipling. This is a trend that can be found all over older residential neighbourhoods in Toronto. The large lot sizes, mature trees and proximity to downtown Toronto is appealing to many would be residents. Dundas Street, between Islington and the Six Points interchange is currently undergoing change, with modern condominium developments under construction. Islington is quickly becoming one of West Toronto's more affluent residential areas.