I Don't Call It Scarlem

Published by Toronto Mike on January 15, 2008 @ 16:08 in Toronto News ~ Toronto Focus

cntower Jon Stewart has a great line about Canada. "What do we think of Canada ... we don't". With apologies to Jon Stewart, I don't call Scarborough Scarlem. I don't call it at all.

You've likely read the Star article about Scarborough politicians' frustration with being disrespected by their Toronto cousins who live west of Victoria Park Ave. Personally, I don't draw the line at Victoria Park. I use Yonge street to divvy up the city.

Five years ago I wrote about EoY and I. EoY stands for East of Yonge, and I wrote about how whenever possible, I avoid EoY completely. This has been the case my entire life. Whether it's going to school, a movie theatre, out to dinner, shopping, for a bike ride or even to a concert or sporting event, I am least comfortable when I'm EoY.

I've always lived in the 416, West of Yonge Street. My entire life is based West of Yonge. It's got nothing to do with crime rates or anything like that, it's just how the cards have fallen. It's my parents fault for raising me West of Yonge and it snowballed from there because everything I enjoyed and pursued seemed to be located West of Yonge.

I avoid Scarborough, but I have never, ever called it Scarlem.

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12 comments

12 Responses to "I Don't Call It Scarlem"

felix
January 15, 2008 / 17:11

I always thought it was affectionately known as Scarberia anyway.

Jason | GetYourOJ.com
January 15, 2008 / 17:26

I avoid Scarb too but surely you must have eaten on the Danforth! Is that too east for ya? lol

james edgar
January 15, 2008 / 17:33

I grew up WOY myself. Way WOY in Mississauga. When we got married we lived WOY and bought our first house WOY. But both my parents passed on, my sisters all live way out of town and my wife REALLY wanted to east. So now I'm in Scarberia. I LOVE it. We have a Great house with parking and a garage (I now have 2 motorcycles and my wife has 1 too. WOY we didn't even have a driveway). We live in a great neighborhood with really great neighbors. Nobody has been shot near my house EVER . And as an added bonus Dave Keon owned my house until 1967. I love EOY. I do kind of miss Bloor west but…..

Roshan
January 15, 2008 / 21:53

About that great line by Jon Stewart - well lots of people in lots of countries are thinking about Canada. More and more people want to move to Canada cause they think that its a great place to raise ur kids and live a happy life with the good things that life can offer. Just the other day, 3 people in my office agreed with me that they would love to move to Canada (if they got a chance to work & live in another country). Most of my cousins are now Canadian enthusiasts.
And Jon, less and less people even want to visit ur country.

Ajax Mike
January 16, 2008 / 00:14

Don't worry about Jon Roshan, I'm sure that like most things he says, he's kidding. Mostly. :)

felix
January 16, 2008 / 02:57

And yeah, growing up what became "the 905", I guess I was technically EoY, in Newmarket, that is.

I did work in Scarberia for a brief period, though. Huntingwood & Brimley if memory serves.

Toronto Mike
January 16, 2008 / 08:42

That Jon Stewart, he's such a kidder!

And Felix, the EoY exception is anything North of Highway 7.

I ventured a little East of Yonge yesterday to play Dodgeball. It was only Mount Pleasant, so it wasn't too EoY.

Jason | GetYourOJ.com
January 16, 2008 / 08:44

hey what is the number #4 doing in the right hand corner of your site?

Toronto Mike
January 16, 2008 / 08:49

That's Brett Favre's #4. He's the only player in today's NFL I would do that for. His resurgence gives us all hope.

The_Voice
January 16, 2008 / 16:01

Lived my whole life in Scarlem, SARSborough, Scarberia, or Scarborough, or whatever you call it. I've never even SEEN a gun unless it was holstered and the strap was on it for a police officer, never saw a (non-traffic related) crime (other than the odd marijuana sale in my high school, but then I don't think that's different elsewhere), and never feared for my life coming home in the wee hours of the morning, or going out at night, or in my own home.

I used to work at the Scarborough Town Center movie theatre, and always felt safe, even when things happenned (a guy got beat with baseball bats outside the theatre one night... the next day I had to clean the blood from the concrete).

The only time I didn't live in Scaborough was when I went away for university. And found it incredibly odd how people were leaving their doors unlocked to their homes. And you could just walk in. It was the strangest thing.

Toronto Mike
January 16, 2008 / 16:17

Honestly, my reasons for rarely going EoY have nothing to do with crime concerns or fear of gun play. It just sorta happened that way...

Anonymous
January 19, 2008 / 11:52

Toronto Mike
January 16, 2008 / 16:17

"Honestly, my reasons for rarely going EoY have nothing to do with crime concerns or fear of gun play. It just sorta happened that way..."

- That must go without saying - since WoY you've got Jane & Finch... North Albion... Lawrence Heights... Rexdale... Burnhamthorpe / West Mall / Kipling...

Is it a wonder most EoY'ers never set foot WoY (especially Mt. Pleasant/Northern Secondary types) unless it's to play dodgeball at cushy ECI or Richview?

p.s. We agree on one thing, though: Brett Favre! - GO PACKERS!

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