My Degrassi Pilgrimage

Here are some of the photos I took on a trip to the Degrassi landmarks in east-end Toronto in April of 1998. It's just a little bus ride from the core of downtown Toronto. The area is called Queen-Broadview Village (renamed Riverside in late 2005) and it can be thought as being one of the many neighbourhoods of Toronto. On my latest 6 hour venture into the fictional realm of Degrassi, I planned to visit the building which housed Degrassi Junior High for 3 years. Vincent Massey can be located right by the Lake Shore in the district of Etobicoke, which is just west of Toronto. I had to take the subway until Kipling station and take the 44 bus all the way south to Lake Shore. Then I used my trusty map to find somewhere between 28-30^th Street…so I can dive into the small neighbourhoods which hugged this little junior school. The neighbourhood was filled with War Homes, houses that were built for the soldiers who came home after the World War ended in 1945. Houses that were small and quaint surrounded the Mimico area with white picket fences, white aluminum siding, and with a nice green front lawn.

As I was going west on Lake Shore, I turned right into one of the small numbered streets, and tried to find my way to the small street named Daisy. I was thinking of my former girlfriend’s dog, and imagined her running on Daisy Street and laughed. Her name is Daisy, and I thought it was funny that my favourite school building was located on the same name as my friend Vivian's dog.

As I came towards the school, my eyes widened, and I got really excited.  I was at 68 Daisy, staring at the front year of Degrassi Junior High. Nothing had changed except for the lack of trees (Degrassi had many trees in front, and now there was only one or two trees left).

I slowly climbed the stairs that Joey, Wheels, Snake, Spike, Caitlin, Lucy, and Stephanie climbed. I went to the front window and the door was locked. I peeked in and saw the front office, and knew that was the room where Doris Bell sat by the telephone and P.A. system. I walked around to see some of the settings that were shown on the series.

The side yard, where Snake, BLT, and Shane played basketball, the backyard, where Degrassi kids played sports, and the daycare, where Susie’s little sister Nora-Jean played.

Nothing changed, except last time I came here, in December 1990, part of the school was rented out to St. Peter’s College. Now the building only housed Vincent Massey Junior School. I stayed there taking photographs for about 15 minutes, and then left.

Check out the photos!!

My next destination, Centennial College, the home where Degrassi High was filmed for 2 years.

I took the bus back to the Islington subway, which then took me to the Pape subway station. I got off at Pape, almost one hour later, because I was literally going from one end of the subway line to the other. I got off and found myself on Danforth and Pape. I knew that Danforth turns into the famous street called Bloor. I knew where I was. I walked up until Mortimer street, and I was told that I would see the back of the building because Centennial College was really on Mortimer and Carlaw.

At this point in time, around May 1998, there was a lot of construction at Centennial College, because it seemed that they were making an a condominium complex on the corner of Pape and Mortimer. I loved Pape street walking towards Centennial College. This neighbourhood north of Greektown is called Pape Village. I immediately thought to myself, that they could have filmed some of the scenes around this area, like when Kathleen gets beaten up by Scott, or when Michelle gets a lift from Snake and his mum’s car.

I arrived at Mortimer street, which was blocked by construction signs. I did not care, because I wanted to see the front of the school that housed the Degrassi High students for 2 years. I was excited because it was exactly how I imagined it, a small two floor building that was coloured blue-green and had black mirrored glass for windows. I peaked into the front door and right in front of me was the ramp that took the Degrassi students up to the second floor of the school. There was a lot of green space, but there was no stone emblem by the front yard that said Degrassi High. The front logo had Centennial College plastered across the building. I felt betrayed for a second, because I thought that Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High actually existed. I was a bit disappointed to finally face to face with my realization that the series was fictional. It all seemed too real to me.

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My next trek was to stop by De Grassi Street, De Grassi Grocery, and Dundas Junior School, the school where The Kids of Degrassi Street was filmed in from 1979-1986.

I took the Pape bus going south until Queen Street, then got off. The bus happened to go on Carlaw, so I was lucky enough to have my bus stop at the corner of Carlaw and Queen, which is where the Playing With Time building is. This neighbourhood is called Leslieville. Since Playing With Time split in 1993, I figured the building would be gone, but it was not. I remembered going on Queen Street, and seeing Linda Schuyler and her car with the license palte PWT LS or LS PWT. I remember that the company was in the process of moving in 1996 or 1997 but I am not clear. I went to 935 Queen Street, and took a peak inside. It now houses the Toronto Youth Hostels Training Centre.

Come check out the photos of Degrassi Street

Across the street was the famous Shoppers Drugmart (In Quebec, we call Shoppers Drugmart Pharmaprix) where Erica and Spike bought their pregnancy tests, and where Joey bought the condoms for his planned sexual encounter with Liz.

I then travelled on Queen trying to find 13 BUSY ST., but I could not. I dialed 411, but they never heard of the restaurant/ bar. ( I later e-mailed Rebecca Haines, and she told me that 13 BUSY ST. was across the street from Playing With Time, but has since changed names) The address of the bar where 13 BUSY ST is 932 Queen Street East, now called The Pug and The Pontiff. I went on BUSY ST. whose name was ironic, because the whole street was so little, it spanned one block. There was no 13, and there was no café or restaurant by that name. 

So I made my way back onto Queen street, admiring the beautiful homes with their old style of french doors, stained glass windows, and bay windows.

Come check out the photos of Degrassi Street

These homes that were built a the beginning of the 20^th century were one of the oldest in Toronto (because Toronto was built from the Southern parts first) I came to Degrassi street after the underpass which had traintracks above. I turned right on De Grassi, but first looked across the street. De Grassi street went north-south from Queen to Gerrard. At the intersection was the Broadview Community Clinic of St. Michael's Hospital where Spike got her pregnancy test. This is where she told her mum, "Mum, I’m pregnant".

I went on De Grassi street and fell in love with all the Victorian homes. There is one thing that I love about the Queen-Broadview Village, the old homes from the early part of the 20^th century. Not to be insulting, but after the 1950’s, the homes started becoming too functional ugly.

The homes on De Grassi street were gorgeous, made with hardwood floor, spacious rooms, and with plaster walls. Today’s homes are built with chiprock walls, and with pressed wood. Built in a month, falls apart in ten years. I someday would love to live on this street or in the Danforth/Riverdale neighboruhood. Homes in this neighbourhood go for about $350,000-$500,000 for a cottage (2004-2005 prices).

I slowly walked through the street and saw all the neighbours fixing up their homes, painting, mowing the lawn, drilling, hammering. One thing for sure, is that old homes have to be maintained, and refurnished, or else they will also fall apart. I came to Cummings Street and took a picture of the famous De Grassi Grocery. I found out that the Degrassi street sign was one of the most stolen street signs in Canada. I am not sure of that statistic, but I think I got this statistic from the Toronto Historical Society.

I went to my last destination, Dundas Street Public School at the corner of Dundas and Boulton.  I noticed that the school where the Kids of Degrassi Street was filmed in was really big, and that it was even bigger than Vincent Massey School. I saw the park, the front yard, side entrance, and play area, where many can see Griff, Lisa, Billy, Benjy, Connie, Rachel, Casey, Cookie, Ida, and Noel would play.

Check out the photos of Dundas Street Public School

I took some photos, then went back to De Grassi Street. I wanted to go to Wheels house, and as I knew that Neil Hope’s character lived at 179 Degrassi, I thought I’d make a trip to my favourite street, and go find the house. Unfortunately the next block all had new homes that were recently built and 179 did not exist anymore. So I can conclude two of the following conclusions: 179 Degrassi Street never existed and Playing With Time used Wheels’ address as a fictional address for another home in the area, or the old home was torn down, and all those new condos on the east side were built did not keep the same numbering system.

I wanted to find the home where Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler shared, and I knew it was around the location of Playing With Time. I could not find it, because all the homes looked all too similar. I knew that Lucy’s house was the real home of Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood, but I could not find the home. I knew that it was in 1987 and 1988 that Lucy’s home was shown in The Big Dance, A Helping Hand, Eggbert, and Pa-arty, but I did not want to go crazy trying to find a home that may have changed over the past ten years.

I have included some photos in this section of the site to supplement my Degrassi Pilgrimage. I hope that this journal-like description of my 6 hour trip encourages you to visit Toronto one day and to visit the famous Degrassi Landmarks.