Scarberia, Scarlem, Scareborough?
I don't get out there often. I remember when I was a teenager; some friends and I decided to check out Scarborough Town Center. It was no Sherway Gardens. We were shocked by the video cameras, and even more disturbed by the small group of thugs that were following us around the mall. We were relieved to find them gone when we exited the movie theatre (ironically, after watching Jeff Goldblum escape dinosaurs in Jurassic Park). That's the Scarborough I knew then, and some of those perceptions are admittedly still within me today.
Ward 40 City Councilor Norm Kelly loves Scarborough. He also thinks the media is largely responsible for enforcing false beliefs by portraying his home as a hotbed of crime.
According to Kelly, the per capita crime rate in Scarborough is actually lower than that of municipalities west of Victoria Park Ave. But I've yet to hear specifically about the nature of these crimes. Does Scarborough tend to have more violent crime than other municipalities?
Kelly is taking the bull by the horns and making an effort to be heard by all. Along with Ward 37 Councilor Michael Thompson, he's launching a campaign he hopes will result in media doing what they do when reporting crime in other parts of the city - refer to the specific intersection, and leave the word "Scarborough" out of it.
But is this a reasonable request? I mean, even the Scarborough Mirror (the local paper), which today is featuring the campaign on the front page, is guilty of using the S word when describing crime. Is he asking for more than should be expected of the media, which most certainly should have the right and reason to choose to report on crimes in Scarborough as crimes in Scarborough?
How are Toronto media responding to his plea? The Toronto Sun's response to the campaign was an all-out bashing. But other media are reporting on the campaign in a more matter-of-fact manner.
Today, just one day after the press frenzy, we saw a shooting just 100m west of Scarborough's territorial boundary of Victoria Park. The Star seems to cooperating, and the report on CityTV's Breakfast Television also avoided dropping the "S-bomb". No one is saying "near the Scarborough border".
Throughout my life in Toronto, I've heard Scarborough referred to by many negative nicknames.
Scarberia (which I assume is a reference to Siberia) seems to be a rather innocent poke at Scarborough's somewhat bleak landscape and perhaps also digs at its remote location (ie. not being Toronto proper).
Scarlem and Scareborough are far less innocent, completely derogatory nicknames that are clearly products of racial and socio-economic stereotypes. How much of these stereotypes are a result of or are enforced by the media pointing at Scarborough as a rough and tough part of town is difficult to say.
I wanted to know more about Councilor Kelly's campaign and bounce some questions off of him but my attempts to speak with him have yet to be fruitful. He was in meetings when I called him yesterday, and is tied up with council today as well. If I do get him on the phone, I'll be sure to update this post and invite him here for comment.
(LRT photo by Craig James White), suburban sidewalk photo by funkaoshi, polar bear at the zoo photo by Fu-Chieh, Bluffer's Park photo by billy2d)
Comments (25)
Yea, Scarbs has a bad reputation... but anyone who grew up there doesn't care about it, because they know that the majority of the time their experience has been safe and pleasant.
For various reasons, I've ended up spending a bunch of time in Scarborough over the past few years working on projects where I get to talk to a lot of residents. So many of them, long before this organized campaign started, would say the one thing they don't like about living in Scarborough is the perception that where they live is a terrible place. They would tell me it has nothing to do with their lives, their neighbourhood, their friends and neighbours.
So, I began to understand why residents feel this way, and I'm sympathetic to this proposal. Scarborough is such a vast and massive place (layer it on a map of the old city of Toronto and see) but most non-scarborough folks have no idea of just how big it is. They might know a place or two, or the Town Centre, and not realize the old borough goes on forever. So when something happens in Scarborough, it's actually lazy -- but technically accurate -- journalism to say "xxxx happened in Scarborough". That's doesn't mean a lot to me as I still don't know where something happened, but it does a lot to add to Scarborough's reputation. I think this push will force the media to be more accurate in reporting stuff.
Of course the Sun would bash it, a moratorium on sensational Scarborough headlines would take away a big chunk of their mouthwatering editorial style.
That picture of the bluffs is amazing.
I think Scarborough is to Toronto as Toronto is to the rest of Canada: lots of people bash it having never been there or spent a significant amount of time there, but they feel quite certain in their position that it's dangerous, ugly, and generally unpleasant. People in "Toronto proper" should know better since the rest of the country looks at us through the same tainted lens.
Matt, you comment demonstrates that point that Councilor Kelly is trying to make.
(Scarborough lumped as Scarborough, while Jane and Finch is generally not lumped as North York.)
They used to denigrate Scarborough because of the rockers (ref: Wayne's World) so they used Scarberia.
Nowadays, most of Toronto's scared of the hiphop dudes(funkers) that hail from there.
Scarborough has always had a bad reputation. The reality is, it's a great place to live. Full of hard working people and diverse communities.
There's also a good balance between Big Box stores and the mom and pop store populated strip malls.
Unlike Mississauga, it seems to have an interesting and vibrant culture. There's definitely a history there.
Of course, the old school white folks have left, either further north or to smaller bedroom suburbs (Whitby). The joke is, the only rich white people left in Scarborough are the one from Toronto going to the zoo.
Beautiful Scarborough, I love it so.
Scarborough is huge. Saying there was a shooting in Scarborough provides little to know information about where a crime took place. You may as well report their was a shooting in Toronto. Look at a map: Scarborough is the biggest suburb in the city by a healthy margin. People don't make assumptions about Toronto based on one particular neighbourhood, and shouldn't make assumptions about Scarborough for the same reason: it's stupid.
The Scarborough I lived in wasn't scary in the least. I snapped the photo of the suburban street in this post: scary I know.
No one has to say Scarborough, or Jane & Finch for that matter.
Just the mention of the intersection will identify what neighbourhood any crime was committed.
It's just semantics. People will still have their preconceived notions about areas of Toronto.
Most of Jane and Finch is filled with law abiding residential homeowners, but it's the clusters of apartment buildings and Metro Housing Projects that get the limelight. Same for Scarborough, Rexdale, Parkdale, and so on.
I think the key point has been made... Scarborough is really big.
I've lived all over east end (the Guild, Morningside and Ellesmere, Malvern, Highland Creek, Port Union, etc.) and these areas are distant and different from say, Wexford, or Bluffer's Park or The Golden Mile.
Scarborough gets a bum rap it doesn't always deserve.
Get out of downtown. Get to know some of the people who live in those 'clusters of apartments and Metro Housing Projects'. Learn about Systemic Racism and White privilege (I recommend 'Uprooting Racism' by Paul Kivel as a starting point) and try to look past simple answers to complex proplems.
I'm glad the article at least named the underlying racial stereotyping behind nicknames like 'Scarlem'.
Please, please, please, think critically about what you read in the media. There's a lot more to this issue than the controversy about identifying Scarborough in negative news stories.
Listen Lynne,
I grew up in Parkdale aka Crackdale and still work there. I very well know the people who live in my neighbourhood. It's filled with decent,law abiding citizens...but it's not a lie when it's reported that someone gets shot or a body is found in a laneway. It's not a lie that there are parts of the neighbourhood that any smart person would avoid. I have to think about things that I probably wouldn't have to think about if I were walking at Mt Pleasant and St Clair... so, frankly...I don't need to read a book about systematic rascism written by some white intellectual/motivational speaker. Often those who give advice about this subject are people who are uncomfortable in neighbourhoods like Parkdale or Jane and Finch.
Yes, the media is unfair to my neighbourhood...but I can't deny that things happen, and I'd suggest being careful about who you're "getting to know" from the people in the clusters of apartment buildings.
My friend Carrie and I spent the whole day yesterday rediscovering Scarborough. We drove along Kingston road, stopped down at Bluffers Park, walked aroung The Guild Inn, stopped at Mel Lastman's Bad Boy, then went up to snag a cheap eats burger at the legendary Johny's before headign way north to check out Pacific Mall.
Scarborough is a great place. I lived there since I was 14 and even though crime happens (where doesn't it in this city) it has its really great places.
My parents house is by Rouge Valley (Sheppard and Meadowvale) and I miss the wilderness there, I went to high school by the lake (Sir Wilfrid Laurier CI) and being right beside the Guild Inn (great spot to hang out during skipping classes BTW).
Certains areas of Scarborough are rough (Tuxedo Court, Mornelle Court, Markham and Eglinton) but since I lived at M&E and nothing ever happened to anyone I knew in the 4 years I lived there. I dated people from Mornelle Court, had friends that live in those buildings, and worked right beside Tuxedo court, Malvern and the Zoo.
Rouge Hill Beach Park is a really nice area too. When you are there you don't even feel like you are in a huge city. Feels like a cottage.
I love Scarborough.
Having lived here since 87, around the Markham and Eglinton area (that area has gotten alot better compared to the early 90's) and then Kennedy Eglinton, I will say I've been around more 'shootings', dead bodies then in recent years. But I think the most recent ones were due to a rash of shootings on Eglinton and Malvern area between 'gangsters'.
I will say the area below ellesmere does tend to have older stores and plazas thus contributing to the ghetto feel, but its not that bad.
I'll tell you one thing about Scarborough--the roti here is WAY better than downtown. Also the Sri Lankan and West Indian Chinese food. But I do hate having to go to Jack Astor's for a beer.
You should check out scarlem.net for some nice photography and short literary works that really convey what the lived experience is like in Scarborough
Scarborough is lovely .. the greenspace and the diversity .. but lets keep it on the down low shall we .. I'm looking to buy a house there soon and i don't want the prices to skyrocket. 3 (very quiet) cheers for Toronto's Best kept secret.
Scarborough suffers from something that all of Toronto suffers from. And that is residents sticking to only their section of the city.
Toronto is a great city, and that includes Scarborough. Instead of flocking to your local mall on the weekend, get of and explore the city. Go downtown, go to Scarborough, go check out the scenes.
Scarborough alone has some of the most amazing waterfront parks in Toronto. Go spend a Saturday there.
I love all parts of Toronto, and spend a ton of time downtown, which I love. I also happen to live in Scarborough, and while suburbs are not really my thing, I can still stand up and say that I could not have picked a better place to grow up. My neighbourhood here in Scarborough embodies many of the characteristics people are craving and trying to find today.
We have front porches where neighbourhoods actually sit out on, and chat with each other.
We have the most amazing neighbours ever, some my family has known for over 30 years. We all look out for each other, and it is not uncommon to wake up in the morning to see our neighbour has shoveled our entire driveway.
I love our entire city, and also Scarborough. And I have no problem telling people I live in Scarborough, because I know just how great this place is. Just stand at the top of the Scarborough Bluffs and you can sense just how special Scarborough is.
Over 600,000 people can't be wrong. Scarborough Proud.
I am sure Kelly would like to have the media drop "Scarborough" out of crime stories..but leave it in for positive stories, right?
Scarberia, Scarghetto, Scarlem..whatever you call it, it's a rotting sprawl of poverty and ugliness.
I've lived in Scarborough for most of my life and don't find it any better or worse than any other part of Toronto, or any other city in Canada for that matter. Every place has its share of "undesirable" people doing crime or bullying in schools or any other "undesirable" behaviour. If I were to travel to another city or country, I would follow the same rules wherever I go, and take into account specific streets or neighbourhoods, depending on the time of day/activity,etc. because it's sensible to be cautious, but you don't always have to be overly cautious, because sometimes there are very nice people living in a so-called "bad" area, who would never dream of hurting anyone. It's too bad we can't always help it that there a few idiots in this world, who make it scary for everyone else, and therefore, difficult to live with a piece of mind all the time(and that goes for ANY city)!
I love scarborough but I hate the stereotypes associated with brown people living in Scarborough that I want to leave sometimes.
I grew up in Scarborough (near the bluffs) then moved downtown after graduating from University. My wife and I moved back about a year ago and now live in what I believe is one of the nicest parts of the city. Travel south of Kingston road in the bluffs and birch cliff community and you'll see where many of Toronto's executives live - yes that's right in Scarborough! It's a great neighbourhood only 5-10 minutes from the beaches and only 8-10 km's from downtown. You'll see amazing views of the lake and homes that have lots of character and charm + you can sample the worlds cuisines at unpretentious mom and pop shops.
I grew up in Proper Toronto all my life (beaches and the danforth), but just bought a new house in a development north of warden station, and I am LOVING it, it's so safe! all the neighbours know each other, i can walk my dog at 11pm and i'm not worried- we have beautiful untouched ravines, public transit and plenty of shops.. to be honest, when i drove back to greenwood and danforth where i used to live, i had the urge to lock my car doors! Anyhow- Home prices are fantastic for all that you get- i'm very pleased and intend to stick around here : )
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