Cabbagetown laneways are a unique aspect of our historic Victorian neighbourhood.  Not only do they provide a link to our city’s past, they have become important to vehicular and pedestrian traffic today.

Thanks to the hard work of dedicated residents, public laneways in Cabbagetown and Cabbagetown south are being named.  Led by the Cabbagetown Preservation Association, this initiative identified names with historical significance to celebrate that heritage.

Although heritage identification and education are an important impetus for naming the laneways, the names contribute to neighbourhood watch initiatives, public navigation and safety, by-law enforcement, and improved response for emergency services.

Oskenonton Lane, the first laneway to be named, was signed in 2006.  Following the success of that naming, the Cabbagetown Preservation Association identified over 50 lanes, researched prospective names, consulted on their selection, and presented recommendations.  The signs for the all of the laneways have now been posted.

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Background to Laneway Names in Cabbagetown

Al Purdy Lane (located east of Sackville Street, south off Salisbury Avenue) – named after poet Al Purdy who resided at 435 Sackville Street in his youth. Purdy penned 33 books and received the Governor General’s Literary Award in 1965 for Caribou Horses and in 1986 for Collected Poems. He received the Order of Canada in 1982.

Arthur Goss Lane (located north of Carlton Street, west off Metcalfe Street) – named after photographer Arthur Goss, who was born in 1881 and lived at 20 Metcalfe Street. An employee of the City of Toronto, he staffed the position of City Photographer for almost 40 years, capturing countless photos of early Toronto.

Calgie Lane (located south of Gerrard Street East, between Drovers Lane and Callaghan Lane) – named after the Calgie family, who operated a general store at Berkeley Street and Dundas Street East.

Callaghan Lane (located north of Dundas Street East, between Seaton Street and Parliament Street) – named after novelist Morley Callaghan, who grew up on Belshaw Place in Cabbagetown.  In 1951, Callaghan received the Governor General’s Literary Award for his book The Loved and the Lost. Callaghan achieved the Companion of the Order of Canada.

Carfrae Lane (located east of River Street, between Labatt Avenue and Mark Street) – named after the first fire captain of The Toronto Fire Department, Thomas Carfrae Jr.

Cat Mint Lane (located north of Wellesley Street East, west off Laurier Avenue) – named after the aromatic wildflower that grows along fence lines in Cabbagetown laneways.

Catbird Lane (located east of Berkeley Street, between Doctor O Lane and Woodward Evans Land) – named after a bird recognized for its ability to mimic the calls of over 44 other avian species and for its cat-like mewing call. The Don Valley and Cabbagetown neighbourhood are attractive habitats to the Catbird.

Chipping Sparrow Lane (located north of spruce Street, east off Sumach Street) – named after a member of the sparrow family that acquired its name from its chipping call. Parks, gardens and woodlands in Cabbagetown and the Don Valley are popular habitats for “Chippies”.

Clara Lane (located east of Ontario Street, between Winchester Street and Reverend Boddy Lane) – named after the daughter of the Venerable Samuel J. Boddy, Ms. Clara Boddy, who was an original house owner on Aberdeen Avenue. The Boddy Estate lands were eventually subdivided and sold for housing development.

Coltsfoot Lane (located south of Wellesley Street East, east off Sackville Street) – named after the wildflower found in Cabbagetown lanes and in the Rosedale ravine.

Corn Chamomile Lane (located north of Gerrard Street East, between Sackville Street and Gifford Street) – named after the wildflower found along the lanes of Cabbagetown.

Darling Lane (located east of Rose Avenue, between Wellesley Street East and Prospect Street) – named after Darling Terrace at 562-566 Parliament Street, built by William Darling in 1877.

Doctor O Lane (located south of Carlton Street, between Parliament Street and Central Hospital Lane) – named after Dr. Oronhyatekha (“Burning Sky”) M.D., who was born into the Mohawk tribe and baptized as Peter Martin. Oronhyatekha graduated from the University of Toronto’s medical school in 1866 and is thought to be the first native doctor in Canada to train and practice in western medicine. Dr. O, as he was known, resided at 211 Carlton Street.

Drovers Lane (located south of Gerrard Street East, between Ontario Street and Parliament Street) – named after the occupation of some Torontonians who drove herds of livestock to market. Such occupational listings frequently occur alongside the names of Cabbagetown residents in early City of Toronto telephone directories.

Dyer Lane (located west of River Street, between Spruce Street and Gerrard Street East) – named after Corporal Ainsworth Dyer who was born in 1977 and grew up in Regent Park. As a paratrooper with the 5th Platoon, Corporal Dyer was killed in action in 2002 during a training exercise near Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Eddy Lane (located north of Wellesley Street East, east off Sackville Street) – named after the Eddy family who lived at 495 Sackville. Mr. Eddy was a clerk for the Canadian National Railway.

Edensmith Lane (located east of Sackville Street, between Amelia Street and Salisbury Avenue) - named after architect Eden Smith who lived at 34 Salisbury Street.  Smith designed The Church of St. Thomas on Huron Street along with many homes in Wychwood Park, Rosedale, The Annex, and Forest Hill. His design of the public housing complex on the corner of Spruce and Sumach Streets was built in 1913 and stands as a rare example of early public co-operative housing projects.

Exchange Lane (located south of Carlton Street, between Grandtoy Lane and Dermott Place) – named after the work of Alexander Graham Bell who, in 1879, established the first telephone exchange in Toronto.  Hugh Lewis, the Cabbagetown resident of 295 Carlton Street, was the first of 40 subscribers.

Flicker Lane (located north of Wellesley Street East, east off Laurier Avenue) – named after the large woodpecker that forages on the ground in the Don Valley and Rosedale Ravine.

Flos Williams Lane (located east of Rose Avenue, between Prospect Street and Winchester Street) – named after writer Flos Jewell Williams, who was lived at 5 Rose Avenue.  Williams moved to Calgary and penned three novels and several short stories, becoming known as one of the strongest women writers of western Canada.

Fresh Air Lane (located east of Sumach Street, north off Hill Crest Park) – named after initiatives that helped disadvantaged children get away from city heat, noise, and the risk of contracting tuberculosis. Many Cabbagetown children attended summer camps such as the one run by the Toronto Star at Bolton or the Salvation Army’s camp at Jackson’s Point.

Garner Lane (located south of Wellesley Street East, east off Ontario Street) – named after writer Hugh Garner, who grew up in Cabbagetown at 550 Ontario Street (demolished).  Garner penned over 100 short stories, 17 books (including his 1950 novel Cabbagetown), a multitude of periodical pieces, radio and television scripts, and his autobiography One Damn Thing After Another. In 1963, Hugh Garner won the Governor General’s Literary Award for Hugh Garner’s Best Stories, A Collection.

Goatsbeard Lane (located east of Sackville Street, between O’Riordan Lane and Amelia Street) – named after the biennial wildflower that commonly grows in Cabbagetown lanes.

Gordon Sinclair Lane (located south of Carlton Street, east off Sumach Street) – named after journalist and broadcaster Gordon Sinclair who lived at 375 Carlton Street. Sinclair started a career with the Toronto Daily Star in 1922 and moved to radio in 1942 with his daily CFRB broadcast of Let’s Be Personal. At the CBC, he became a panellist on the hit Front Page Challenge. Sinclair also penned several books and became an officer of the Order of Canada in 1979.

Grandtoy Lane (located east of Parliament Street, between Carlton Street and Spruce Street) - named after the James Grand, a former resident at 26 Spruce Street, and Samuel Toy, a former resident at 28 Spruce Street. In 1883, the two opened their office supply store, Grand and Toy, at Leader Lane and Colborne Street, behind the King Edward Hotel.

Hagan Lane (located east of Seaton Street, south of Gerrard Street East) – named after artist Frederick Hagan. A resident of 262 Ontario Street, Hagan sketched and painted in his garage studio and on the streets of Cabbagetown. Hagan received the Royal Canadian Academy of Art’s Medal in 1998 and his works are often displayed by the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Frederick Horsman Varley Gallery.

Heads Lane (located east of Berkeley Street, between Dundas Street East and Callaghan Lane) – named after plumber and tinsmith Thomas Head, whose business occupied 316 Parliament Street. He was a leader in his trades, often installing running water and furnace heating into houses for the first time.

Hume Lane (located north of Carlton Street, east off Ontario Street) - named after Dr. Rowena Grace Hume, who was one of the founding members of Women’s College Hospital.  There she held the position of Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology for two decades. A resident of 226 Carlton Street, Dr. Hume dedicated time to work in the community with the Salvation Army’s Harbour Light Centre, the Fred Victor Mission and Alcoholics Anonymous.

Iroquois Lane (located east of Parliament Street, between Wellesley Street East and Amelia Street) – named after the First Nations tribe who populated the area.

Ishbel Lane (located east of Ontario Street, north off Aberdeen Avenue) – named after Lady Aberdeen, born Ishbel Mari Majoribanks, and wife of John Cambell Gordon, Governor General of Canada 1893-98.

Jefferys Lane (located south of Wellesley Street East, between Iroquois Lane and Sackville Street) – named after the commercial artist, historian, author, and illustrator Charles W. Jefferys, who resided at 402 1/2 Wellesley Street.

Magic Lane (located east of Metcalfe Street, south off Salisbury Avenue) – named after magician Doug Henning. In his career, Henning earned 8 Emmy nominations and he won an Emmy for NBC’s Doug Henning’s World of Magic program.  His residence was located at 94 Winchester Street. Henning died in 2000.

McNamara Lane (located south of Carlton Street, east off Sackville Street) – named after the McNamara family who operated the market store located on the southeast corner of Sackville and Carlton Streets.

Mickey Lane (located north of Winchester street, west off Metcalfe Street) – named after Mickey Wilson, who was the owner of the Winchester Hotel during Prohibition. Wilson engaged in “rum running” across Lake Ontario to the U.S. during this time.

Neutral Lane (located north of Carlton Street, west off Ontario Street) – named after the First Nations tribe who populated the area.

Nighthawk Lane (located east of Seaton Street, between Coatsworth Street and Shuter Street) – named after a bird found in Cabbagetown and other urban areas in Southern Ontario.

Nuthatch Lane (located east of Ontario Street, between Doctor O Lane and Woodward Evans Land) – named after a songbird commonly found in gardens and feeders in Cabbagetown.

O’Riordan Lane (located south of Wellesley Street East, between Coltsfoot Lane and Sumach Street) – named after veterinarian Mary O’Riordan, who operated an animal hospital. Her book Dr. Mary’s Animals was published in 1975, and as a result, she became more widely known as Dr. Mary. O’Riordan resided at 160 Amelia Street and was one of the founders of Cabbagetown’ s annual Forsythia Festival.

Oskenonton Lane (located east of Sherbourne Street, between Gerrard Street East and Dundas Street East) – named after Chief Oskenonton, a member of the Bear Clan of the Mohawk nation. In the early 1900s, Oskenonton toured North America and Europe, demonstrating First Nations dances and songs and lecturing on First Nations cultures.

Picking Coke Lane (located east of River Street, north of Cornwall Street) – named after the popular practice of collecting fragments of coke from ash piles to be used for home heating. Such practices took place in industrialized areas where the waste product of coke was regularly discarded. The Kemp Manufacturing Plant was one such site and within walking distance of most Cabbagetown residents.

Prohibition Lane (located east of Metcalfe Street, between Amelia Street and Schawlow Lane) – named after the 20th century social movement to prohibit the sale of alcohol without prescription. Many sought to bypass prohibition through bootlegging practices or by obtaining a doctor’s consent. It is said that in one single day, a Cabbagetown doctor of good repute wrote over 700 prescriptions for the use of alcohol. Prohibition ended in 1927.

Redrocket Lane (located east of Sherbourne Street, between Bloor Street East and Howard Street) - named after the TTC streetcar and in recognition of the nearby Sherbourne Subway Station.

Reverend Boddy Lane (located north of Aberdeen Avenue, east off Ontario Street) – named after Reverend Samuel Johnson Boddy, Archdeacon of York, who lived at 21 Winchester Street. Reverend Boddy can be credited for sending a representative to Chicago to study the street paving methods of the day and for seeing to it that streets in Cabbagetown were paved for the first time.

Schawlow Lane (located east of Metcalfe Street, between Amelia Street and Salisbury Avenue) – named after Arthur (Bud) Schawlow PhD, who lived at 436 Sackville in the 1920s. Schawlow received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1981 for co-founding the laser with his brother-in-law, Charles Townes.

Silkweed Lane (located east of Seaton Street, between Doctor O Lane and Woodward Evans Land) – named after the wildflower (also known as Common Milkweed) that is found along laneways in Cabbagetown.

Smith Gemmell Lane (located north of Gerrard Street East, between Nasmith Avenue and Sumach Street) – named after the architectural firm of Smith and Gemmell, who designed The Ontario Medical College for Women building, which stands at 289 Sumach Street.

Tony Brady Lane (located east of Sumach Street, north off Hill Crest Park) – named after Tony Brady, founder of Cabbagetown’s annual Forsythia Festival.

Tweedy Lane (located north of Wellesley Street east, east off Parkview Avenue) – named after a Mr. Tweedy who built the structures at 5, 7 and 16 Parkview Avenue.

Verner Lane (located west of Parliament Street, south of Gerrard Street East) – named after John Verner, the owner of the popular Cabbagetown store at 283 Parliament Street (demolished). J. Verner Mc Aree, the nephew of the owner, used the store as a primary setting in his book Cabbagetown Store.

Wakely Lane (located east of Sumach Street, between Spruce Street and Gerrard Street East) – named after Captain William R. Wakely, who lived with his wife, parents and four daughters at 133 Spruce Street. Wakely captained a ship that carried coal.

Windeyer Lane (located west of Seaton Street, south of Dundas Street East) – named after the architect R. V. Windeyer (of Windeyer and Falloon, Architects) who designed All Saint’s Church, and at a later date, the Sunday School and Boys’ Hall additions.

Woodward Evans Lane (located north of Gerrard Street East, between Parliament Street and Central Hospital Lane) – named after Torontonians James Woodward and Matthew Evans, who filed a patent for the first light bulb on July 24, 1874.  In1879, Thomas Edison purchased the patent from Woodward and Evans.

Yen Lane (located south of Amelia Street, between Edensmith Lane and Sumach Street) – named after J. L. (Allen) Yen PhD, who was a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Toronto.  In 1967, Dr. Yen shared in receiving the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Rumford Medal for advances in Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). Yen was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.