MEET THE HEART OF WEST ST. CLAIR WEST

A charming collection of shops, services and galleries line the stretch of St. Clair Ave. W. where Scoop Condos will be built. The folks behind the counters of these establishments are all committed to building a brighter future for the area. Here are fiv

Alli Millar, owner, Alli’s Fresh Baked She opened her shop eight years ago, in the midst of the construction of a dedicated right-of-way for the St. Clair streetcar. “There was a lot of noise and dust,” Millar recalls. But Millar persevered and today her shop is a success, supplying bread and baked goods to farmers’ markets across the city, including Evergreen Brickworks and Wychwood Barns. West St Clair West now has more young families moving in, she says, “And they’re interested in what I’m doing here, because I do healthier things, with organic and gluten-free options.” Millar is optimistic about the new condo soon to be built across from her shop. “It’s going to grow this community, and that should help businesses here to get going a bit more.”

Peter Alexander Por, artist/resident Just down the road from the Scoop site, Por marks his 10th year living and working in a studio on the St. Clair W. strip. The retired architect, whose funky sculptures and paintings are on display, was drawn to the neighbourhood he regarded as “undervalued but which showed the potential for moving ahead. And my hunch was right.”

Por loves the community’s tight-knit nature and its cultural diversity, which was on full display during the recent Euro Cup tournament. “It was pandemonium here after Portugal won,” he says. “I didn’t sleep very much that night.” Por’s thoughts on Scoop Condos? “I think it’ll help the neighbourhood to move up in quality.” His only beef? “I was actually hoping for a taller building.”

Rocky and Rose Signorile, owners, Central Paint and Tiles, St. Clair Gardens BIA members Rose Signorile operates one of the area’s longest-running businesses.

“We’ve been here 44 years,” she says. Her father bought the building and, before renting it out, asked if any of his kids wanted to do something with it. “I told him, ‘I’ll do something,’ ” Rose says. “I saw a lot of older houses in the area and figured old houses need repairs.”

Her son Rocky has worked alongside her for the past 30 years and they’ve both watched area businesses struggle during the streetcar track construction.

“People still don’t come here because of the tracks.” But the arrival of Scoop Condos signals that revitalization is coming, notes Rocky. “And hopefully it’ll be the first of many developments like these in the area.”

Kendra Wilson, owner, Simply Dogs Salon & Boutique Her dog-grooming business serves a vital community role: keeping the local canine population looking sharp, and happy — there are no dog crates at her shop.

“So the dogs get to be comfortable and hang out, which is nicer for them, less stressful,” says Wilson, an 11-year veteran of the pooch-preening biz who took over the shop a year and a half ago.

The West St. Clair West community has a small-town feel that reminds her of her hometown: Morpeth, in the Chatham-Kent area.

“Everybody knows everybody there, and I get that feeling here, which is nice in a big city like Toronto.” As for Scoop, she’s looking forward to the new residents it will bring. “It means more customers supporting the local economy.”

Lillian Nasakob-Abalos, branch manager, St. Clair/Silverthorn library Lillian Nasakob-Abalos has run the local library for eight years. The St. Clair/Silverthorn branch, which opened in 1981, is a community hub and it’s also about to embark on a redevelopment.

“It’s perfect timing,” she says, noting the revamp will go hand-in-hand with other changes in the neighbourhood, namely the arrival of Scoop. “This has been thought of as a tougher neighbourhood, traditionally,” Nasakob-Abalos notes.

But things are evolving; young families are now moving in. “You get lots of kids coming to the library who will hopefully be lifelong users.”

She’s looking for Scoop to add vibrancy to the community and spur more projects in the area. “It’s been a bit neglected through the years,” she says. “So its time has certainly come.”