Rexdale
Rexdale is a community in the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the north-west corner of the city. Rexdale, also known as Etobicoke North or North Etobicoke, forms the top third of the Etobicoke District in the City of Toronto.
Etobicoke was formerly the City of Etobicoke which merged with five other municipalities and a regional government to form the new "City of Toronto" in 1998. Rexdale was named after Rex and Dale Heslop, the area's first residential real estate developers who built most of the new suburb. Rexdale is bordered by Malton and Pearson International Airport in the City of Mississauga to the west, Central Etobicoke to the south, the former Town of Woodbridge in the City of Vaughan to the north and the North York district of the City of Toronto to the east.
The boundaries for Rexdale are the Humber River to the east; Indian Line, which has mostly disappeared beneath Highway 427 and Pearson International Airport, or approximately Highway 427 to the west; Steeles Avenue to the north and Highway 401 to the south.
Rexdale evolved into a suburb of Toronto starting in the late 1950s. While representing many ethnicities in the early days of its evolution from small towns, farmland and golf courses into a urban community, Rexdale started with a large English and Scottish population, as was often common of Toronto neighbourhoods at that time. It grew to become predominantly Italian, Carribean, African and South Asian populations.
Rexdale has been notorious for violence in the past years. The violence seemed to disappear, but once again it is escalating. In the past few years, drug trafficking, gun and gang violence has risen. However, the police are trying to keep in tact of it. In May of 2006, a large raid of Jamestown lead to the arrest of more than 100 alleged criminals. Jamestown is widely recognized as one of the most dangerous areas in the Greater Toronto Area and Rexdale one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Canada.
The population of Rexdale in 2000 was approximately 100,000. The population grows at a rate comparable to surrounding communities. Rexdale has a strong industrial base with it main employment sector being office employment.
Rexdale is home to the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Humber College, Woodbine Race Track and Casino, the Woodbine Centre and Albion Mall (Shoppers' World Albion).