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Downsview is an area in Toronto's north end. Originally a farm located in the 1870's near the present-day intersection of Keele and Wilson, it now extends beyond the intersection of Sheppard Avenue and Dufferin Street, in the former City of North York. The area includes several large post-WWII subdivisions. Within the area is the former site of Canadian Forces Base Downsview, which has since been largely converted following the end of the Cold War into an urban park known as Downsview Park.
Most of the houses were built following WWII and into the 1960's, though some new houses and condos are now being built near the TTC's Downsview station. The subway ride is approximately 20 minutes south to downtown Toronto.
The east side of Dufferin Street is primarily residential while the west side is industrial. This street has been relegated to a quiet service road in the adjacent neighborhood of Bathurst Manor. Immediately beside Dufferin Street, a major Toronto artery, the Allen Road, now brings large traffic volumes from Ontario Highway 401 (the busiest section of freeway in North America) just a minute south, as well as to downtown Toronto further south and rapidly developing York Region to the north.
In July, 2003, a large concert was organized in Downsview Park to support the City of Toronto after SARS affected the city. Acts such as the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Rush and Justin Timberlake entertained hundreds of thousands of music fans from over the world. It was reportedly the largest ticketed event in history.
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