High Park (sometimes called High Park North) is a Toronto neighbourhood that is located near the Toronto park of the same name. High Park is a 161 hectare park located west of downtown Toronto. It is the largest park that is entirely within the City of Toronto. The High Park neighbourhood is located just north of the actual park itself, which is why it is sometimes known as the neighbourhood of “High Park North.” The neighbourhood’s southern boundary is Bloor Street West. The northern boundary is located along Annette Street. High Park North stretches to Runnymede Road in the west and Quebec Avenue in the east. Generally crime in the area is somewhat low, especially considering that it is located in a large city like Toronto. High Park North is a very peaceful neighbourhood and is home to many families. People from around the city are drawn to the neighbourhood due to the large park. However, as it is a downtown Toronto neighbourhood, High Park North unfortunately does sees some crime. The park itself is sometimes the scene, but the neighbouring homes and businesses can become targets as well in some instances. As for the High Park crime rate, there is an average of 6.35 crimes against people per 1000 people living and working in the area. There is an average of 13.17 crimes against property per 1000. As mentioned earlier, sometimes crimes take place within the park itself. However, nearby residents should note that rarely do criminals have defined boundaries. They often have no problem crossing from a park into the nearby homes, especially if they feel that they will be able to strike local houses. It is always important to arm your security system and verify that all aspects of your home alarm system are functioning correctly. In June 2011 a 23-year-old woman was sexually assaulted in High Park itself during the daytime. From CBC News:
The assault occurred at around 1:45 p.m. Thursday near Grenadier Pond at the western edge of the busy park. A 23-year-old woman was walking alone in the area when she was grabbed by a man and sexually assaulted, police said in a release.
This was not the first assault to take place in the park. In 2009, a woman was kidnapped and driven to the park where she was sexually assaulted. From the Toronto Star:
Police are searching for three suspects they say kidnapped and sexually assaulted a 25-year-old woman in High Park. At 1:30 a.m. today the woman was walking on Eglinton Rd. W. near Dufferin St. when three men forced her into a black vehicle. Police said they drove her to High Park, where the men sexually assaulted her. The woman managed to escape and alerted police. She provided descriptions of the three men.
In addition to these terrible crimes, several thefts have taken place in the area, including bicycle thefts. In 2007, Toronto Police issued a statement regarding a series of “swarming” robberies that were taking place in High Park and the surrounding area. From the release:
High Park is visited by many residents and tourists during the summer months. Most have a safe and pleasant experience. However over recent weeks there have been several reports to 11 Division of groups of youths or young adults “swarming” other youths. The items stolen during these swarmings are usually bicycles, ipods and wallets. It should be remembered that this type of crime can happen in any place that has secluded areas even on a quiet street in your neighbourhood. Several arrests have been made related to these crimes. Police presence in High Park has also recently increased in conjunction with a public awareness campaign related to these crimes.
As noted in the release, quiet neighbourhoods can be hit by criminals just like any other neighbourhood. This is an unfortunate fact of like. Some criminals actually prefer to strike in quiet neighbourhoods or parks where they may not be noticed easily. Since fewer people are around, there is a chance for criminals to commit their crimes without being spotted. A way to counteract this is to install video security cameras both in your home and outside in order to view your property. Video surveillance is incredibly powerful and an excellent way to catch criminals in the act. Video security cameras also act as a deterrent. Criminals who do not want to be caught will frequently avoid areas where their actions could be recorded.