The revitalized Don Mount Court/Rivertowne community is Canada’s first public housing development rebuilt as a mixed-income community. It has transformed one of the city’s oldest downtown communities into a dynamic, new mixed-income neighbourhood. Located in south Riverdale on the city’s east side, Don Mount Court/Rivertowne demonstrates the success of joint venture partnering and community engagement to improve the city’s aging public housing and the quality of the communities where it is located.

Don Mount Court/Rivertowne brings together urban condominium townhomes and a modern community housing redevelopment on new public streets with landscaped boulevards, courtyards and pedestrian walkways. The new community welcomes the extension of Munro Street to Queen Street East and the creation of a two-acre neighbourhood park. 

Right now, phase one of the revitalization is complete. Tenants who lived in the old buildings have moved to their new homes and condo owners have started moving in as well.

When all construction is complete, there will be 187 market-ownership condominium townhouses and 232 affordable homes in the Don Mount Court/Rivertowne community. All the housing will be ready for occupancy in 2010. Construction on the park will begin in 2011.

The Toronto Community Housing rental townhomes and three-storey apartment building include a mix of one to five bedroom units in different suite styles, including wheelchair accessible units. The buildings were designed in the height and style of surrounding low-rise buildings, with designs similar to the market housing.

The project was redeveloped by the Don Mount Court Development Corporation, Intracorp Development Inc. and Marion Hill Development Corp., with support from the City of Toronto and the Ontario government. A consultation process involved tenants of Don Mount Court, local residents, businesses and community agencies through advisory committees, public meetings and open houses over close to five years. The Don Mount Court Development Corporation’s Board of Directors includes a tenant, a neighbour and people with the range of skills and experience to oversee this development.

To read more about the history of the Don Mount Court/Rivertowne revitalization, please click here.