Lucas Frattura just sold a Vancouver Unit.
No, not a unit in Vancouver. The realtor for Right At Home Realty Inc. is based in Toronto. A "Vancouver Unit" is the name of the floorplan inside 65 Bremner Blvd. that faces Maple Leaf Square or -- as it’s better known to Toronto Raptors' fans -- Jurassic Park.
You've seen the insanity: the line-ups starting at 6 a.m., the dancing on TTC buses, and the hoards of fans collecting past the walls of Jurassic Park into an infinite vanishing point. Well, a Vancouver Unit at 65 Bremner gives you a bird’s eye view of it all, making Frattura one of only a handful of Toronto realtors who can answer this week’s question.
What is it like to live near Scotiabank Arena?
People love it. You’re right in the heart of the city and it’s absolutely unbelievable. You could be sitting in your condo with the sliding door open and you don’t even need to be out there. You can hear when The Raptors score. It’s incredible. The vibe of the crowd is absolutely breathtaking.
READ: Where To Watch The Raptors Vs. Warriors NBA Finals In The GTA
But, when you live in that area, you have to be cognizant of what’s going on as far as sporting events go. Sometimes it can be a little bit tricky to find parking. Of course, the Raptors are playing, they’re in The 2019 NBA Finals, but this happens hopefully once a year if I’m being super optimistic. For the four, five or six (maybe) games that they play, probably you’re going to be into it if you live at Maple Leaf Square. You just have to plan accordingly. Most people who live in the area, keep a schedule on their phone and know when The Raptors are playing. You just kind of try to make sure you’re in or out if you’re driving and try to stay away from that side as much as possible.
READ: Tips For Streaming The NBA And Buying The Best TVs For Sports
For the most part, people take the TTC anyway because you’re so close to Union Station. Even though a lot of people have cars, when they go down there, they park their car and take the TTC, Uber or Taxi. Right in the core, you’re not really in a driving-friendly area, but you could drive if you really wanted to. It’s a little tricky some times with parking. But at the end of the day, it’s okay. Toronto Police started issuing special parking permits so when they close off the roads and you absolutely have to get in, you can flash them this form they sent out to residents and it will get you in. It’s not so bad.
If you’re not a fan of noise or you just want to get some sleep, the builder of Maple Leaf Square and the surrounding buildings next door did a great job with noise-suppressing building materials. They have double paned glass and use other high-quality materials for their noise insulation because they knew it would be a noisy area. As a result, when you close your doors, you’re pretty much isolated from noise. You don’t hear too much, but just open the window and you can tell when The Raptors score a basket or hear the oh’s and ah’s of a Jays game at The Rogers Centre.
READ: Raptors NBA Finals Tickets Cost More Than Average Rent In Toronto
The condos near Scotiabank arena are prime real estate and there’s no getting around the fact that housing in Toronto is expensive. We kind of have this situation in Toronto where it’s a reverse brain drain with the smartest people coming into the city. These are people with a lot of money, lots of high-end immigration and most people will come to the city. I’m from an immigrant family and typically they don’t say, “I want to come to the outlying areas of Toronto, they say, “I want to come to Toronto.” It’s the Canadian dream, at least in my opinion. Everybody wants to be in the heart of the city, so no matter what you do, it’s always going to be a little more expensive. That being said, there is an issue in this city with housing affordability.
Definitely, if you’re a sports fan though, I’d recommend living near Scotiabank Arena. It’s a great place and a great community. You’re conveniently located right next to Union Station and The St. Lawrence Market if you want to do some organic grocery shopping. You're close to Roundhouse Park, so if you have a dog, you can bring them there. You’re right next to the Toronto Islands, you’re right near the waterfront and it’s a lovely area.
READ: Buying In Toronto Is A Worthwhile Investment If You Can Afford It
I’ve been down near Jurassic Park right now though and it’s insanity. What they do is set up gated line-ups. You have to wait in line for wristband into Jurassic Park. I personally haven’t waited in line, but if you have, God bless you! It’s unbelievable and they’re there from early morning until the time the game starts. It’s inspiring to have such a strong sports fanbase in Toronto. It really speaks to the love we have for our sports teams here. It’s wild, it really is. I watched the last game at a bar and that’s wild enough for me.
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