By Biraj Jha
(Biraj is a journalist with the Focus Media Arts Centre)

St. James Town is one of the most underrated neighborhoods of Toronto, Ontario. It is home to over 25,000 residents and is one of the most multicultural neighborhoods in all of Toronto.  It lies northeast of the downtown area covering Jarvis Street to the west, Bloor Street East to the north, Parliament Street to the east, and Wellesley Street East to the south. St. James Town is like traveling the entire globe within one block.
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St. James Town has a sea of multicultural restaurants from all over the globe. There are just not enough neighborhoods in the world where you can go out and taste foods from all around the world in a matter of blocks. St. James Town is one of the areas

St. James Town has astonishing murals. In a community where there is very little green and lots of lots of buildings, murals bring color and creativity to the community. St. James Town has one of the tallest murals in the world at 200 Wellesley St. East. The mural located there is of a Phoenix rising from the ashes.  It symbolizing a 2018 fire that ravage a building in St. James Town and the strength of the residents who came together to support each other.

Graffiti culture is alive and thriving in St. James Town, as it is in many other urban areas. While Queen Street in Toronto may have a graffiti alley, we at St James Town have Graffiti Tunnel. You will find Graffiti Tunnel in Sherborne station's back exit. Graffiti tunnel serve as an artistic passageway to and from the community.

The Wellesley Community Center is a vital feature of the St. James Town neighborhood. The center serves youth in the area and is a place where young people can engage in many physical activities including weights training, dance, gymnastic, basketball and indoor soccer.  The centre also has an adjoining library that is well used by young and old alike.  

The St. James Town Community Corner, located at 200 Wellesley Street, provides a space for people to socialize, learn, unite, support, and combat loneliness. The St. James Town Community Corner is a central place to get help for housing, finance, health, and finding programs.

St. James Town is easily accessible thanks to many TTC bus stations and its proximity to the Sherbourne subway station, so there is no reason not to visit.  Afterall, you can travel the world within a block!