There are many, many things that make Rosedale an attractive place to call ‘home,’ but I have to think that Rosedale Park is near the top of the list.

Imagine having this incredible escape only steps from your front door, and nobody to get in your way…

As luck would have it, as soon as I clicked “STOP” on my camera, a lady walking a dog approached me and asked what I was filming.

I told her, “A real, live version of Criminal Minds, if you know what I mean.”

No, I didn’t say that.  I immediately told her I worked as a Realtor for Bosley Real Estate and that I was filming a piece on Rosedale Park for a client.  Then, I hoped she would not copy down my license plate number and call the police as I drove away.

Hey – it’s an exclusive area!  Whaddya want from these people?  They can smell an ousider a mile away! 🙂

Every time I drive through Rosedale, and around Edgar Avenue, I marvel at this park.

There are a lot of things that make Rosedale an exceptional neighbourhood – the proximity to downtown, the history and character of the area and houses, the castle-like homes, the giant parcels of land, and of course – Rosedale Park.

Baseball, soccer, hockey, tennis – this park has it all covered, all in different areas, none of which interfere with one-another.

Add in a giant play-area for kids, a splash-pad and water fountain, and enough from for all the tai-chi and female boot camp that you can handle, and I don’t know if there’s another park like this one that is as exclusive for its residents.

And that’s what I’m trying to distinguish here – the area is truly exclusive.

Many, if not most parks in our city are essentially open for anybody, and people show up from all corners of the city.  But Rosedale Park is so exclusive that it’s unique.  It’s really only used by the residents of the area, and as a result, it’s never busy.

Now you might argue that this isn’t a good thing, and this is snobby, elitist, and that “exclusive” means “excluding,” but if YOU lived in the area, you’d change your tune.

People pay big money to live in Rosedale, and this is one of the reasons why.  Just as very few people drive the roads if they don’t live there (the roads don’t really go anywhere, as the area essentially gates itself), very few people frequent Rosedale Park if they don’t have a Rosedale address.

Well, come to think of it, my friends and I used to play hockey there in our late-teen years, and my 1986 Buick Electra station wagon stuck out like a sore-thumb so kids knew we were outsiders, but I digress, and at this point, allow for discussion…