Wasifa Noshin

This neighbourhood has always been special to me because it feels like an extension of home—a home away from home. Cedar Ridge has always felt like a quiet escape from the city, offering relief from its crowdedness and the feelings of loneliness that often accompany urban life.

Some of my favourite memories tied to Cedar Ridge include attending many art exhibits, such as the Annual Juried Exhibition hosted by Scarborough Arts. I also love visiting this place during the summer, sitting near the gazebo in the park and painting watercolour landscapes of the surrounding scenery. Last summer, the Guild Festival Theatre organized tours of Scarborough and one of the stops was Cedar Ridge. The event featured a live musician and even a baby fawn made a guest appearance.

The community around this area is incredibly diverse and peaceful, as I’ve discovered through my interactions with neighbours. Scarborough, in general, fosters a strong sense of community—a rare quality to find elsewhere in the city.

Since moving to Scarborough four years ago, I’ve noticed many new developments, particularly townhouses and condos. I’ve enjoyed seeing new families and fresh faces moving into my neighbourhood and Scarborough as a whole. However, I do miss the natural scenery that is gradually disappearing as Scarborough becomes more gentrified and commercialized.

I often hear stories about what life was like before amalgamation and they make me yearn for those simpler days—days that seemed less complex than life now. My hopes and aspirations for Scarborough’s future include greater investment in its youth. As someone who works with young people, I envision a future where youth lead the way forward, creating a world where we coexist with differing identities and beliefs rather than being divided by extremities.

I’ve always viewed my move to Scarborough as a type of “migration” to a place that felt more like home within five minutes than another place did over 14 years. Growing up, the image of Scarborough painted for me was very different from what I experienced firsthand. People in Scarborough remember your stories—of pain, struggle, triumph and victory—and it’s a privilege to hear others’ stories that shape who they are.

Scarborough is a place filled with grit, community, purpose and pride. It’s where I’ve felt seen and understood—a place where I can unapologetically be myself and represent it proudly outside of Scarborough.

I feel immensely lucky to call Scarborough my home—my future—the place where I get to create and tell stories by Scarborough, for Scarborough and with Scarborough.