Rabbittown, St. John's

Rabbittown is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is near downtown St. John's, and is bounded approximately by Empire Avenue, Freshwater Road and Newtown Road. First fully developed in the years between World War I and World War II, many of the street names correspond to locations where the Newfoundland Regiment fought or was stationed during World War I. Merrymeeting Road is the primary traffic and commercial street. Though not very politically correct, the name of the neighbourhood comes from the perception during the early years of the neighbourhood that most of the inhabitants were lower-income Catholic people and that they were "breeding like rabbits".

Rabbittown exists primarily on the North ("outer") side of Merrymeeting Road, which was one of the early official boundaries of the City of St. John's. The neighbourhood is (at least temporary) home to many University students because it is within walking distance of Memorial University of Newfoundland, and contains many relatively-low-rent apartments.

Rabbittown is a generally residential area, and the name is commonly only applied to the residential streets (Many people "live in Rabbittown", but area businesses are not often thought of as being located in Rabbittown). The area's primary commercial enterprises are a grocery store (Coleman's), as well as two barber shops and several independent family-owned short-order restaurants serving local favourites (fish, chips, dressing & gravy; turkey dinner, etc.) The area also is also served by two convenience stores, a drugstore and two gas stations.

The Rabbittown Community Centre, which is located at 26 Graves Street, hosts a number of services for different age groups. There is a teen program, an afterschool program, an adults' neighborhood group. Also on-site are an Employment counselor, a CAP site and a nurse.

The Rabbittown Theatre Company (who work from a facility of the same name) is a successful small theatre company located in the area, at the corner of Merrymeeting Road and Linscott Street. The Theatre (with its Company) are the only institutions other than the community centre to formally bear the name of the neighbourhood.

The Hub, which refers to itself as "The Physically Disabled Service Centre" is on Merrymeeting Road, in the heart of the neighbourhood.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has both a strong history and a current presence in the neighbourhood, with its only St. John's church located on Aldershot Street. The original Adventist manse was at 106 Freshwater Road. That building was eventually replaced with a three-story Adventist Academy (high school) and an Adventist elementary school at 154 Freshwater. When public funding for religious schools was cut in 1997, the two schools were consolidated, and the only Adventist school in the province, St. John's Adventist Academy, is now located at the site of the old elementary school. Due to lack of funding, the school has not operated since 2003, but plans are reported to be in the works to consolidate church and school buildings and reopen the school. The old high school building is now the home of the Rabbittown Theatre Company.

treets in Rabbittown

("arranged west to east")

*Empire Avenue
*Graves Street
*Little Street
*Winchester Street
*Freshwater Road
*Liverpool Avenue
*Monchy Street
*Hamel Street
*Suez Street
*Suvla Street
*Cairo Street
*Salisbury Street
*Malta Street
*Aldershot Street
*Goodridge Street
*Rankin Street
*Hennebury Place
*Calver Avenue
*Merrymeeting Road
*Edinburgh Street
*McNeil Street
*Summer Street
*Newtown Road
*Linscott Street
*Blatch Avenue
*Avalon Street
*Howley Avenue
*Howley Avenue Extension
*Calver Street
*Scott Street
*St. George's Court
*Cook Street
*Feild Street
*Spencer Street

External links

* [http://www.rabbittown.ca/ Rabbittown Community Centre]
* [http://www.therabbittown.blogspot.com/ Rabbittown Theatre]