I was recently shopping for a house and looked at a couple on Sydney and Durham in that area. I thought the streets/side walks there were in pretty yucky condition...trash all over the place and it just had a feel that people weren't taking a lot of pride in their block. It didn't have a welcoming feel to it. Maybe now that the weather is getting warmer things will change.
There's a woman on here (madmag?) that lives on Syndey and has some VERY negative things to say about recent activity in that area. I think the narrow streets (on Sydney & Durham) don't help the situation. I think generally speaking it's pretty safe and closer to Boyer is nicer. There have been several renovations in that area, so maybe that will help things down the road.