By the late 1950s, the Colangelos were part of an ever-expanding Italian immigrant group in Toronto. By then they had chosen to live in one of the neighbourhoods that grew rapidly in the post-Second World War period to become one of the most important Italian immigrant receiving areas—the area that has since been renamed Corso Italia.

The geographical heart of the neighbourhood was located at Dufferin Street and St. Clair Avenue. The Colangelos lived a couple of blocks to the east and north on Arlington Avenue.

Connie and her family had experienced the unpleasant effects of war-time hysteria when those of Italian origin in Canada were labelled “enemy aliens” by the government and treated with suspicion or outright hostility by Canadian society. This situation contributed to the group’s tendency to turn inward and to socialize with its own members.

Like many Italians in Toronto, Connie and her family placed a very high value on family ties, including their relations with members of their extended family. These ties were expressed, in part, through a variety of celebrations that included birthdays, christenings, and weddings. On summer weekends, families got together for day-long picnics, and, at major holidays like Christmas and Easter, they gathered for lengthy family meals.