Markham (pronounced /ˈmɑrkəm/ Mark-Am) is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located in the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. Markham is the largest town in Canada, and one of its fastest growing municipalities, having doubled its population since 1990.[2] The population of Markham according to the Canada 2006 Census is 261,573. Within the Greater Toronto Area, Markham is the fourth-most populous municipality after Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton. Markham is home to many high-tech companies, and is also home to the Canadian head offices of various high-tech companies such as Avaya, IBM, Motorola, Toshiba, Lucent, Sun Microsystems, Apple, AMEX and ATI, which is now part of AMD.
REAL ESTATE in the North Toronto Community of Markham
Markham real estate is composed of a variety of housing types, including freehold townhomes, condominiums townhouses and apartments, as well as link homes, semis, detached houses and luxury homes. For a list of properties currently available in the North Toronto community of Markham, click here
History
Markham was first surveyed as a township in 1793 by William Berczy, who in 1794 led 75 German families from Upstate New York to an area of Markham now known as German Mills. Each family was granted 200 acres (0.8 km²) of land, however due to hardships, many opted to return to York (now Toronto) and Niagara. The area was remote and the lack of roads through the region made travel difficult. German Mills soon became a ghost town. Between 1803 to 1812, another attempt at settling in the region was made. The largest group of settlers were Pennsylvania Germans, most of whom were Mennonites. These highly skilled craftsmen and knowledgeable farmers had the best chance for survival because they had already survived harsh conditions in Pennsylvania. The hamlet that would become Markham Village was originally known as Reesorville, named after the Mennonite settler Joseph Reesor.[3] By 1825 the village had taken the name of its township—Markham. By 1830, many Irish, Scottish and English families immigrated to Upper Canada, many settling in Markham.[4]
Markham's early years blended the rigours of homesteading with the development of agriculture-based industries. The many rivers and streams in the Township soon supported water-powered saw and gristmills and later wooden mills. With improved transportation routes, such as the construction of Yonge Street in the 1800s, along with the growing population, urbanization increased. By 1857, most of the Township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like Thornhill, Unionville, and Markham greatly expanded.[5] In 1871, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway company built the first rail line to Markham, which is still used today by the GO Train commuter services. The first form of structured municipal government occurred in 1850 when the Township of Markham was created.[6]
When Markham was incorporated as a town in 1972, its population quickly grew due to urban sprawl from Toronto. In 1976, Markham's population was approximately 56,000. Since that time, the population has more than quintupled with explosive growth in new subdivisions. Much of Markham's farmland has now disappeared, but is still found north of Major MacKenzie Drive. Controversy over the development of the environmentally sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine will likely curb development north of Major MacKenzie Drive.
At present, Markham comprises six major communities, which include Buttonville, Cornell, Markham Village, Milliken, Thornhill, and Unionville. Since the 1980s, the town has been recognized as a suburb of Toronto. Many high-tech companies have head offices located in Markham for the relative abundance of land, low tax rates and good transportation routes. ATI Technologies (now known as AMD), IBM Canada, Apple Computer Canada, Motorola Canada and many other well-known companies have chosen Markham as their home in Canada. Hence, the town has been branding itself as Canada's "High-Tech Capital".
An Ontario Historical Plaque was erected in front of the Markham Museum by the province to commemorate the founding of Markham's role in Ontario's heritage.[7]
Hospitals
The main healthcare facility in the town is Markham Stouffville Hospital, located in the far eastern end. Markham is also home to Shouldice Hospital, one of the world's premier facilities for people suffering from hernias. For those living near Steeles, they sometimes will be able to receive treatment at the Scarborough General Hospital Birchmount Campus in Toronto/Scarborough.
Neighbourhoods and communities
Markham is made up of many original 19th century communities (many of which, despite being technically suburban districts today, are still signed with official 'entering community' signs on major roads) each with a distinctive character:
- Almira
- Angus Glen
- Armadale
- Berczy Village
- Box Grove
- Buttonville
- Cachet
- Cashel
- Cedar Grove
- Cornell
- Crosby
- Downtown Markham
- Dickson's Hill
- German Mills
- Greensborough
- Hagermans Corners
- Legacy
- Locust Hill
- Markham Village
- Milliken Mills
- Mongolia
- Mount Joy
- Quantztown
- Raymerville - Markville East
- Rouge Fairways
- Sherwood - Amber Glen
- Thornhill
- Unionville
- Victoria Square
- Vinegar Hill
- Wismer Commons
Thornhill and Unionville are popularly seen as being separate communities. Thornhill actually straddles the Markham-Vaughan town line (portions of it in both municipalities).
Education
High schools
Markham has a number of both public and catholic high schools. All have consistent high scores on standardized exams and have some of the highest rate of graduates attending universities.[citation needed]
- Public Schools
- Bill Crothers Secondary School
- Bur Oak Secondary School
- Markham District High School
- Markville Secondary School
- Middlefield Collegiate Institute
- Milliken Mills High School
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School
- Thornhill Secondary School,
- Thornlea Secondary School
- Unionville High School
- Catholic Schools
- Brother André Catholic High School
- St. Augustine Catholic High School
- St. Robert Catholic High School
- Father Michael McGivney Catholic Academy
[edit] Post-secondary
Seneca College's Markham Campus
Markham currently does not have any universities itself, but Seneca College has campuses at Highways 7 and 404 and at Buttonville Airport. Most high school graduates continue to post-secondary education in universities across Ontario. There are local transit services that connect to various post-secondary institutions in the Greater Toronto Area.
Attractions
Markham has retained its historic past in part of the town. Here a just few places of interest:
- Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery
- Heintzman House - Home of Colonel George Crookshank, Sam Francis and Charles Heintzman of Heintzman & Co., the piano manufacturer.
- Markham Museum
- Markham Village
- Markham Heritage Estates - a unique, specially designed heritage subdivision owned by the Town of Markham
- Reesor Farm Market
- Cathedral of the Transfiguration
- Thornhill village
Heritage streets preserve the old town feeling:
- Main Street Markham (Markham Road/ Highway 48)
- Main Street Unionville (Kennedy Road)/ Highway 7
There are still farms operating in the northern reaches of the town, but there are a few 'theme' farms in other parts of Markham:
- Devonshire Stables & Country Bumpkins Pony Farm
- Galten Farms
- Whittamore's Farm
- Forsythe Family Farms
- Adventure Valley
- Markham GO Station - built in 1871 by Toronto and Nipissing Railway and restored in 2000
- Locust Hill Station - built in 1936 and re-located to the grounds of the Markham Museum
- Unionville Station - built in 1871 by the Toronto and Nipissing Railway and restored as a community centre
Performing arts
Markham Theatre For Performing Arts
Markham is home to several locally-oriented performing arts groups:
- Markham Little Theatre
- Markham Youth Theatre
- Unionville Theatre Company
- Markham Concert Band
- York Symphony Orchestra
A key arts venue is the 'Markham Theatre For Performing Arts', at the Markham Civic Centre located at Highway 7 and Warden Avenue.
Annual events
Events taking place annually include the Taste of Asia Festival,Tony Roman Memorial Hockey Tournament, Markham Youth Week, Unionville Festival, Markham Village Music Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, Milliken Mills Children's Festival, Markham Ribfest & Music Festival, Thornhill Village Festival, Markham Fair, Olde Tyme Christmas Unionville, Markham Santa Claus Parade and Markham Festival of Lights.
Shopping
Markham is home to several large malls of 100+ stores. These include:
- Market Village (170 stores)
- Markville Shopping Centre (250 stores)
- Pacific Mall (450 mini-shops)
There are also a lot of higher-profile malls in nearby Toronto, and elsewhere in York Region. Many shopping centres in Markham are also Asian-oriented. This is a reflection of the large Asian, particularly Chinese Canadian, population found in Markham. They carry a wide variety of traditional Chinese products, apparel, and foods.
On Highway 7, between Woodbine and Warden Avenues, is First Markham Place, containing numerous shops and restaurants; this is several kilometres east of Richmond Hill's Chinese malls. Further east along Highway 7 is an older plaza is at the southwest quadrant with the intersection with Kennedy Road.
Pacific Mall is the most well-known Chinese mall in Markham, located at Kennedy Road and Steeles Avenue East, which, combined with neighbouring Market Village Mall and Splendid China Tower, forms the second largest Chinese shopping area in North America, after the Golden Village in Richmond, British Columbia. In close proximity, at Steeles East and Warden Avenue, there is the New Century Plaza mall and a half-block away there is a plaza of Chinese shops anchored by a T & T Supermarket.
There are also some smaller shopping centres in Markham, such as:
- Metro Square
- Peachtree Centre
- New Kennedy Square
- The Shops on Steeles and 404
- Thornhill Square
