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==History==
==History==
{{Main|History of Markham, Ontario}}
{{Main|History of Markham, Ontario}}
Markham was first surveyed as a [[township (Canada)|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, Ontario|German Mills]].<ref>For a complete history, cf. Isabel Champion, ed., ''[http://www.ourroots.ca/toc.aspx?id=12398&amp;qryID=e75521c2-aba3-47a9-a263-e19a495bd7c8 Markham: 1793-1900]'' (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979).</ref> Each family was granted {{convert|200|acre|km2}} of land; however due lack to roads in the region many opted to settle in [[York, Upper Canada|York]] (now Toronto) and [[Regional Municipality of Niagara|Niagara]]. German Mills later became a [[ghost town]]. Between 1803 to 1812, another attempt at settling in the region was made. The largest group of settlers were [[Pennsylvania Dutch]], most of whom were [[Mennonite]]s. These highly skilled craftsmen and knowledgeable farmers were able to settle the region and founded Reesorville, named after the Mennonite settler Joseph Reesor.<ref>See I. Champion, ''[http://www.ourroots.ca/page.aspx?id=4109311&amp;qryID=452c21d6-b399-42e9-b82b-f550010c41f3 Markham: 1793-1900]'' (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), p. 248; also [http://www.markham.ca/mpl/subjguides/HotTopics/Heritage_Week.asp Markham Village - A Brief History 1800-1919], Markham Public Library (website).</ref> In 1825, Reesorville was renamed to Markham having taken the name of the unincorporated [[village]] (see [[Markham Village, Ontario]]). By 1830, a large influx of [[Irish people|Irish]], [[Scottish people|Scottish]] and [[English people|English]] families began immigrating to [[Upper Canada]], many settling in Markham.<ref>For a complete history of Markham's early years, cf. Isabel Champion, ed., [http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.aspx?id=12398 Markham: 1793-1900] (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979).</ref> 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 [[gristmill]]s 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. In 1842 the township population was 5,698; {{convert|29,005|acre|km2}} were under cultivation (second highest in the province), and the township had eleven gristmills and twenty-four sawmills.<ref>[http://www.archive.org/stream/smithscanadianga00smit#page/110/mode/2up Markham], ''Canadian Gazatteer'' (Toronto: Roswell, 1849), 111.</ref> By 1850, the first form of structured municipal government formed in Markham.<ref>Cf. C.P. Mulvany, et al, [http://www.archive.org/stream/historyoftoronto01mulvuoft#page/114/mode/2up The Township of Markham], ''History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario'' (Toronto: C.B. Robinson, 1885), 114ff.</ref> By 1857, most of the township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like [[Thornhill, Ontario|Thornhill]], [[Unionville, Ontario|Unionville]], and Markham greatly expanded.<ref>Cf. the detailed 1878 map, [http://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/images/maps/townshipmaps/yor-m-markham.jpg Township of Markham], ''Illustrated historical atlas of the county of York and the township of West Gwillimbury & town of Bradford in the county of Simcoe, Ont.'' (Toronto : Miles & Co., 1878).</ref> In 1851 Markham Village "was a considerable village, containing between eight and nine hundred inhabitants, pleasantly situated on the Rouge River. It contains two grist mills ... a woollen factory, oatmeal mill, barley mill, and distillery, foundry, two tanneries, brewery, etc., a temperance hall and four churches... ."<ref>C.P. Mulvany, et al., "[http://www.archive.org/stream/historyoftoronto01mulvuoft#page/198/mode/2up The Village of Markham]," ''History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario'' (Toronto: C.B. Robinson, 1885), p. 198.</ref> In 1871, with a township population of 8,152,<ref>C.P. Mulvany, et al., "[http://www.archive.org/stream/historyoftoronto01mulvuoft#page/120/mode/2up The Township of Markham]," ''History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario'' (Toronto: C.B. Robinson, 1885), p. 121.</ref> the [[Toronto and Nipissing Railway]] built the first rail line to Markham Village and Unionville, which is still used today by the [[GO Transit]] commuter services. In 1972, Markham was incorporated as a town in its population skyrocketted 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 [[arable land|farmland]] has now disappeared, but is still found north of [[York Regional Road 25|Major MacKenzie Drive]]. Controversy over the development of the environmentally sensitive [[Oak Ridges Moraine]] will likely curb development north of Major MacKenzie Drive. As of 2006, Markham comprises six major communities, which include [[Buttonville, Ontario|Buttonville]], [[Cornell, Ontario|Cornell]], Markham Village, [[Milliken, Ontario|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. [[Broadcom]] Canada, ATI Technologies (now known as AMD Graphics Product Group), [[IBM Canada Head Office Building|IBM Canada]], Apple Computer Canada, [[Motorola Canada head office|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontarioplaques.com/Plaques_VWZ/Plaque_York11.html |title=Ontario Plaque |publisher=Ontarioplaques.com |date=2009-09-22 |accessdate=2011-03-10}}</ref>
RUN BY NABEEL !!!!!!!


==Geography==
==Geography==

Revision as of 18:45, 21 January 2012

Town of Markham
Markham Civic Centre
Markham Civic Centre
Coat of arms of Town of Markham
Coat of arms
Official logo of Town of Markham
Motto: 
Leading While Remembering
Map showing Markham's location in York Region
Map showing Markham's location in York Region
Country Canada
Province Ontario
Regional MunicipalityYork Region
Communities
List of subdivisions
Settled1794
Incorporated1972 (town)
Government
 • MayorFrank Scarpitti
 • Deputy MayorJack Heath
 • Regional CouncillorsJim Jones, Joe Li, Gordon Landon
 • MPs
List of MPs
 • MPPs
List of MPPs
Area
 • Total212.47 km2 (82.04 sq mi)
Elevation
200 m (700 ft)
Population
 (2006)[1]
 • Total261,573 (Ranked 16th)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s)905, 289
ISO 3166-2CA-ON
Websitewww.markham.ca

Markham (/[invalid input: 'icon']ˈmɑːrkəm/ Mark-Am) is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census.[1] The town is the fourth largest community within Greater Toronto after Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton.

The town gained its name from the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, John Graves Simcoe, who named the area after his friend, William Markham, the Archbishop of York at the time. The first European settlement in Markham occurred when William Berczy, a German artist and developer led a group of approximately sixty-four German families to North America. While initially planning to settle in New York, disputes over finances and land tenure there would eventually lead to Berczy to negotiate with Simcoe for 64,000 acres (260 km2) in Markham Township.[2] Throughout much of Markham's history, the community has been described as an agricultural community. A turn towards a more urbanized community within the township began after World War II when the township had began to feel the effects of urban encroachment from Toronto. The completion of Highway 404 during the mid 1970s further accelerated urban development in Markham.[2]

While historically the town was mainly an agricultural community, Markham today is mainly driven by its tertiary industry. Business services is currently the number one employer in Markham with nearly 22% of its labour force employed in it.[3] The town also currently has over 800 technology and life sciences companies, with IBM being the town's largest employer.[4][5] A number of multinational companies also have their Canadian headquarters located in Markham including Advanced Micro Devices, American Express, Johnson & Johnson, Apple Inc., Avaya, IBM, Motorola and Toshiba.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

History

Main article: History of Markham, Ontario

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.[13] Each family was granted 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land; however due lack to roads in the region many opted to settle in York (now Toronto) and Niagara. German Mills later became a ghost town. Between 1803 to 1812, another attempt at settling in the region was made. The largest group of settlers were Pennsylvania Dutch, most of whom were Mennonites. These highly skilled craftsmen and knowledgeable farmers were able to settle the region and founded Reesorville, named after the Mennonite settler Joseph Reesor.[14] In 1825, Reesorville was renamed to Markham having taken the name of the unincorporated village (see Markham Village, Ontario). By 1830, a large influx of Irish, Scottish and English families began immigrating to Upper Canada, many settling in Markham.[15] 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. In 1842 the township population was 5,698; 29,005 acres (117.38 km2) were under cultivation (second highest in the province), and the township had eleven gristmills and twenty-four sawmills.[16] By 1850, the first form of structured municipal government formed in Markham.[17] By 1857, most of the township had been cleared of timber and was under cultivation. Villages like Thornhill, Unionville, and Markham greatly expanded.[18] In 1851 Markham Village "was a considerable village, containing between eight and nine hundred inhabitants, pleasantly situated on the Rouge River. It contains two grist mills ... a woollen factory, oatmeal mill, barley mill, and distillery, foundry, two tanneries, brewery, etc., a temperance hall and four churches... ."[19] In 1871, with a township population of 8,152,[20] the Toronto and Nipissing Railway built the first rail line to Markham Village and Unionville, which is still used today by the GO Transit commuter services. In 1972, Markham was incorporated as a town in its population skyrocketted 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. As of 2006, 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. Broadcom Canada, ATI Technologies (now known as AMD Graphics Product Group), 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.[21]

Geography

Markham covers an area of 212.47 km2 (82.04 sq mi) and Markham's Town Centre is at 43°53′N 79°15′W / 43.883°N 79.250°W / 43.883; -79.250. It is bounded by 5 municipalities; in the west is Vaughan with the boundary along Yonge Street between Steeles Avenue and Highway 7 and Richmond Hill with the boundary along Highway 7 from Yonge Street to Highway 404 and at Highway 404 from Highway 7 to 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road. In the south, it borders Toronto with the boundary along Steeles Avenue. In the North is borders Whitchurch–Stouffville with the boundary from Highway 404 to York-Durham Line between 19th Avenue and Stouffville Road. In the East it borders Pickering along the York-Durham Line.

Topography

Markham's average altitude is at 200 m (660 ft) and in general consists of gently rolling hills. The town is intersected by two rivers; the Don River and Rouge River, as well as their tributaries. To the north is the Oak Ridges Moraine, which further elevates the elevation towards the north.

Climate

Due to Markham bordering Toronto, Markham shares the same climate as Toronto. On an average day, Markham is generally 1 to 2 °C (1.8 to 3.6 °F) cooler than in downtown Toronto

Climate data for Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.6
(56.5) 		14.9
(58.8) 		26
(79) 		31.7
(89.1) 		33.5
(92.3) 		36.6
(97.9) 		37.2
(99.0) 		37.8
(100.0) 		32.8
(91.0) 		27.1
(80.8) 		22.1
(71.8) 		18
(64) 		37.8
(100.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −1.4
(29.5) 		−0.9
(30.4) 		4.4
(39.9) 		11.6
(52.9) 		19.3
(66.7) 		24.5
(76.1) 		26.9
(80.4) 		25.6
(78.1) 		20.8
(69.4) 		14
(57) 		6.5
(43.7) 		0.8
(33.4) 		12.7
(54.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) −5.9
(21.4) 		−5.8
(21.6) 		−0.5
(31.1) 		6.2
(43.2) 		13.1
(55.6) 		18.4
(65.1) 		20.9
(69.6) 		19.7
(67.5) 		15
(59) 		8.5
(47.3) 		2.5
(36.5) 		−3.3
(26.1) 		7.4
(45.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −10.3
(13.5) 		−10.6
(12.9) 		−5.5
(22.1) 		0.9
(33.6) 		6.8
(44.2) 		12.2
(54.0) 		14.9
(58.8) 		13.7
(56.7) 		9.2
(48.6) 		3
(37) 		−1.6
(29.1) 		−7.3
(18.9) 		2.1
(35.8)
Record low °C (°F) −35.2
(−31.4) 		−25.7
(−14.3) 		−22
(−8) 		−10.1
(13.8) 		−2.1
(28.2) 		1.9
(35.4) 		6.9
(44.4) 		4.2
(39.6) 		−2
(28) 		−7.4
(18.7) 		−20.9
(−5.6) 		−25.3
(−13.5) 		−35.2
(−31.4)
Record low wind chill −42.6 −37.4 −33.5 −18.6 −5.1 0.2 6 2.2 −4.2 −8.8 −23.9 −36.6 −42.6
Average precipitation mm (inches) 66
(2.6) 		46
(1.8) 		54
(2.1) 		74
(2.9) 		77
(3.0) 		79
(3.1) 		82
(3.2) 		85
(3.3) 		85
(3.3) 		68
(2.7) 		79
(3.1) 		63
(2.5) 		858
(33.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 29
(1.1) 		22
(0.9) 		31
(1.2) 		68
(2.7) 		77
(3.0) 		79
(3.1) 		82
(3.2) 		85
(3.3) 		85
(3.3) 		66
(2.6) 		66
(2.6) 		30
(1.2) 		720
(28.2)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 40
(16) 		26
(10) 		22
(8.7) 		6
(2.4) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		1
(0.4) 		13
(5.1) 		35
(14) 		143
(56.6)
Average precipitation days 16 13 12 13 12 11 11 10 12 13 15 13 151
Average rainy days 6 4 7 11 12 11 11 10 12 11 13 6 114
Average snowy days 13 10 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 9 48
Source: The Weather Network[22]

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) and/or each with a distinctive character:

Thornhill and Unionville are popularly seen as being separate communities. Thornhill actually straddles the Markham-Vaughan town line (portions of it in both municipalities).

Demographics

According to the 2006 Canadian Census Markham had 261,573 residents. This represents a 23% increase since the 2001 Census. The median household income was $79,924 with an average house value of $440,755 compared to an average of $297,479 throughout Ontario. Markham is among the most affluent municipalities in Canada.

According to Statistics Canada 2006 Census data, Markham ranks 8 among 13 Greater Toronto Area municipalities based on median household income. The ranking is:

1. Oakville $92,394

2. Vaughan $86,616

3. Milton $86,604

4. Pickering $84,595

5. Whitby $84,219

6. Ajax $81,940

7. Uxbridge $80,455

8. Markham $79,924

9. Richmond Hill $78,976

10. Burlington $74,969

11. Brampton $72,402

12. Mississauga $71,393

13. Oshawa $61,514


Census Population
1871 1,000
1901 967
1911 909
1921 1,012
1931 1,008
1941 1,204
1951 1,606
1961 4,294
1971 36,684
1981 77,037
1991 153,811
2001 208,615
2006 261,573
Ethnic Origin[24] Population
Chinese 63,890
Canadian 29,385
English 27,110
East Indian 19,415
Scottish 16,805
Irish 15,055
Italian 11,830
Jewish 10,105
German 7,780
French 6,345

46.1% of residents stated their religion as Christian, almost evenly split between Roman Catholics and Protestants. Non-Christian religions include Islam: 5.3%, Judaism: 5.3%, Hinduism: 5.7%, Buddhism: 3.4%, Sikhism: 1.1%, and 23% indicated no religion.

Government

See also: List of mayors of Markham, Ontario

Town Council

Markham Town Council consists of Frank Scarpitti as mayor, four regional councillors and eight ward councillors each representing one of the town's eight wards. Scarpitti replaced Don Cousens, who was a former Progressive Conservative MPP for Markham and a Presbyterian church minister. The mayor and four regional councillors are elected by the community to represent the Town of Markham at the regional level. Councillors are paid by the municipality for their services, but in many municipalities, members of council usually serve part-time and work at other jobs as well. The current members of council were elected by the residents to a four-year term of office, in accordance with standards set by the province. The selection of members for the offices of mayor and regional councillors are made town-wide, while ward councillors are elected by individual ward.

Markham Civic Centre

The town council is located at the Markham Civic Centre at the intersection of York Regional Road 7 and Warden Avenue. The site of the previous offices on Woodbine Avenue has been redeveloped for commercial uses. The historic town hall on Main Street is now a restored office building. The Mayor's Youth Task Force was created to discuss issues facing young people in the town and to plan and publicize events. Its primary purpose is to encourage youth participation within the community.

By-Laws

The town is permitted to create and enforce by-laws upon residents on various matters affecting the town. The by-laws are generally enforced by Town By-Law enforcement officers, but they may involve York Regional Police if violations are deemed too dangerous for the officers to handle. In addition the by-laws can be linked to various provincial acts and enforced by the town. Violation of by-laws is subject to fines of up to $20,000 CAD. The by-laws of Markham include:

Toogood Pond
  • Animal Control (see Dog Owners' Liability Act of Ontario)
  • Construction Permits
  • Driveway Extensions
  • Fencing and Swimming Pools
  • Heritage Conservation (see Ontario Heritage Act)
  • Home-Based Businesses
  • Noise
  • Parking
  • Property Standards
  • Registration of Basement Apartments and Second Suites
  • Sewers
  • Site Alteration
  • Waste Collection
  • Water Use

Town services

Police

There are no courts in Markham, but the town is served by an Ontario Court of Justice in Newmarket, as well as an Ontario Small Claims court in Richmond Hill. The Ontario Court of Appeal is located in Toronto, while the Supreme Court of Canada is located in Ottawa. Policing is provided by York Regional Police at a station (5 District) at the corner of McCowan Road and Carlton Road and Highway 7. Highway 404, Highway 407 and parts of Highway 48 are patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police. Toronto Police Service is responsible for patrol on Steeles from Yonge Street to the York - Durham Line.

Fire

Markham Fire and Emergency Services was established in 1970 as Markham Fire Department and replaced various local volunteer fire units. There are 8 fire stations currently serving Markham. Soon to be 9. Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport is also served by Markham's Fire service.

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 Hospital Birchmount Campus in Toronto/Scarborough.

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]

Seneca College's Markham Campus

Post-secondary

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.

Economy

In the 19th century, Markham was a vibrant, independent community with distilleries and breweries around the Highway 7 and 48 intersection. The Thomas Speight Wagon Works exported products around the world, and it was said that Markham was more active than York (former name for Toronto) was early on.

Today, it claims to be "Canada's Hi-Tech Capital" with a number of key companies in the area, such as IBM, Motorola, Toshiba, Lucent, Honeywell, Apple, Genesis Microchip, and is home to the head office of graphics card producer ATI (recently merged with AMD).

Markham also maintains economic and cultural cooperation agreements with the city of Laval, Quebec, which is the second largest city in the Greater Montreal area.

Parks

Further information: List of parks in Markham, Ontario
Circular pathway along Berczy Park.

Culture

Until the 1970s, Markham was mostly farmland and marsh, which is still reflected in events like the Markham Fair. Markham has several theatres, including the critically acclaimed Markham Little Theatre.[citation needed] and the Markham Youth Theatre.

The Markham Public Library system has 6 branches, with over 600,000 items in its collections.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Markham, Ontario

Town issues

Like most cities and towns in the Greater Toronto Area, Markham has a few issues it must deal with:

Urban growth

There is a desire by the Town to control urban sprawl by requesting higher density for new development. The town plan calls for more growth along Highway 7 and less towards the farmland to the north. A similar development in Cornell promotes the need for services to be closer to residences.

Transit plan

Linked to the concern of urban growth, Markham through York Region Transit (YRT) has implemented a transit system called Viva to ease the strain on the region's congested roads. Viva is similar to YRT but is used as an express bus service with the ability to change traffic signals to help reduce delays. The YRT is also planning to build a transit terminal somewhere near Cornell soon.

Attractions

Markham has retained its historic past in part of the town. Here a just few places of interest:

Heritage streets preserve the old town feeling:

There are still farms operating in the northern reaches of the town, but there are a few 'theme' farms in other parts of Markham:

Markham's heritage railway stations are either an active station or converted to other uses:

Performing arts

Markham Theatre For Performing Arts

Markham is home to several locally-oriented performing arts groups:

  • Kindred Spirits Orchestra
  • Markham Little Theatre
  • Markham Youth Theatre
  • Unionville Theatre Company
  • Markham Concert Band

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:

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.[citation needed] 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

Local media

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Markham, Ontario

Roads

Main articles: List of municipal roads in Markham, Ontario and List of regional roads in York Region, Ontario

Major highways passing through Markham include Highway 404 (from Toronto to Newmarket) and Highway 407, a toll highway that passes north of Toronto and connects Markham with Vaughan, Brampton and Burlington.

Highway 407 runs parallel to Highway 7, also known as York Road 7, which is a major east-west artery suffering from congestion due to development along its route. Other major east-west routes include 16th Avenue, Major MacKenzie Drive, and Steeles Avenue which forms Markham's southern boundary with Toronto.

Rail

Public transit

A VIVA bus in Markham

York Region Transit (YRT) connects Markham with surrounding municipalities in York Region, and was created in 2001 from the merger of Markham Transit, Richmond Hill Transit, Newmarket Transit and Vaughan Transit. YRT to connects to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) subway system by way of Viva bus rapid transit from Finch station along Yonge Street, and Don Mills station through Unionville and on to Markville Mall.

The TTC also provides service in Markham on several north-south routes, such as Don Mills Road, Warden Avenue, Birchmount Road, McCowan Road and Markham Road. These routes charge riders a double fare if they are travelling across the Steeles border and most Markham residents choose to travel by car instead of public transportation.

GO Transit provides train service on the old trackbed of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway, which connects Markham with downtown Toronto on the Stouffville commuter rail service. The line has stops at several stations in Markham, namely Unionville GO Station, Centennial GO Station, Markham GO Station, and Mount Joy GO Station. The Richmond Hill commuter rail line provides service to the Langstaff GO Station, which straddles Markham and Richmond Hill but is used primarily by residents of west-central Markham and southern Richmond Hill.

Air

Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport, Canada's 11th busiest airport (Ontario's 4th busiest),[26] caters to general aviation and business commuter traffic to Ottawa and Montreal. Operators at Buttonville include:

Notable residents, past and present

Actors/Actresses

Athletes

Musicians

Sister cities

References and footnotes

  1. ^ a b "Markham". 2006 Community Profiles. Statistics Canada. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b "A History of The Town of Markham". Town of Markham. The Corporation of the Town of Markham. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  3. ^ "Labour Force Profile" (PDF). Economic Profile Year End 2010. Town of Markham Economic Development Department. 2010. p. 10. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Why is Markham Canadaès High-Tech Capital?". Town of Markham. The Corporation of the Town of Markham. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Top 10 Employers in Markham" (PDF). Town of Markham. April 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  6. ^ "AMD Locations". AMD. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  7. ^ "Career Opportunities". About American Express. American Express. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  8. ^ "Contacting Apple". Apple Inc. Apple Inc. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  9. ^ "Connect with Avaya". Avaya. Avaya Inc. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  10. ^ "IBM: Helping Canada and the World Work Better". About IBM. IBM. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  11. ^ "Office Locations". About Us. Motorola Solutions, Inc. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  12. ^ "Contact Us". Support. Toshiba Canada. 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  13. ^ For a complete history, cf. Isabel Champion, ed., Markham: 1793-1900 (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979).
  14. ^ See I. Champion, Markham: 1793-1900 (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), p. 248; also Markham Village - A Brief History 1800-1919, Markham Public Library (website).
  15. ^ For a complete history of Markham's early years, cf. Isabel Champion, ed., Markham: 1793-1900 (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979).
  16. ^ Markham, Canadian Gazatteer (Toronto: Roswell, 1849), 111.
  17. ^ Cf. C.P. Mulvany, et al, The Township of Markham, History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario (Toronto: C.B. Robinson, 1885), 114ff.
  18. ^ Cf. the detailed 1878 map, Township of Markham, Illustrated historical atlas of the county of York and the township of West Gwillimbury & town of Bradford in the county of Simcoe, Ont. (Toronto : Miles & Co., 1878).
  19. ^ C.P. Mulvany, et al., "The Village of Markham," History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario (Toronto: C.B. Robinson, 1885), p. 198.
  20. ^ C.P. Mulvany, et al., "The Township of Markham," History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario (Toronto: C.B. Robinson, 1885), p. 121.
  21. ^ "Ontario Plaque". Ontarioplaques.com. 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  22. ^ "Statistics: Markham, ON". The Weather Network. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  23. ^ Cf. Isabel Champion, ed., Markham: 1793-1900 (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), pp. 225; 121f.; 148; 227; 338. See also articles on Almira from the Stouffville Tribune.
  24. ^ "Selected Ethnic Origins, for Census Subdivisions (Municipalities) With 5,000-plus Population - 20% Sample Data". 2.statcan.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  25. ^ TLM The Local Magazine
  26. ^ "Total aircraft movements by class of operation — NAV CANADA towers". Statcan.gc.ca. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  27. ^ Toronto Airways Limited
  28. ^ Seneca College
  29. ^ "Buttonville Flying Club". Buttonville Flying Club. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  30. ^ "Leggat Aviation". Leggat Aviation. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  31. ^ Sister Cities International
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