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available include a fitness centre, a pool for lap and family swimming, and a public library. Aurora and Richmond Hill also have facilites, both private and public, easily accessible to King City residents.
available include a fitness centre, a pool for lap and family swimming, and a public library. Aurora and Richmond Hill also have facilites, both private and public, easily accessible to King City residents.


===Organizations and clubs===
<!-- Note: this section should be moved into its own page, with other King Township organizations. -->


* '''[[King Township Public Library]]''' King City Branch offers reading programs for kids, maintains a 3-month community papers archive, and is home to the Township of King Archive Collections.
* '''[[King Township Historical Society]]''' seeks to archive and preserve information about the township's past and culture.
* '''King City Preserve the Village''' is an organization that was founded to fight the ''Big Pipe'' link to the Durham-York Sewer System, and urban sprawl in King Township.
* The '''[[Maple Leaf Cricket Club]]''' was established in 1954 [http://www.cricketstar.net/tdca/index.jsp?page_id=MAPLE_LEAF], and operates a turf wicket cricket facility. It aspires to be the future home of the Canadian Cricket Academy.
* '''Hospice King-Aurora''' (previously ''Hospice King'') is a non-profit charity which provides non-medical palliative care for individuals (and their families) with a life-threating illness. Other services include bereavement support programs, and other counselling with a registered social worker. It was established in 1983, and is a member of the [[Hospice Association of Ontario]].
* '''[[Hike Ontario]]''' is headquartered in King City. It's mission is to promote hiking and walking in Ontario.
* The '''Nobleton and King City Horticultural Society''' meets every fourth Monday in Nobleton. It is a member of the [[Ontario Horticultural Association]], participating in various projects such as [[Communities in Bloom]]. In 2004, King Township was the provincial winner in the 10000-20000 category; it will compete in the National event in 2005.
* '''Dufferin Marsh Restoration Project'''


==Attractions==
==Attractions==

Revision as of 05:51, 3 May 2006

King City is an affluent, unincorporated village in King Township, Ontario, Canada, located just north of Toronto. It is the largest community in King Township, with 2686 dwellings and a population of 7814. [1]

History

Originally a small settlement styled Springhill, King City has slowly grown as an amalgamation of hamlets. Laskay, Kinghorn, and Eversley each developed by taking advantage of the streams in the area to power saw and grist mills.

Geography

Located at 43°56′N 79°31′W / 43.933°N 79.517°W / 43.933; -79.517, King City is characterized by rolling hills and clustered temperate forests. Although few in number within the town itself, numerous kettle lakes and ponds dot the area. Creeks and streams from this region are the origin source for the East Humber River (as are the streams from as far west as Bolton, Ontario and as far east as Stouffville, Ontario).

Situated on the central portion of the sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine watershed, numerous disputes about planning and development have occurred municipally. Over the past decade, the central issue has been the controversial Big Pipe, a sewerage system connecting to the much larger Durham-York Sewage System (see Politics for further discussion).

Flourishing in the countryside setting are numerous stables and other farms, which is possible because the town occupies 147.938 km2 of land area.


Also, the King-Vaughan Forest straddles King City and portions of Vaughan. It is similar to the King Forest, composed of forest areas on steep valley walls containing the flood plain of the Humber River. The dominant species on the valley walls are Sugar Maple and Eastern Hemlock, which are strongly regenerative in the forest. On the flood plain, a greater variety of species may be observed. Immature stands of Manitoba Maple and Eastern White Cedar, poplars and American Elm can be found here, as can an extensive Hawthorn scrubland.

Politics

King City does not have its own municipal government; it is represented municipally on King Township council by two councillors, in Wards 1 and 5. Ward 1 covers King City east of Keele St, and includes the communities of Eversley, Snowball and Temperanceville. Ward 5 includes the western part of King City to Highway 400.

The Township offices currently (March 2005) reside at the King City Plaza, though a more appropriate permanent location is being investigated.

The provincial riding of Vaughan—King—Aurora is currently represented by Greg Sorbara, a member of the Ontario Liberal Party. [2] Before 1999, King City was in the riding of York—MacKenzie.

The federal riding of Oak Ridges—Markham is currently represented by Lui Temelkovski, a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. This riding was created for the 2004 election because of rapid growth in York Region. [3] Before 2004, King City was in the riding of Vaughan—King—Aurora.

The Big Pipe

King City has historically been served by septic systems, which proponents of the Big Pipe view as unhygeinic and unsafe. Various studies have been commissioned to study the town's septic systems, but no clear conclusion was reached. These studies were funded by King Township, York Region, or several interested environmental groups, especially those involved with protecting the Oak Ridges Moraine.


Residents have also been burdened with covering the cost of all public facility installations including the Municipal Offices and Public Library.

Traffic

Through traffic on King Road has become a concern in the past decade, as the number of heavy vehicles has increased significantly. Notably, dump trucks serving new subdivision construction sites in nearby Oak Ridges use King Road to reach Highway 400. Delivery trucks destined for Aurora and Richmond Hill also make use of King Road as a bypass.

Also, the Township borders on Peel Region, which has promoted the extension of Highway 427 from its current terminus at Highway 7 north to the Bradford Bypass. This extension would border the Township, raising concerns about noise pollution in the rural area.

Demographics

(Note: Statistics used are for King Township; data for King City proper is unavailable)

Originally settled by United Empire Loyalists in the late 1700s, King City is now influenced by the significant immigration and diversification resultant from its proximity to Toronto.

King Township's population grew by 1.7% between 1996 and 2001, most new residents settling in the communities of King City, Nobleton or Schomberg. The population density is 55.6 people per square kilometre; however, the Township is characterized by areas of extremely low density farming communities and the much higher density of its three major villages.

The median age of residents is 39.4; 30% of the population over 15 years of age is still single. Foreign-born residents accounted for 20% of the population. Only 3% of residents identify themselves as visible minorities.

[4]

http://www12.statcan.ca/english/profil01/CP01/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=3519049&Geo2=PR&Code2=35&Data=Count&SearchText=king%20city&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All

Of residents 15 years of age or older, 28% have a university certificate, diploma or degree. Another 18% have a college certificate or diploma, and 10% have a trade certificate or diploma. However, there is variability between age groups, as younger people are increasingly participating in higher levels of education.

Work

Nearly 15% of all employed residents work from home. Almost 3% walk or bike to work sites within the community; 5% use public transit, and 75% drive or are passengers in private vehicles, to reach work destinations within the Greater Toronto Area.

The participation rate in the work force is 72.4%, with a 3.6% unemployment rate. The largest industries are:

  • Construction and Manufacturing: 24%
  • Business services: 23%
  • Wholesale and Retail Trade: 17%
  • Health and Education: 12%
  • Finance and Real Estate: 8%

The median income for two-parent families is $90,364. For single-parent families, the median income is $43,673. The average value of a dwelling in King City is $386,416.

Lifestyle and culture

Culture

King City and its rural surroundings are home to numerous horse farms, which are both well-known and highly-regarded.

(Note: the following information belongs elsewhere.)

Also, King City has been a location for at least five movies:

Education

The Seneca College King Campus is located in King City; it is the only post-secondary education facility in all of King Township, and is a major employer in the region.

Like the rest of Ontario, King City has access to two public education systems: the regional boards are the York Catholic District School Board and the York Region District School Board.

King City Secondary School, the only high school within King City, is a public school that serves students from all King Township. With a student body of approximately 1100, course offerings are moderate but varied. The school features a full-size 400m outdoor track and a soccer pitch.

Within the public school system, King City Junior Public School and Eva L. Dennis Public School serve the community. Holy Name Catholic School offers education within the Catholic separate school system.

Additionally, the community is served by a number of private institutions:

There are also a number of proponents of homeschooling who live in King City.

Religion

Traditionally, King City has been a Protestant community, but Roman Catholicism has a nearly equal number of followers (statistics for the whole Township of King are used). Protestants make up 41% of the population, whereas Roman Catholics represent 39% of residents. Both of these religions outnumber the remaining faiths in practice within King City, namely those who identify themselves as Christian Orthodox (1%), Muslim (0.5%), Jewish (0.5%), Hindu (0.5%), or Sikh (0.5%). Approximately 17% of the population has no religious affiliation.

King City is home to five churches and a shrine:

  • Sacred Heart Church is a Roman Catholic institution.
  • King City United Church is affiliated with the United Church of Canada, which is the largest Protestant-denominated church in Canada.
  • St. Andrews Presbyterian Church operates within the Presbyterian Church of Canada, another Protestant-denominated church.
  • All Saints Anglican Church is affiliated with the Anglican Church of Canada, the third major Protestant-denominated religious branch in Canada.
  • King Bible Church is affiliated with the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada.
  • The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace is a Marian shrine at Mary Lake, an Augustinian Monastery located on the northern edge of King City; it is also referred to as Mary Lake Shrine.

Recreation

The King City Community Centre and King City Arena host numerous activities, such as youth hockey league matches and yoga classes. They also host many community events throughtout the year, and some public King Township meetings.

A vibrant youth sports culture exists in King City; leagues for girls and boys hockey, tennis, soccer, and baseball [1] exist, and a number of clubs provide other avenues for kids to enjoy and learn.

King City Memorial Park, next to the arena, has two baseball fields, several soccer fields, two children's playgrounds, and four tennis courts (two with lighting). An open, covered area is used for public events and picnics.

A portion of the extensive Oak Ridges Trail passes through King City. The community is creating its own trail network, the King City Trail; the two networks are currently not connected.

Private recreation facilities include St. Edmunds Sparkling Cricket Club cricket facility operated by the Maple Leaf Cricket Club, and two golf clubs: King's Riding Golf Club[2] and King Valley Golf Club[3].

Residents are within a ten minute commute to recreation in other communities. The Maple Community Centre, operated by the City of Vaughan, offers services and memberships to non-Vaughan residents. Services available include a fitness centre, a pool for lap and family swimming, and a public library. Aurora and Richmond Hill also have facilites, both private and public, easily accessible to King City residents.


Attractions

  • Eaton Hall is located on the King Campus of Seneca College.
  • Hogan's Inn has won a number of awards for its Dining Room wine cellar (1998 and 1999 Award of Excellence - Wine Spectator) and the elegant Dining room itself (DiRoNA Award, 1995-2002). Apart from the dining room, the inn features the Hunt Pub, a traditional-style pub, and the Polo Lounge, a more casual dining area.
  • Kinghorn Museum
  • Mary Lake Shrine draws tourists both for religious events, and to enjoy its natural beauty.
  • The Kingbridge Centre, a conference venue.

Economy and business

As a small town, King City doesn't have an infrastructure sufficient to support a diversified business community. The primary business sectors are construction, which employs 34% of the workforce, and education, which employs 16% of the workforce (see Education).

Retail establishments are small, family-run businesses, with the exception of financial and realty services. Almost all retailers are located on King Road between Keele Street and Dufferin Street, or on Keele Street south of King Road to Station Road.

Home-based businesses are increasingly prevalent in the community, both as a primary or additional source of income.

Transport

King City has weekday GO train service on the Bradford line. Commuters from King Township and parts of the City of Vaughan board the train at King City GO Station, at the south end of the town. GO Transit also provides weekday bus service from King City GO Station, with destinations as far south as Toronto, and as far north as Barrie. The station's parking lot capacity is 255 vehicles. [5]

Bus service in King City is also provided by York Region Transit (YRT). Routes 32, 88 and 90 make stops at Seneca College's King Campus.

Highway 400 runs past King City along its western end; it is a major vehicular artery linking King City to numerous communities in the vicinity, and is part of the extensive 400-series provincial highways. King City is at Exit Number 43, King Road.

Communications and media

Given its proximity to Toronto, King City has exposure to a broad variety of media. National and Toronto-area daily newspapers offer delivery to the community. Several local papers are delivered to the community, by carrier or post. These include:

  • The King Weekly, a weekly published by King/Vaughan News in Maple that is delivered by postal mail.
  • The King Township Sentinel, published weekly by Simcoe York Printing & Publishing Ltd. from Beeton. It is delivered by postal mail.
  • The ERA Banner, with Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday editions delivered by carrier every week, is published by Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. through the York Region Newspaper Group

Over the air television sources from Toronto, Barrie and as far away as Buffalo are generally clear. Affiliates for Canadian networks CBC, CTV and Global, as well as American networks ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC are all available, as are public-support stations TVOntario and PBS.

Cable TV is available from Rogers Cable.

Broadband internet access is available from Rogers via cable, and Bell Canada via DSL. Many resellers of Bell's DSL also provide service in the community. Fixed wireless connections are also available.

Postal service is provided by Canada Post; King City's Forward Sortation Area is L7B. UPS and Federal Express both provide weekday service to King City.

Government research

In 1985, the Research Directorate of the Atmospheric Environment Service established the first Canadian Doppler weather radar in King City. [6] In 2004, a Dual-Polarization Radar was installed for further research. [7] These systems are used for predictive purposes, and the data collected is used for weather forecasts for the Greater Toronto Area and the Golden Horseshoe.

The observatory also participates in the Near-Earth objects NEODyS system, which is run by the University of Pisa, Italy. The system tracks objects passing close to the earth. Asteroid 85397 (designation 1996 TN3) was discovered at this observatory on October 6, 1996 by R. G. Sandness.

References

  1. ^ "King City, Ontario". Community Demographics. Industry Canada. 2001. Retrieved 2006-04-28.
  2. ^ "VAUGHAN-KING-AURORA". Ontario Votes 2003. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2003. Retrieved 2006-04-28.
  3. ^ "Oak Ridges-Markham". Canada Votes 2006. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2006. Retrieved 2006-04-28.
  4. ^ "King, Ontario (Township)". 2001 Census Community Profiles. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2006-04-28.
  5. ^ "Province announces major parking expansion at King City GO Station". Government of Ontario. 2002. Retrieved 2006-04-28.
  6. ^ "The King City Operational Doppler Radar: Development, All-Season Applications and Forecasting (PDF)" (PDF). Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. 1990. Retrieved 2006-04-28. {{cite web}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |authors= (help)
  7. ^ David Sills (2004). "The New Dual-Polarization Radar at King City". Retrieved 2006-04-28.

The Big Pipe

Ecology

External links

Community links

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