CITY GUIDE: Markham, Ontario

Known as the melting point of cultures, Markham is a suburban city located to the north of Toronto. The city is located within an hour's drive from Toronto and sits on a land of about 212 kilometres square. The proximity of Markham to Toronto has given the city special features which include being the tech capital of Canada. Markham is known as the tech capital of Canada because it is the home of well-established tech firms which include Apple, IBM and Toshiba. Markham is also known as one of the richest communities in Canada with an average household income of $80,000. Although Markham is a city in every way, strategic efforts have been made to retain a small town feel and encourage intimacy as well as personalization of interactions. The population of Markham, according to the 2016 census is 328,940. This figure makes Markham the most populous municipality within the York region. Markham is also known as the fourth most populous community in the Greater Toronto Are and the 16th largest city in Canada. Markham officially attained the city status in 2012. Markham is especially known for the ethnic diversity it supports. The population of the major is dominated by the Chinese who make up over 40% of the residential population. A variety of Asian and European ethnic group also make up the population of the city. Markham encourages a modern standard of living with modern facilities and the necessary technology to boost.

The Markham Appeal:

As a multicultural community, Markham has several appealing features. The heritage of the city is preserved in a heritage museum that is located on a land of about 25 acres. The culture of Markham supports the arts as well as other fun and creative activities. The city also holds annual festivals and celebrations where culture is greatly displayed. Events such as Markham Fair displays the culture of the city very proudly. Events in Markham are held regularly and visitors as well as tourists are typically encouraged to attend and get a feel of the city. Makham Village Music Festival is one of such events which is held every June for two days. This event attracts crowds every year and celebrates the arts as well as the history of the city. There are also several active theatres in Markham. These theatres include Markham Theatre and Markham Youth Theatre. Recreational activities within the city are also encouraged with the community centres in the different communities. The Angus Glen Community Centre, for example, has an indoor pool, a tennis court and a library. The city also has several heritage railway stations. The oldest of these railway stations is Markham GO Station. Markham GO Satiation was built in 1871. Whittamore's Farm also proudly displays the culture of Markham in respect to agriculture. Whittamore's Farm is located on a land of 200 acres, and one can pick their own fruits and vegetables during certain periods of the year. There are also other fun activities that can be enjoyed at Whittamore's Farm.

Education:

Markham is the home of several educational facilities that include elementary and high schools. There is also a campus of Seneca College in Markham. In 2015, York University announced plans to build a campus within Markham. The primary and secondary schools within Markham are governed by boards which include The York Region District School Board, The York Catholic District School Board, The Conseil scolaire Viamonde and the Conseil scolaire de district catholique Centre-Sud. Residents of Markham also have access to several healthcare amenities in the area. These healthcare amenities include the notable Markham Stouffville Hospital as well as Shouldice Hospital and The Scarborough Hospital.

Culture & Entertainment:

There are also several active theatres in Markham. These theatres include Markham Theatre and Markham Youth Theatre. Recreational activities within the city are also encouraged with the community centres in the different communities. The Angus Glen Community Centre, for example, has an indoor pool, a tennis court and a library. The city also has several heritage railway stations. The oldest of these railway stations is Markham GO Station. Markham GO Satiation was built in 1871. Whittamore's Farm also proudly displays the culture of Markham in respect to agriculture. Whittamore's Farm is located on a land of 200 acres, and one can pick their own fruits and vegetables during certain periods of the year. There are also other fun activities that can be enjoyed at Whittamore's Farm. Golf is another activity that is encouraged in the city of Markham because of the availability of golf clubs, from private ones to the ones open to the public. The notable golf clubs in the city include York Downs Golf & Country Club and Angus Glen Golf Club. A variety of shopping centres are also located in Markham, from the Chinese market to the malls that hold over 100 stores. King Square Shopping Mall is one of the largest shopping malls in Markham housing over 1,000 shops.

Markham Real Estate:

Because of the improved appeal of Markham to residents over time, the real estate market has experienced improved activity. Developments have also been made to cater to the needs of residents. Even with its small town feel, activities in Markham are still driven by technology, and this includes the real estate market. The styles of houses in Markham include detached houses, semi-detached houses, condos and townhouses. A report made over a three year period, from 2016 to 2019, on the appreciation values of properties in Markham showed that detached houses have appreciated with about 20%. Semi-detached houses were shown to have appreciated for about 14% during the three-year period. Townhouses appreciated for about 30% within the three-year period. Condos appreciated by about 40% during this period. This reflects the growth of the real estate market of Markham over this period. The benchmark price for the different types of homes in Markham was also extrapolated. The benchmark price of detached houses in Markham is $1,121,100. The benchmark price of semi-detached houses in Markham is $780,600. The benchmark price of townhouses in Markham is $619,300. The average price of condos in Markham is $508,200. Reports on the real estate market of Markham in March 2019, from February 16 to March 16, show that the average price of homes.

There are several neighborhoods and communities in Markham, the city has four population centres. The population centres of Markham are Markham Village, Unionville, Thornhill and Milliken Mills. The communities and neighbourhoods of Markham still maintain their original extent and are 19th-century communities, each with unique appeals. The communities within the city of Markham include Almira, Angus Glen, Armadale, Bayview Glen, Berczy Village, Box Grove, Brown's Corners, Bullock, Buttonville, Cachet, Cashel, Cathedraltown, Cedar Grove, Cedarwood, Cornell, Crosby, Dollar, Downtown Markham, Dickson's Hill, German Mills, Greensborough, Hagerman's Corners, Langstaff, Legacy, Locust Hill, Markham Village, Middlefield, Milliken Mills, Milnesville, Mongolia, Mount Joy, Quantztown, Raymerville – Markville East, Rouge Fairways, Sherwood – Amber Glen, South Unionville, Thornhill, Underwood, Ontario, Unionville, Uptown Markham, Victoria Square, Vinegar Hill and Wismer Commons. Unionville is known as a community that has a high tourism appeal with a number of the historic buildings within Markham located in this community. Angus Gle has a community centre and golf clubs which include the notable Angus Glen Golf Club which was opened in 1995 in an area that used to house a father's market. York Downs Golf and Golf Club is also located in Angus Glen. Vitoria Square holds facilities such as Charity Crescent Park and Victoria Square Park.

Because it is a well-established multicultural community, Markham is known as one of the most attractive communities for persons that looking to live in an ethnically diverse community that is especially close to Toronto. These features have thus attracted residents to the area and improved the activity of real estate market of Markham.Reports from the 2016 census show that over 40% of the population of Markham is Chinese. The West Asian, White and Black ethnicity groups also make up a major proportion of the residential population of the city. The presence of well-established organizations in Markham has also improved the residential appeal of the city. Organizations that are domiciled in Markham include Honeywell, Motorola, IBM, Honda and Toshiba.