King (Ontario)
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King is a township of about 24,500 people (2016) in York Region, in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario.
Understand
The township of King is predominantly rural. Most residents live in the communities of King City, Nobleton, and Schomberg.
The rolling hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine are the most prominent visible geographical feature of King. The Holland Marsh, considered to be Ontario's "vegetable basket", straddles King Township and Bradford West Gwillimbury. King is known for its horse and cattle farms.
History
The lands now part of the township of King were acquired by the British from the Mississauga First Nation in 1787 and 1805.
United Empire Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution settled in the area 1802, drawn by the abundant, fertile land being apportioned relatively cheaply to newcomers.
Early settlements in the area developed primarily around gristmills and sawmills. These were important economic engines in the region during the 19th century, which resulted in the establishment of other communities and businesses nearby. By 1842, there were eight grist mills and 12 saw mills in King.
Get in
By plane
King is served by Toronto Pearson International Airport.
By train
King is only served by GO Transit Commuter Rail. Within King there is one GO Station: King City GO. It is part of the Barrie Line. The Barrie Line goes south towards Union Station or north to Barrie.
By bus
Bus service in King is provided by York Region Transit and GO Transit buses. Transit coverage is limited due to the rural nature of the township.
By car
King contains one major freeway - Highway 400. Highway 400 goes north/south towards Barrie and Toronto.
Arterial roads in King are laid out in a grid format, usually 2 km by 2 km. There are few turn restrictions. Parking is generally free and readily available.
Get around
King is a relatively large township, however, it is mostly rural. Getting around is usually best with a car, however, you may cycle. Bus coverage of King is limited.
Bus
York Region Transit is the main local transit agency. It operates in King, as well as neighbouring Aurora, Vaughan, and the rest of York Region. Click the link for an overview of bus service in York Region.
York Region Transit operates from 5AM to 1AM. It does depend on the route, however. It is best to check a schedule to reduce unnecessary waiting time.
The primary fare media used on the YRT is the Presto Card, which is also usable on many surrounding transit systems, on UP Express between Pearson Airport and downtown, and on GO Transit which provides regional rail and bus service (including service to Niagara Falls). Presto cards may be purchased at many local outlets, and at any staffed GO Transit station, The card costs $6.00, and can be loaded with any desired amount of money. To use the card, tap it on the green reader when entering a bus. A green light and a beep will confirm acceptance. If multiple YRT/VIVA vehicles are used to complete a one-way journey under two hours from your initial tap-on, only a single fare will be charged. Separate fares apply on other transit systems.
In King, there are few routes and one of them is dial-a-ride during off-peak hours. This means a private bus will take you along the route to your destination stop. It is necessary to pre-book such a trip 3 hours in advance.
GO Transit
There is a GO Station at 1 King City GO 
, which is part of the Barrie Line. Going north goes to Barrie, going south goes to Union Station in Toronto. Go bus and local transit also service the station.
Taxi
Taxis are generally not found on the roads; therefore they cannot be hailed from the street. In order to acquire a taxi, it is best to pre-book a trip using a phone or using the internet.
By bicycle
It is legal to cycle on sidewalks. Due to this, it is very safe to cycle as you are separated from the vehicles. If there is no sidewalk, you may cycle on the road or on the shoulder if applicable. In addition, some roads also have bike lanes on the side of the road.
It is a provincial law that cyclists under 18 must wear a helmet, and all riders must have a bike with reflectors and a bell. This is almost never enforced due to the small number of cyclists.
All YRT/VIVA buses have easy to use bike racks, and bicycles are allowed onto the TTC subway during off-peak hours.
Beware of right-turning vehicles when you enter an intersection. Drivers usually do not expect cyclists or pedestrians due to the low number of peds and cyclists. Therefore they may not look before they turn, as they only look for other cars.
Driving
As a rural community, driving is the easiest, fastest, and most convenient way to get around. Arterial roads are in a grid format and are 2 km apart.
Highway 400 goes north/south and is situated in between Jane Street and Weston Road. Highway 400 heads to Barrie and Sudbury north, and to Toronto's Black Creek neighbourhood south. It ends at Highway 401 on the southern end.
See
- 1 King Heritage & Cultural Centre (KHCC) (King Township Museum), 2920 King Rd (just east of Jane Street, on the north side of King Road), ☏ +1 905-833-2331. Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM. A museum collection of over 2000 artifacts, an extensive archives, four historic buildings, two exhibition galleries, and a performance hall situated on over an acre of parkland..
Heritage sites
There are eleven sites designated heritage sites, including:
- 2 King Station was built in 1852 along the Northern Railway to serve Springhill (now King City). It was moved in 1989 to the grounds of the King Township Museum. It is believed to be the oldest surviving railway station in Canada,.
- 3 King Emmanuel Baptist Church, formerly the King Christian Church until 1931, it was moved to the grounds of the King Township Museum in 1982.
- 4 King City Cemetery established in 1886.
- King City Cemetery Dead House built circa 1887. It is an octagonal structure that was used to preserve the dead during the winter, during which grave-digging was not feasible. Octagonal dead houses were unique to the area bordering Yonge Street north of Toronto during the late 19th and early 20th century.
- 5 Eversley Presbyterian Church, a stone structure built in 1848, demonstrates the Scottish influence common in the area's early development.
- 6 Glenville Methodist Church, a small frame structure built in 1859, which remained operational until 1952.
- 7 King Christian Church Cemetery was the first burial grounds for Kettleby, built in 1850.
- Laskay Temperance Hall, built in 1859 by the Sons of Temperance.
Do
- Spray Lake Watersports and Activity Centre. Mid-May to Sep: M-F noon-7:30PM, Sa Su 10AM-7:30PM. Waterskiing and wakeboarding behind top-of-the-line Nautique boats and riding on a straight-line cable park. Cable wakeboarding is a sport in which riders are pulled by an overhead cable system, as opposed to a motorboat. $10 covers picnic space, beach volleyball, swimming, fishing, and nature hikes; $20 for a 10-minute ride, and all day access to the beach and lake.
- 1 Thornton Bales Conservation Area, 19th Sideroad, King City, ☏ +1 905-895-1281. A 4.5-km hiking trail with 99 steps.
- Cricket: Maple Leaf CC at 13811 Dufferin St occasionally hosts 50- and 20-overs internationals, though they're usually played in Toronto.
Buy
Eat
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- Locale, 12981 Keele St., ☏ +1 905-833-2500. Upsca Italian.
- Hogan's Restaurant and The Hunt Pub, 12998 Keele St, King City, ☏ +1 905-833-5311. Restaurant: daily 11AM-11PM, pub W-Sa 5PM-2AM. Featuring modern European and Canadian cuisine, and a balanced wine list.
- PaperCrane Sushi Bar & Bistro, 12975 Keele Street, Unit 1 King City, ☏ +1 647-693-5831. Tu-F 11:30AM–10PM, Sa noon–10PM, Su noon–99PM. Sushi and other Japanese food.
Drink
Sleep
- Bradford Inn, 20590 Hwy 11, Bradford, ☏ +1 905-775-3212. 2-star hotel. It is in King near the border with Bradford in Simcoe County, and also serves Bradford.
Stay safe
King is a very safe township. There is very little crime at all.
Pedestrians and cyclists
Beware of vehicles making right turns.
Weather
Avoid river and creek banks or bridge underpasses during periods of excessive rain, during and after heavy thundershowers or melting snow. Recent flooding can soften the soil and cause it to suddenly collapse into the water under any weight.
Occasionally, King will be hit with a severe winter storm accompanied by significant snowfall (quite often mixed with freezing rain, ice, or sleet). Avoid driving during and immediately after the storms if at all possible. This is especially true for those unfamiliar with winter driving and controlling a car in a skid. Take public transit, walk, or stay inside.
Connect
For an emergency, dial 911 (you can dial it at the payphone without inserting any coins).
King has three overlapping area codes, 905, 365 and 289. However, area codes from Toronto (416, 437, 647) are common in King. As a result, King has 10-digit local dialling. You must always dial the area code as part of the number you are trying to reach.
Internet
Internet is available at King Township Public Library.
Newspapers
The King Weekly Sentinel is the local newspaper. However, it is beaten in popularity by news coming from Toronto.
Cope
Hospitals
There are no hospitals in King. The nearest hospitals are all in neighbouring municipalities.
Police stations
York Regional Police serves as the city's law enforcement. There is no station in King, however, there is a substation. Due to King's size, sometimes a station from a neighbouring municipality may be closer.
- King City Community Substation, 2585 King Rd. King City substation.
- York Regional Police District 1, 240 Prospect Street, Newmarket. York Regional Police District 1 police station in Newmarket.
Radio
There are no radio stations that operate in King.
All other radio heard in King is broadcast from across the Greater Toronto Area, with most being from Toronto. 680NEWS is Toronto's all news radio, and reports breaking news, weather, and traffic.
Go next
- Barrie — The next major city to the north on Highway 400, on the shores of Lake Simcoe.
- Caledon — to the west, a rural part of Peel Region.
- East Gwillimbury, Aurora, Newmarket, and Richmond Hill — to the east.
- New Tecumseth and Bradford West Gwillimbury — north of King.
- Vaughan — a mostly suburban area to the south, home to Canada's Wonderland.
| Routes through King |
| Sudbury ← Barrie ← | N  S |
→ Vaughan → Toronto |
| Barrie ← Aurora ← | N  S |
→ Vaughan → Toronto |