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Markham is a suburban city directly north of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. It includes the historic village of Unionville, which is now a heritage district, and can offer the traveller some cheaper accommodation options if you don't mind the distance from the attractions of Toronto.

Understand

Markham is host to a wide variety of technology company headquarters, which included video card maker ATI Technologies, Motorola, IBM Software Labs and Sun Microsystems (with the exact list prone to change as companies are acquired by rivals). The Town's slogans 'The Mark of Excellence' and 'Canada's High Tech Capital' are well emphasized, with a multicultural community, a variety of events and attractions, and an embracement of old town nostalgia and modern high-tech living. In 2021, its population reached almost 340,000.

Main Street

Markham Village

Note that the City of Markham has two streets called Main Street and they are in different parts of the city. Main Street Markham is essentially the same as Markham Road and runs north-south through the city's old town centre called Markham Village. "Main Street North" is a more specific name for "Main Street Markham". Various maps may identify the street as both "Markham Road" and either "Main Street North" or "Main Street Markham". (There is a "Main Street South" south of Highway 7, but it is not as interesting as Main Street North.) Main Street Unionville is further west of Main Street Markham and runs north-south through the heritage district of Unionville. The two Main Streets are over 4 km apart and both cross Highway 7 near the south end.

Heritage districts

There are three heritage districts within the City of Markham where there is a cluster of 19th century structures. They are:

  • Main Street Unionville is the quaintest of the three heritage districts which is residential at the southern end and commercial (mainly eateries) at the northern end.
  • Main Street Markham (a.k.a. Markham Village) still retains Markham's pleasant small town centre with a number of heritage buildings intermixed with more modern structures. Main Street Markham has more shopping opportunities than Main Street Unionville. Both have a number of eateries.
  • Thornhill has a cluster of heritage buildings along Colborne Street, a quaint residential street. There are few eateries near this heritage district, and hardly any shopping opportunities. While Main Street Unionville and Main Street Markham may be each a day trip, Thornhill is mainly a brief stopover. Thornhill's advantage is that it is the easiest of the three districts to reach from Finch Station.

Get in

By plane

Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ IATA) in Mississauga is the nearest major airport.

By transit

Public transit access from Toronto to Markham typically begins at Finch Station on TTC subway Line 1 Yonge-University, and then transferring to York Region Transit which offers bus service in York Region (including Viva express buses) serving Markham as well as other communities in York Region such as Newmarket and East Gwillimbury.

However, if you are visiting Pacific Mall, the best way to access these malls by transit is via TTC route #53 (Steeles East) which departs from Finch Station on subway Line 1 Yonge-University. If you are travelling in the east-end, TTC route #43 (Kennedy) going north from Kennedy Station on subway Line 2 Bloor-Danforth and Line 3 Scarborough may be more useful for you.

For Main Street Unionville, take the Viva Blue bus from Finch Station to the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. From there, take either the Viva Purple bus (signed to Markville/Stouffville Hospital rather than Enterprise) or YRT bus route 1 to Main Street Unionville; cross the street to the north side to enter the heritage district.

For Main Street Markham (a.k.a. Markham Village), take the Viva Blue bus from Finch Station to the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. From there, transfer to Viva Purple (signed to Markville/Stouffville Hospital) to Vivastation Hwy 7 / Main Markham.

GO Transit provides train and bus service from Toronto to Markham with stops at the Milliken, Unionville, Centennial, Markham and Mount Joy GO stations. GO trains on the Stouffville Line operate to Mount Joy seven days per week from morning to mid evening. GO buses on routes 70/71 are an alternative when trains are not available. Keep in mind Unionville GO Station is 1.33 km from the south end of the Main Street Unionville heritage district. Markham GO station is about 400 metres north of Markham Village. The major stop for GO buses is 1 Unionville GO Station Unionville GO Station on Wikipedia, with route 45B from Mississauga, route 54 from Highway 407 bus terminal and route 56 from Oakville and Oshawa.

By road

Unsurprisingly for a suburb, most travel is typically done by private automobile, with numerous highways and arterials leading in and out of the town.

Highway 404 goes north to south, starting at Green Lane in East Gwillimbury and ending in Toronto as the Don Valley Parkway.

Going from east to west is the privately-held toll Highway 407, which begins in the east at Brock Road and ends 108 kilometres west in Burlington. The 407 is the most overpriced toll road in North America, per kilometre; this road is problematic for rental car drivers as the inflated bill is sent to the vehicle's owner. Alternatives are old Highway 7 (a very busy local east-west surface street) or a trip south on the 404 to Toronto to pick up Ontario Highway 401, Canada's busiest freeway.

For Main Street Unionville, the heritage district is north of Highway 7 which intersects Main Street Unionville at a traffic light. On the north side of the intersection there are signs marking the entrance to the district. There is parking off Carlton Road on the south side, east of Main Street.

Get around

By road

The main street of Markham is nominally Markham Road (old Highway 48). There is a small downtown, which is largely lost in all the Toronto suburban sprawl.

Like the rest of the Greater Toronto Area, Markham is laid out in grid fashion. The main east-west local avenues in Markham (from north to south) are Stouffville Road, Elgin Mills Road East, Major Mackenzie Drive East, Highway 7, 14th Avenue and then Steeles Avenue East which is the border between Markham and Toronto. Most businesses are located on Highway 7 and Steeles Avenue East.

From west to east, the major roads are Yonge Street (border between Markham and Vaughan), Bayview Avenue, Leslie Street, Woodbine Avenue, Warden Avenue, Kennedy Road, McCowan Road, Markham Road (sometimes known as Highway 48) and then Ninth Line.

By transit

If you are travelling by public transit, three transit agencies operate within Markham: YRT/Viva, GO Transit, and TTC (see the Get In section).

Viva Blue, Viva Purple and Viva Pink are YRT bus rapid transit routes each having good service frequencies. Viva Blue runs north-south along the western boundary of Markham from Finch Station on Subway Line 1 Yonge-University. Viva Purple operates east-west through Markham. One can transfer between Viva Blue and Purple at the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. Viva Pink follows the route of Viva Blue from Finch Station to the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal, then follows the route of Viva Purple to Unionville GO Station (which is 1.33 km from the heritage district Main Street Unionville). Use Viva Purple if need to go further east of Unionville GO Station.

TTC route 53 Steeles East starts at Finch Station and runs along Markham's southern boundary with Toronto. Unlike YRT and Viva buses, TTC route 53 has overnight service from 2AM to 5AM, coming every 30 minutes. Rush hour frequencies are particularly good for this route (every 3-5 minutes), reflecting the fact that it is the 19th busiest TTC bus route out of 148.

TTC route 102D Markham Rd offers half-hourly service from Warden Station on Subway Line 2 Bloor-Danforth into York Region through Main Street Markham. Customers paying by credit, debit or Presto card only need to pay once when boarding (either a TTC fare when boarding in Toronto or a YRT fare when boarding in York Region, but do need to tap off to validate the 2 hour transfer if crossing the municipal border at Steeles Avenue). Route 102D provides most of the local service within Markham Village along Main Street Markham.

See

Cathedral of the Transfiguration
  • 1 Cathedral of the Transfiguration, 10350 Woodbine Ave (at the end of Cathedral High St; buses 24, 80). This impressive landmark is a Byzantine Revival cathedral which features the world's largest three-bell carillon. After lying idle and incomplete since 2006, a Slovak Greek Catholic congregation started using the church in 2017. The cathedral looks impressive from a distance such as east from Highway 404. Cathedral of the Transfiguration (Q5052473) on Wikidata Cathedral of the Transfiguration (Markham) on Wikipedia (updated Jul 2017)
Maxwell House at the Markham Museum
  • 2 Markham Museum, 9350 Markham Rd (Hwy 48) (150 m north of 16th Ave; buses 16 & 102), ☏ +1 905-305-5970. Summer: M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa Su noon-5PM, closed on statuary holidays. This 25-acre (10 ha) open-air museum features nearly 30 buildings from Markham's past: houses, barns, sheds, a train station, a school, a general store, a church, a blacksmith, a harness shop, a saw mill, a cider mill, and many more. Markham Museum (Q6771018) on Wikidata Markham Museum on Wikipedia (updated Nov 2017)

Main Street Unionville

Unionville Main Street

Unionville is a historic village that developed in the 1840s in what was then rural Markham Township. It's now amalgamated into city of Markham but the quaint period buildings have been preserved as a heritage conservation district, Main Street Unionville. Many of the old buildings now house pubs, eateries or other small businesses, and the area is worth a stop if you're in the area and have some time.

From Highway 7 north to the railway grade crossing, Main Street is lined with elegant old houses which are private residences. From the railway grade crossing north to Carlton Road, Main Street is commercial with most businesses having a tourist orientation. Many of the businesses are located in former houses. Station Lane branches from Main Street just north of the railway grade crossing and has a few old residences as well as the former Unionville railway station and Stiver Mill; the latter two buildings serve a community functions today.

Here are some sites of interest listed from south to north:

  • 3 Evangelical Lutheran Church Parsonage, 109 Main St Unionville. Private residence. Built in 1879, a number of church ministers occupied the parsonage until 1918. The house was sold as a private residence in 1947 after a decline in church attendance. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 4 William Eckardt House, 124 Main St Unionville (at Euclid Ave). Private residence. William Eckardt built this house circa 1852. Eckardt was a prominent local resident who helped bring the railway to Unionville. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 5 Former Unionville railway station, 7 Station Lane. The Toronto and Nipissing (T&N) Railway built the station in the 1871; the last trains stopped here in 1991. The City of Markham now owns the historic railway station and uses it for community functions. 
  • 6 Stiver Mill, 9 Station Lane. Today, the City of Markham owns the mill and uses it for community functions. Oddly, the historic plaque for the mill is located where Eureka Street crosses the railway line almost out of sight of the mill. 
  • 7 George Pingle House, 15 Station Lane. Private residence. Labourer George Pingle built this house in 1874 near the railway station. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 8 Unionville Planing Mill, 139 Main St Unionville. There is an old water wheel at the north-east corner of the former mill which is used today for a restaurant and shops. Looking older than its actual age, the present structure was built in 1987 replacing a mill destroyed by fire in 1983. 
  • 9 Queen’s Hotel, 174 Main St Unionville. The Queen’s Hotel building, with its distinctive exterior, was built in 1871 along with the coming of the railway. (updated Jul 2016)
  • 10 McKay Art Centre (Eckhardt-McKay House), 197 Main St Unionville, ☏ +1 905-946-1733. Closed Mondays & Tuesdays. This art gallery exhibits the works of local artists. It is located in a house built between 1845 and 1851, and was once occupied by Group of Seven artist F.H. Varley. A few rooms display period furnishings while others exhibit artworks. Free. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 11 Stiver House, 206 Main St Unionville. Private residence. Built about 1829, the Stiver House is the oldest known building in Unionville. (updated Aug 2016)
Varley Art Gallery
  • 12 Varley Art Gallery of Markham (Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery), 216 Main St Unionville. The gallery has a small collection of art on display including a few works by Group of Seven artist F.H. Varley. free. Frederick Horsman Varley Art Gallery on Wikipedia 
  • 13 Toogood Pond, 216 Main St Unionville. Park with large pond. Lots of large open spaces for jogging. Certain areas of the pond allow fishing. (updated Jan 2018)

Main Street Markham

Main Street Markham has a retail and residential districts with a number of buildings from the 19th century intermixed with more modern structures. The area is also called Markham Village. Main Street Markham is extends 2 km (1.2 mi) from Highway 7 on the south to 16th Avenue on the north. The retail area is 600 m (2,000 ft) long and is located at the south end.

Here are partial list of interesting structures along Main Street Markham:

  • 14 David Barkey Row Houses, 40-44 Main Street North (south of Centre St). The Speight Wagon Company had these Second Empire style houses built in 1895, which housed some of the company's 100 employees. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 15 James Speight house, 48 Main Street North (opposite Centre St). Built by James Speight circa 1870, this picturesque house is known as the “Wedding Cake House” for its fanciful decorative woodwork. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 16 60 Main Street North. This block of buildings was built in 2014 according to the date stone, but in the architectural style of over 100 years ago. The building has 12 sections, each in a different style. There are various shops at street level. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 17 Former John Wilson store (Markham Vintage Books & Shoes), 80 Main St N (at Dublin St). John Wilson built this false front store in 1864. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 18 The Old Town Hall, 96 Main Street North (just south of Robinson St). This former town hall was built 1882 for $4,437. The basement was divided with Village council meeting in the south half, and the jail occupying the north half. The Masonic and Oddfellow Lodges met on the second storey. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 19 Former Christian Reesor store (today: Tim Clark's Flowers), 97 Main Street North. Christian Reesor built this store in 1873, shortly after his marriage to Emma Cornell, and the building has always operated as a store. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 20 Former William Browning cottage, 140 Main Street North (just north of Wilson St). Watchmaker William Browning built this cottage circa 1845. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 21 Former Henry Wilson house, 144 Main Street North. Henry Wilson built this High Victorian picturesque home in 1886. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 22 Former Robert J. Corson house, 162 Main Street North. Robert J. Corson built this High Victorian Picturesque house in 1887. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 23 Former Toronto and Nipissing Railway Company Station (current Markham GO Station), 214 Main Street North. The Toronto and Nipissing Railway Company (T&N) built this station in 1871. The station was later inherited by the Canadian National Railway and it still serves a railway function today for GO Transit. The one-storey building has a box shape broken only by a shallow operator's bay. Today, a community centre occupies the west end of the station building with a waiting room for commuters at the east end. Through the windows, one can see an old-fashion stove in the waiting room. (updated Aug 2016)

Thornhill

Thornhill has a small heritage district with over a dozen structures from the 19th century. Most of the old structures are along Colburne Street, a picturesque residential street, where most heritage houses have a white picket fence around the front yard. A few others heritage houses are along John Street.

  • 24 Thornhill Village Library (Ellen Ramsden House), 10 Colborne (east of Yonge St). The library is in a two storey clapboard building constructed in 1851 as a house for Mrs. Ellen Ramsden. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 25 William Lane Cooper House, 14 Colborne St. Private residence. The house was built for William Lane Cooper circa 1846. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 26 Robert Jarrot House, 15 Colborne St. Private residence. The house was built in 1840 for Robert Jarrot; it was enlarged and moved back from the street in 1910. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 27 Jobb Trott House, 25 Colborne St. Private residence. Job Trott, a local mason, built this house in 1851. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 28 John Ramsden Cottage, 26 Colborne St. Private residence. John Ramsden, Head Miller at Pomona Mills, built this two-family cottage in 1854. Around 1940, it was converted to a single family dwelling. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 29 John Ramsden House, 30 Colborne St. Private residence. John Ramsden built this house in 1852. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 30 Mill Workers Double Cottage, 37&39 Colborne St. Private residence. Thomas Hamill, a Thornhill carpenter, built this double cottage around 1850 perhaps as rental housing for workers employed in nearby mills. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 31 St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Church (St. Lukes Roman Catholic Church and Manse), 15 Church Lane. St. Lukes Roman Catholic Church and Manse was built in 1847 and became St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Church in 1972. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 32 Thornhill Cemetery, 1 Church Lane. Thornhill Cemetery is non-denominational burial ground founded in 1867. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 33 Lelliot House, 28 John St. Private residence. William Lelliot built this house in 1860 for his family. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 34 Lane House, 26 John St. Private residence. The house was built in 1845, and occupied in 1853 by John Lane, a cooper, who established a barrel factory on John Street. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 35 Goodfellow House, 22 John St. Private residence. The house was built in 1846 for Mrs. Margaret Goodfellow. It was later the residence of Group of Seven artist Arthur Lismer in the early 1920s. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 36 Frizzell House, 18 John St. Private residence. Richard Sutton Frizzell built this house in 1848. Frizzell was a staunch Tory Loyalist and acted against the Rebellion of 1837. A histotical plaque stand before the house. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 37 Cook House, 16 John St. Private residence. Built in 1879, this was the home of Mrs. Jane Cook, a 19th century inn-keeper. The house was originally located on the west side of Yonge Street beside her inn. (updated Aug 2016)
  • 38 Patrick Casey House, 14 John St. Private residence. The house was built by Patrick Casey in 1854. (updated Aug 2016)

Do

  • Markham Jazz Festival. August. Held along both Main Street Markham and Main Street Unionville. (updated Jul 2016)
  • Doors Open Markham. 10AM-4PM. Held in late September. (updated Jul 2016)
  • 1 Markham Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph (corner Markham Rd & Hwy 7 at the Markham Community Arena). Nov. 11. (updated Jul 2016)
  • 2 Markham Fair, 10801 McCowan Rd (corner of Elgin Mills Rd E & McCowan Rd). Weekend before Canadian Thanksgiving. Country fair with horse pull, demolition derby, tractor pull. Markham Fair (Q6771005) on Wikidata Markham Fair on Wikipedia (updated Nov 2017)

Main Street Unionville

  • Unionville Village Festival. first weekend of June. (updated Jul 2016)
  • Unionville Heritage Festival. Labour Day (updated Jul 2016)
  • 3 Unionville Remembrance Day Ceremony, 210 Main St Unionville (at Crosby Memorial Community Centre). November 11. (updated Jul 2016)
  • Unionville Olde Tyme Christmas & Candlelight Parade, Main St Unionville. First Friday evening of December with festivities continuing through the weekend. (updated Jul 2016)
  • 4 Thursday Nights at the Bandstand, Main St Unionville (Millenium Bandstand, at Fred Valley Dr). Thursday evenings, June through August. blues, jazz, funk, soul, vintage hits, classical guitar. (updated Jul 2016)

Theatre

Buy

Shopping malls

  • 1 CF Markville (Markville Mall), 5000 Highway 7 E (at McCowan Rd), ☏ +1 905-477-6600. Indoor shopping mall. Markville Shopping Centre (Q6771542) on Wikidata Markville Shopping Centre on Wikipedia (updated Oct 2021)
  • 2 Pacific Mall, 4300 Steeles Ave. E (at Kennedy Rd), ☏ +1 905 470-8785, . Year round including holidays: Su-Th 11AM-8PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM. Pacific Mall is the largest Chinese indoor mall in North America with 400 stores selling a large variety of retail goods as well as herbs, prepared Chinese foods and entertainment. This is a great place to visit for cheap DVDs, computer parts, photography equipment, cellphone accessories and the like. Caveat emptor: Some vendors in the mall have a reputation for selling cheap, poor quality counterfeit goods. There was a police raid in June 2018 because of complaints. Pacific Mall (Q7122551) on Wikidata Pacific Mall on Wikipedia (updated Jun 2018)
  • 3 First Markham Place, 3255 Highway 7 East (East of Woodbine Ave.). A medium size mall with Chinese restaurants, food court, herbal products and stores. First Markham Place (Q7212247) on Wikidata First Markham Place on Wikipedia (updated Oct 2021)

Main Street Unionville

Stores along Main Street Unionville are in small heritage buildings.

  • 4 Susannah Designer Consignment, 151 Main St Unionville, ☏ +1 905-604-8528. Offering name-brand products such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Chanel at lower prices. (updated Dec 2022)
  • 5 Tucci Armadio, 154 Main St Unionville. Fashion boutique including Tom Ford. (updated Dec 2022)
  • 6 Crock a Doodle, 159 Main St Unionville, ☏ +1 905-940-5670. noon-9PM. Sells unpainted pottery and kits to paint them. (updated Dec 2022)
  • 7 Lemonwood Unionville, 193 Main St Unionville, ☏ +1 905-479-8969. Tu-W 11AM-5PM, Th-Sa 11AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. Women's cashmere clothing. (updated Dec 2022)

Eat

Markham has a large variety of foods to choose from in a variety of price ranges. The Chinese population is especially high in this area (~40% in the last census), so if you enjoy Chinese food, this is the place to look for it.

Steeles Avenue

  • 1 Congee Queen, 2930 Steeles Ave E (The Shops on Steeles and 404, just west of Hwy 404), ☏ +1 905-731-3880. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. Always a perennial weekend favourite. Named after the Chinese breakfast dish, the restaurant also serves many other stir-fried dishes, rice plates and soup noodles. Do try and share the Seafood & Chicken with Wintermelon Super Bowl Congee with a friend. Cheap. (updated Oct 2022)
  • 2 Backyard Garden Restaurant, 3636 Steeles Ave E (turn at Ferrier St on Steeles), ☏ +1-905-415-8988. 11AM-10PM. Small little Chinese restaurant serving some excellent Sichuan and Hebei-style food. Several spicy options. (updated Sep 2019)
  • 3 Heisei Mart, 3160 Steeles Ave E, Unit 118 (In J-Town), ☏ +1 905-305-0108. Don't let the entrance deceive you. This Japanese restaurant is located inside the supermarket. It serves authentic udon, ramen, soba, curry and bento box (soba & sashimi). $8.90 to $14.98. (updated Oct 2022)

Main Street Markham

  • 4 The Old Curiosity Tea Shop, 91 Main Street North (north of Dublin St), ☏ +1 905-472-9927. Tu-F 10AM-4PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su M closed. This tea shop is in a 1895 heritage building, a former bank branch. The interior is very attractively decorated. About $15 for tea & pastry. (updated Aug 2016)

Main Street Unionville

  • 5 Jakes on Main, 202 Main St Unionville. Patio. Moderately priced. (updated Aug 2015)
  • 6 Old Country Inn, 198 Main St Unionville, ☏ +1 905-477-2715. Tu–Th noon-8PM, F Sa noon-9PM. Austrian cuisine featuring schnitzel, located in a house built in the 1872 for a local doctor (updated Dec 2022)
  • 7 Old Firehall Confectionary, B170 Main St Unionville. Chocolate lovers should at least look inside at the various fancy chocolates on display. 
  • 8 Pod Coffee, 142 Main St Unionville Unit 2. Coffee shop also offering tea, hot chocolate and chocolate bars (updated Dec 2022)

Yonge Street

  • 9 York Farmers Market, 7509 Yonge St, Thornhill (east side of Yonge St south of Elgin Ave), ☏ +1 905-886-9992. Th F 10AM-7PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 11AM-4PM. A collection of small vendors selling mostly food items, many of them ready to eat. Small seating area with tables. (updated Sep 2016)

Elsewhere

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range

Stay safe

Markham has a hospital: 1 Markham Stouffville Hospital. It is located on the east end of the city, on Ninth Line just north of Highway 7.

Cope

Consulates

Go next

  • Newmarket has its own attractive heritage Main Street.
Routes through Markham
Newmarket ← Richmond Hill ←  N  S  → North York → Toronto
Hamilton ← Richmond Hill ←  W  E  → Pickering → becomes → Oshawa
Becomes ←  W  E  → Pickering → Peterborough
Brampton ← Richmond Hill ←  W  E  → Becomes
END ← Whitchurch-Stouffville ←  N  S  → Scarborough → Toronto


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