Thornhill, Ontario

Thornhill
Community
Conley Park, one of the many parks found in Thornhill
Thornhill
Thornhill
Thornhill
Coordinates: 43°48′58″N 79°25′28″W / 43.81611°N 79.42444°W / 43.81611; -79.42444
Country Canada
Province Ontario
Regional Municipality York Region
City Vaughan
City Markham
Population (2011)
 • Total 110,430[1]
Time zone UTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Forward Sortation Area L3T, L4J
Area code(s) 905 and 289
NTS Map 030M14
GNBC Code FCWAD

Thornhill (2011 population 110,430)[1] is a community in the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canada. It is split between the cities of Vaughan and Markham, lying along the north border of Toronto, centred on Yonge Street. Once a police village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation. According to the 2001 Census, Thornhill-Vaughan's population was 56,361,[2] and the population of Thornhill-Markham was 47,333.[3] It is immediately south and south-west of Richmond Hill.

History

The corner of Old Yonge Street and Centre Street
Mason Cogswell Wagonyard and weigh scales
Old Victoria Hall

Early history

Thornhill was founded in 1794.[4] Its first settlers on Yonge Street in Thornhill were Asa Johnson (who settled on the Vaughan side) and Nicholas Miller (c.1760–1810; who settled on the Markham side). Of particular importance was the arrival of Benjamin Thorne (January 4, 1794 – July 2, 1848) in 1820 from Dorset, England,[5] who was operating a gristmill, a sawmill, and a tannery in the community. The settlement came to be known as Thorne's Mills, and later, Thorne's Hill, from which its current name is derived. (Thorne committed suicide in 1848, after a serious wheat market crash.)

Radial car to Thornhill on the Metropolitan line

Between 1830 and 1848, Thornhill experienced a period of continued growth and prosperity. The business district of Thornhill developed on its portion of Yonge Street, between Centre Street and John Street. Stagecoaches travelled between Holland Landing (Lake Simcoe) and York (Toronto) as Yonge Street's road conditions improved with new stonework. During this prosperous period, several churches, many of which are still standing today, were constructed.

Thornhill's location along Yonge Street, a major transportation route, proved beneficial to the community's growth throughout much of the twentieth century. The implementation of the electric radial Metropolitan line along Yonge Street in 1898 running north to Sutton and south to Toronto meant that, for the first time, people could reside in Thornhill and work in Toronto. By the 1920s, automobiles also facilitated travel along Yonge Street.

20th and 21st centuries

In 1931, Thornhill became a "Police Village"; before that time, Thornhill had no independent status and was split between the townships of Vaughan and Markham along Yonge Street, since the creation of municipal government in 1850. Before 1931, each township administered its half of the village. The creation of the Police Village gave Thornhill its own political boundaries. The village was headed by a reeve.

In 1971, York Region was created, part of a wave of municipal re-organization which converted many townships into towns and eliminated many of the municipal forms of organization which had existed within those townships. The establishment of a regional administration effectively eliminated the Police Village of Thornhill. Thornhill's administration reverted to the newly formed towns of Markham and Vaughan at this time.

However, many social institutions remained organized around the former municipal entities eliminated in 1971. Like neighbouring communities such as Woodbridge, Maple, and Unionville – and more so than was the case for historic suburban communities within the City of Toronto – community organizations such as local newspapers, and sports teams continued to operate under a Thornhill administrative structure. As an example, until the mid-1990s residents of Thornhill who wanted to play high-level hockey were required to play for a Thornhill team.

While the old village of Thornhill revolved around Yonge Street between Centre and John Streets, the neighbourhood is typically thought to be between Dufferin Street to the west, Highway 7 to the north, Steeles Avenue to the south, and Highway 404 to the east.

Suburbanization

Thornhill's growth since the 1960s and 1970s has been largely connected to its location bordering what is now the City of Toronto.

Growth has continued apace. Developments have sprung up across various areas of Thornhill in each of the municipal districts which encompass Thornhill, following the development patterns of the Greater Toronto Area.

Demographics

Ethnicity

Thornhill has a very ethnically diverse population. It is home to a significant number of Jewish, Chinese, Korean, Iranian, and Italian people. According to 2001 Federal Census data, the electoral district of Thornhill (which is not entirely congruent with the neighbourhood) consists of Chinese, the largest visible minority, accounting for almost 11% of total residents (12,610), followed by South Asian (6,595), Black (2,665), Korean (2,660), Filipino (2,535), and West Asian (2,355).[6]

According to the 2009 Report of Canada's Demographic Task Force, Thornhill-Vaughan is home to more than 33,000 members of the Jewish community.[7]

Politics

Thornhill is a federal and provincial riding. The Member of Parliament for Thornhill is Peter Kent (Conservative), and the Member of Provincial Parliament is Gila Martow (Progressive Conservative).

Municipally, Thornhill is split into Wards 4 and 5 in the City of Vaughan and Ward 1 in the City of Markham. It is represented by Sandra Yeung Racco (Vaughan Ward 4), Alan Shefman (Vaughan Ward 5), and Valerie Burke (Markham Ward 1).

Education

Public schools

Secondary schools

Elementary schools

  • Bakersfield Public School, established in 2003
  • Baythorn Public School
  • Bayview Glen Public School
  • Bayview Fairways Public School
  • Brownridge Public School
  • Carrville Mills Public School, established in 2007
  • Charlton Public School
  • Doncrest Public School
  • E.J. Sand Public School
  • German Mills Public School
  • Glen Shields Public School
  • Henderson Avenue Public School
  • Herbert H. Carnegie Public School
  • Johnsview Village Public School
  • Julliard Public School
  • Louis Honoré Fréchette Public School, established in 1991
  • Roberta Bondar Public School, established in 2008
  • Royal Orchard Public School
  • Rosedale Heights Public School
  • Stornoway Crescent Public School
  • Thornhill Public School
  • Thornhill Woods Public School, established in 2005
  • Ventura Park Public School, established in 1999
  • Westminster Public School, established in 1983
  • Willowbrook Public School
  • Wilshire Elementary School
  • Woodland Public School
  • Yorkhill Elementary School

Catholic schools

St. Elizabeth Catholic High School.

Private schools

Jewish Schools

Secondary:

Primary:

Healthcare

There are no general hospitals in the Thornhill area; the nearest are Mackenzie Richmond Hill Hospital (formerly York Central Hospital) in Richmond Hill and North York General Hospital in Toronto. A private hospital, Shouldice Hernia Centre, is in Thornhill.

Thornhill Community Centre

Located at Bayview and John Street, the community centre features a double arena (home to the Thornhill Skating Club, Markham Majors and Islanders hockey clubs with east rink named for Bib Sherwood in 1999), therapy pool, gym room, running track, multi use rooms and Markham Public Library branch. The complex was opened in 1975.[9]

Thornlea Pool is public swimming pool located further north of the community centre.

Media

Notable people from Thornhill

Hayden
Adam Henrich
Michael Henrich
Eric Himelfarb
Joshua Ho-Sang
Milos Raonic
Andrew Wiggins

Arts

Film and broadcasting

Literature

Music

Visual arts

Sports

Other personalities

References

  1. 1 2 Statistics Canada. 2012. Thornhill, Ontario (Code 35104) and Ontario (Code 35) (table). Census Profile. 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. Released October 24, 2012. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E Retrieved October 22, 2014
  2. ↑ "Vaughan side Thornhill population, using Highway 7, Yonge Street, Dufferin Street, and Steeles Avenue as boundaries". Geodepot.statcan.ca. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Markham's side Thornhill population, using Highway 7, Yonge Street, Woodbine Avenue, and Steeles Avenue as boundaries". Geodepot.statcan.ca. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  4. ↑ For a fuller account of Thornhill's early history, see Isabel Champion, ed., Markham: 1793–1900 (Markham, ON: Markham Historical Society, 1979), 297–301; 70f., 97f., 140f., 170, 335.
  5. ↑ "Biography – THORNE, BENJAMIN – Volume VII (1836-1850) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". biographi.ca. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  6. ↑ "Federal Electoral District Profile of Thornhill, Ontario (1996 Representation Order), 2001 Census". 2.statcan.ca. November 10, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  7. ↑ "2009 Report of Canada's Demographic Task Force". April 10, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Temporary Relocation of E.J. Sand". E.J. Sand Public School. 2018-04-27. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  9. ↑ https://www.markham.ca/wps/portal/Markham/RecreationCulture/CommunityCentres/locations/thornhill-community-centre/
  10. ↑ "Now Playing: Thornhill's Hottest Export – Thornhill Post – September 2011 – Toronto, Ontario". Postcity.com. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  11. ↑ "May 16th-The force is with Thornhill teen « DESIRING HAYDEN.NET PRESS ARCHIVE". Desiringhayden.net. 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  12. ↑ Li, David (28 March 2014). "Thornhill's Ghomeshi enjoys family reunion during Junos". Metroland Media. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Corey Haim to Be Buried in His Native Toronto". UsMagazine.com. 2010-03-11. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  14. ↑ "Client Biography – Paul McGuire". Iegroup.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-06-17. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  15. ↑ "Prodigy or precocious?". Thestar.com. 2009-04-01. Archived from the original on 2009-04-07. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  16. ↑ "By Divine Right – Post City Magazines – March 2010 – Toronto, Ontario". Postcity.com. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  17. 1 2 3 4 tiny_love (2006-06-08). "Tiny things are nice: highschool". Tinythingsarenice.blogspot.ca. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  18. ↑ Erin Silver. "Judy & David – Jumping up and down". Judy and David. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  19. ↑ "Sony/ATV Music Publishing : Jon Levine". Sonyatv.com. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  20. ↑ "A Community North of Toronto that is Home to Several Music Bands | PRI's The World". Theworld.org. 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  21. ↑ "Thornhill singer a spark for Spark Gala". YorkRegion Article. 2012-05-02. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  22. ↑ "Fred Haines – Famous Meaford Artist | Network News". Networknewsdaily.com. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
  23. ↑ "Walking Tour of Historic Thornhill – Thoreau MacDonald House". Thornhillhistoric.org. 2005-04-12. Archived from the original on 2012-06-27. Retrieved 2012-06-12.

Coordinates: 43°48′58″N 79°25′28″W / 43.81611°N 79.42444°W / 43.81611; -79.42444

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