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Woodbridge is a large suburban community (Estimated 2006 pop. 101,170)^[1] in the City of Vaughan, just north of Toronto. It was once an independent town before being amalgamated with nearby communities to form the city in 1971. Its traditional downtown core is the Woodbridge Ave. stretch between Islington Avenue and Kipling Avenue north of Highway 7. Woodbridge has a large Italian immigrant population. Illustration of the backyards of a surburban neighbourhood Suburbs are inhabited districts located either on the outer rim of a city or outside the official limits of a city (the term varies from country to country), or the outer elements of a conurbation. ... The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. ... Motto: The City above Toronto Vaughans location in York Region. ... Islington Avenue is a north-south route in Toronto. ... Kipling Avenue is a Toronto street, named for Rudyard Kipling, who may or may not have been travelling through on the road to Woodbridge, Ontario. ... The Kings Highway No. ...

Geography

Situated in hilly terrain at 43°48′N, 79°35′W, Woodbridge rests at an average elevation of 200 m.^[2]

The geography was mainly farmland before the onset of suburbanization, with forests interspersed along the Humber River and its eastern branch. Today, much of the area is residential with commercial and industrial properties to the south. Farmland can have several meanings: See: Farm for a general discussion of farming Farmland, Indiana, a town in the United States Farmland (cooperative), an agricultural cooperative This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Suburbanisation is a term used by many to describe the current social urban dynamic operating within many parts of the developed world and is related to the phenomenon of urban sprawl. ... The Humber, as seen from a point near the northern border of Toronto. ...

History

A map of the Village of Woodbridge from 1878, prominently showing the Humber River. Also visible is the Toronto Grey and Bruce Railway.

The community had its origins with the British Crown granting the west half of lots six and seven, concession 7 of Vaughan Township to Jacob Philips and Hugh Cameron in 1802^[3]. During the early half the 19th century, a school was built on Vaughan's eighth concession, a flour mill and store flourished at Pine Grove (situated near the intersection of Islington Avenue and Langstaff Road), and a scattering of houses arose around Smith's mill (presently Hayhoe Mills at Pine Grove). Smith's mill later became known as Smithsville, but was eventually incorporated into the town of Woodbridge. A similar settlement, known as Brownsville, came into being around a mill run by John Brown (on the Humber at what is today Wallace Street). Woodbridge proper, however, did not begin to take the form of a settlement or village until the arrival of Rowland Burr in 1837^[4]. The town's name was changed to Woodbridge (after a wooden bridge) in 1855 because there was already a settlement named Burrwick. This is speculation, but the historic bridge may be located at Islington Avenue and Langstaff Road, on Langstaff looking north. The bridge is circa 1850 and can be accessed through Boyd Park. The Humber, as seen from a point near the northern border of Toronto. ...

The Toronto Grey and Bruce Railway arrived from Weston in 1870. This line was constructed as a narrow gauge railway through Caledon and completed to Owen Sound in 1873. Owing to financial difficulty, it was operated by the Grand Trunk Railway until 1883, when it was leased to the Canadian Pacific Railway. Conversion to standard gauge required realigning some of the track curves, particularly around Woodbridge. In 1908 this line was linked to the transcontinental route through Sudbury, while the original route between Bolton and Orangeville, was abandoned in 1934. Weston is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the north-west end of the city. ... The Grand Trunk Railway (GTR) was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. ... An eastbound CPR freight at Stoney Creek Bridge in Rogers Pass. ...

Woodbridge was also served by a branch of the Toronto Suburban Railway until the 1930s. The Radial railway from Weston came in along the west side of the river, north of Humber Summit, after descending from its route along Albion Road and Kipling Avenue. Like the Toronto and York Radial Railway, the Toronto Suburban Railways was an interurban operator with routes outside of Toronto to: Guelph Weston Davenport High Park Woodbridge Began in 1894 as Toronto Suburban Street Railway (merger of City and Suburban Electric Railway Company 1892 and Davenport Street Railway 1892) and... Interurban was the name used to describe a streetcar line connecting urban areas, primarily during the early 1900s. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Construction of Highway 7 began in the 1920s, passing south of the business section and through an underpass of the Canadian Pacific. The original railway bridge spanned the valley of the Humber River, while construction of 407 ETR has undermined the banks of the river on both sides, requiring a third overpass for the railway. Highway 407, officially called the 407 Express Toll Route (ETR), is a pay-per-use freeway located in south-central Ontario, Canadas Greater Toronto Area. ...

Hurricane Hazel in the 1950s ruined a bridge over Highway 7 and devastated much of the community. Lowest pressure ≤937 mbar (hPa)[1] Damage $381+ million (1954 USD)[2] $3–5 billion (2005 USD) Fatalities 600 – 1,200 direct Areas affected Grenada, Haiti, Bahamas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Toronto and southern and eastern Ontario Part of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane... York Regional Road 7 is an east-west formerly provincial highway, now a major arterial road in York Region. ...

Hay Bailer rental, due to the cost of farm equip most of it was rented out by a single owner who employed a team of workers that would come and work the equipment for any clients

In the 1950s, Woodbridge experienced growth from suburban Toronto houses. The suburban expansion began east of the Humber and East Humber and to the northeast. Prior to the expansion, the urban area was up to Kipling Avenue and to the Humber. It later expanded in the west up to Martin Grove Road with a north to south width of about 800 m in the 1960s and to the north and portions of the northeast of Langstaff Road. It later expanded north in the 1970s and the 1980s. The housing developments in the west expanded north to Langstaff and in the central part of Woodbridge including a part which transformed older stores into smaller units of housing in the early-1980s and west to Highway 27 in the late-1980s and in 1992. The houses expanded north to 400 m south of Rutherford Road in the 1980s and east up to Weston Road from Highway 7 to 400 m south of Rutherford Road and south to 200 m north of the present-day Highway 407. The Industrial areas began appearing first to the west and then to the southwest and to the east. The housing developments in mid-1990s expanded Martin Grove Road northward. Woodbridge Highlands was formed in the northwest E of Highway 27 in the 1990s. In 1994 housing developments reached to Rutherford and continued until 1996 except for the northeast and the southeastern part. The condominiums began construction and now appear between Woodbridge Avenue and the Humber. Sonoma Heights at Islington and Rutherford and the Vellore area at Weston and Rutherford have been developed. The Vellore area includes Vellore Village developed by builders such as Greenpark Homes, Aspen Ridge Homes and Remington Homes. The Vellore Woods area was developed by Arista Homes and Fieldgate Homes. The most recent development will take place at Weston Rd and Major Mackenzie where Lormel Homes and Greenpark Homes are currently in development. This area will also include a high performance employment area adjacent to the Residential Area on "Cityview Blvd". Arista Homes and Fieldgate have also started development on "Vaughan Valley" North of Major Mackenzie, West of Weston Road. A map of Torontos Census Metropolitan Area, which contains a large portion of the Greater Toronto Area. ... Highway 407, officially called the 407 Express Toll Route (ETR), is a tollway located in southern Ontario Canadas Greater Toronto Area. ...

Woodbridge Avenue between Islington Avenue and Kipling Avenue is home to some of the historical buildings from the 1960s and 1970s, but is rapidly being reconstructed. Since 2000, there has been an increase in condominiums and apartment buildings on the historic avenue.

The population was 3,000 until the 1950s, it reached 10,000 in the 1960s, 20,000 in the 1980s, 40,000 in the mid-1980s, 50,000 in the early 1990s, 60,000 in 1997 or 1998, and 70,000 in the 2000s, in the late 2000s, it is slightly over 100,000.

Community identity and boundaries

Driving east along HWY 7 in the Humber River Valley near Islington Ave

Although Woodbridge is part of the larger City of Vaughan, few people identify with the municipality as a whole, and the community is typically seen by residents and outsiders as a sizeable city in the Greater Toronto Area in and of itself. As such, it has no political boundaries, but is commonly viewed as lying between either Highway 50 or Highway 27 to the west, Steeles Avenue to the south, Highway 400 to the east, and Major Mackenzie Drive to the north. However, new housing subdivisions being built north of Major Mackenzie between Pine Valley and the 400, have been given names like "Woodbridge Retreat" by developers, and will most likely extend the popularly accepted northeast boundary northwards to Teston Road. A map of Torontos Census Metropolitan Area, which contains a large portion of the Greater Toronto Area. ... York Regional Road 24, or formerly Highway 50, more commonly referred to as Highway 50 or Peel Regional Road 50, is a shared regional road between Peel Region and York Region. ... For the portion in Simcoe County, Ontario, see Simcoe County Road 27. ... Steeles Avenue, near its intersection with Warden Avenue. ... The Kings Highway 400, more commonly known as Highway 400 or the 400, is a key north-south 400-Series Highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that links the city of Toronto to the central and northern sections of the province. ... Major Mackenzie Drive, officially referred to as York Regional Road 25 is a major east-west arterial road in southern York Region, Ontario, Canada. ...

Home to a large Italian-Canadian population, Woodbridge has seen an increase in Arab-Canadians, Indo-Canadians, Romanian-Canadians, Persian-Canadians and Hispanic-Canadians.

Woodbridge is also considered by many law enforcement agencies and the community alike to be a hub for street racing in the GTA. Documentaries have aired on A&E (Inside Story: Street Racing: The Need For Speed) about the magnitude and organization of the street racing issue in Woodbridge.

Surrounding communities

• Kleinburg, N
• Maple, NE
• Concord, E
• Etobicoke, S
• Brampton, W (Claireville)
• Rexdale

Kleinburg is a small unincorporated village located in the city of Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. ... Maple (IPA: /meɪ.pÊŠl/) (Estimated 2006 population 49,388[1]) is a high-growth suburban community northwest of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Vaughan in York Region. ... Concord is a suburban community in the city of Vaughan, located north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Country Province Established 1 January 1850 (township)   1 January 1967 (borough) Incorporated Amalgamation June 1983 (city) 1 January 1998 Government  - Mayor David Miller (Toronto Mayor)  - Governing Body Toronto City Council  - MPs Roy Cullen, Michael Ignatieff, Borys Wrzesnewskyj  - MPPs Shafiq Qaadri, Donna Cansfield, Laurel Broten Area  - Total 123. ... Nickname: Location in the Region of Peel, in the Province of Ontario Coordinates: , Country Province Region Peel Incorporation 1853 (village)   1873 (town)   1974 (city) Government  - Mayor Susan Fennell  - Governing Body Brampton City Council (click for members)  - MPs Navdeep Bains, Colleen Beaumier, Ruby Dhalla, Gurbax Malhi  - MPPs Vic Dhillon, Linda Jeffrey... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Schools

• Blue Willow Public School
• Dayley's Mills Public School
• Emily Carr Secondary School
• Father Bressani Catholic High School
• Fossil Hill Public School
• Elders Mills Public School
• Holy Cross Catholic Academy
• Immaculate Conception Catholic Elementary School
• Lorna Jackson Public School
• Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School
• Pine Grove Public School
• San Marco Catholic Elementary School
• St. Agnes Of Assisi Elementary School
• St. Andrew Catholic Elementary School
• St. Angela Merici Catholic Elementary School
• St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Elementary School
• St. Clare Catholic Elementary School
• St. Clement Catholic Elementary School
• St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School
• St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Elementary School
• St. Gregory the Great Academy
• St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic High School
• St. John Bosco Catholic Elementary School
• St. Margaret Mary Catholic Elementary School
• St. Padre Pio Catholic Elementary School
• St. Peter Catholic Elementary School
• St. Stephen Catholic Elementary School
• Toronto District Christian High School
• Vellore Woods Public School
• Woodbridge College
• Woodbridge Montessori School (Private Elementary)
• Woodbridge Public School

In addition, at least 200-250 boys from Woodbridge, Kleinburg, and King City attend St. Michael's College School for grades 7-12 each year using private busing as transportation. Emily Carr Secondary School is a high school in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Vaughan. ... Father Bressani Catholic High School is a high school in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada operated by the York Catholic District School Board. ... // Holy Cross Catholic High School was first established in September 1986 to serve West Woodbridge located in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. ... St. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Woodbridge College was originally founded in 1958, then known as Woodbridge High School. ... St. ...

Greenspaces

• Boyd Conservation Area
• Kortright Centre

The Boyd Conservation Area is part of the Government of Ontario greenbelt program to protect the environment. ... Kortright Centre is a conservation area located 5 km SE of Kleinburg, about 6 km NE of Woodbridge and about 7 km W of Maple in the northern part of suburban Toronto. ...

Sites of interest

• Club Links Golf
• Market Lane
• Memorial Hill with a tower
• Pierre Berton Library
• Toronto Board of Trade Country Club
• Woodbridge Fairgrounds

Pierre Francis Berton, CC, O.Ont, BA, D.Litt (July 12, 1920 – November 30, 2004) was a noted Canadian author of non-fiction, especially Canadiana and Canadian history, and was a well-known television personality and journalist. ...

Famous people

• Elizabeth Arden
• Andrew Cogliano
• Ron Ellis
• Steve Eminger
• Paul Martini
• Kamila Miller (Canadian Idol)
• Al Palladini
• Dina Pugliese
• Marco Reda
• David Rocco
• Barbara Underhill
• Mark Bocek

Elizabeth Arden (1939) Elizabeth Arden (December 31, 1878 - October 18, 1966) was a Canadian businesswoman who built a cosmetics empire in the United States. ... Andrew Cogliano (born June 14, 1987, in Woodbridge, Ontario) is a Canadian ice hockey player. ... Category: Possible copyright violations ... Steve Eminger (born 31 October 1983 in Woodbridge, Ontario) is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League. ... Paul Martini (born November 2, 1960 in Weston, Ontario Canada) is a Canadian pairs figure skater. ... Canadian Idol is a reality television show on the Canadian television network CTV, based on the popular British show Pop Idol and its American counterpart American Idol. ... Al Palladini (born 1943 in Latina, Italy, died March 7, 2001 in Florida) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. ... Dina Pugliese is the co-host of City TVs Breakfast Television in Toronto, Ontario. ... Marco Reda (born 22 June 1977 in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian international soccer player who last played for the Sogndal Fotball team in the Norwegian second division but has been acquired by Toronto FC of Major League Soccer. ... David Rocco (born in Toronto, Canada) is a Canadian actor and producer. ... Barbara Barb Underhill (born June 24, 1963 in Oshawa, Ontario Canada) is a Canadian pairs figure skater. ...

Trivia

The music video for Sean Paul's 2003 hit single Get Busy was shot in Woodbridge. This article is about the Jamaican reggae artist. ... Get Busy is a 2003 re-released hit song by Jamaican dancehall reggae toaster Sean Paul, from his album Dutty Rock. ...

References and notes

Statistics Canada (French: Statistique Canada) is the Canadian federal government department commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Industry Canada is the department of the Government of Canada with responsibility for regional economic development, investment, and innovation/research and development. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Map and aerial photos
  • Street map from Mapquest
  • Aerial photograph from Microsoft Terraserver

v • d • e Greater Toronto Area Largest City: Toronto Regions Durham Region • Halton Region • Peel Region • York Region Cities Brampton • Burlington • Mississauga • Oshawa • Pickering • Vaughan Towns and villages Ajax • Aurora • Bolton • Bowmanville • Brock • Buttonville • Caledon • Clarington • Concord • East Gwillimbury • Georgina • Halton Hills • Keswick • King • Kleinburg • Maple • Markham • Milton • Newmarket • Oakville • Pickering • Richmond Hill • Scugog • Sutton • Thornhill • Unionville • Uxbridge • Whitby • Whitchurch-Stouffville • Woodbridge

Photos of Woodbridge and its people, historical and recent

Wagon & Horse Rental, downtown Woodbridge 1875 Motto: The City above Toronto Vaughans location in York Region. ... Carrville is located at the intersection of Rutherford Road and Bathurst Street, in the Town of Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. ... Concord is a suburban community in the city of Vaughan, located north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Edgeley is a small hamlet community located in York County, Ontario. ... Hope, Ontario is the northernmost community in the City of Vaughan. ... Kleinburg is a small unincorporated village located in the city of Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. ... Maple (IPA: /meɪ.pÊŠl/) (Estimated 2006 population 49,388[1]) is a high-growth suburban community northwest of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Vaughan in York Region. ... Langstaff, Ontario is a residential community in Markham, Ontario. ... Nashville is a hamlet of Kleinburg, in Ontario, Canada. ... Pine Grove is located in the York County, Ontario. ... Purpleville is a hamlet located at the intersection of Pine Valley Drive and Teston Road, in the city of Vaughan, in Ontario, Canada. ... Teston is a hamlet located at the intersection of Teston Road and Jane Street, in the City of Vaughan, Ontario. ... Thornhill (2006 population 106,394) is a community in Ontario, Canada, directly north of Toronto. ... A map of Torontos Census Metropolitan Area, which contains a large portion of the Greater Toronto Area. ... The Regional Municipality of Durham, commonly called Durham Region (2003 population 525,000), is a regional political area located east of Toronto, Ontario. ... The Regional Municipality of Halton, or Halton Region, is located in Ontario, Canada, and is located in the southwest portion of the Greater Toronto Area and until 1974 was known as Halton County. ... Mottos: Working for you Area: 1,241. ... Motto: Ontarios Rising Star Map of York Region and the municipalities it includes. ... Toronto, Ontario (red) with Census Metropolitan Area (orange). ... Nickname: Location in the Region of Peel, in the Province of Ontario Coordinates: , Country Province Region Peel Incorporation 1853 (village)   1873 (town)   1974 (city) Government  - Mayor Susan Fennell  - Governing Body Brampton City Council (click for members)  - MPs Navdeep Bains, Colleen Beaumier, Ruby Dhalla, Gurbax Malhi  - MPPs Vic Dhillon, Linda Jeffrey... Motto: Stand By Coordinates: , Country Province Region Halton Regional Municipality Established 1874 Government  - Mayor Cam Jackson  - Governing Body Burlington City Council  - MPs Mike Wallace (CPC), Garth Turner (Liberal)  - MPPs Joyce Savoline (PC), Ted Chudleigh (PC) Area  - Total 187 km² (72 sq mi) Population (2006)  - Total 164,415 (Ranked 27th)  - Density... For the First Nation, see Mississaugas. ... Oshawa (estimated 2004 population 150 000; metropolitan population 296 298) is a city on Lake Ontario located approximately 60 km east of downtown Toronto in Ontario, Canada. ... For other uses, see Pickering (disambiguation). ... Motto: The City above Toronto Vaughans location in York Region. ... For other uses, see Ajax. ... Motto: Youre in Good Company This map shows the location of Aurora, in relation to York Region. ... Bolton is the most populated village within the township of Caledon, located in the Region of Peel, approximately 50 kilometers north-west of Toronto, Canada. ... Bowmanville is a suburban community or a town located about 55 km east of Toronto and about 15 km east of Oshawa and west of Port Hope on the old highway linking Toronto and Kingston and Scugog Road linking north to Caesarea Bowmanville since the 1950s is accessed with the... Brock, township in south-central Ontario, in the Regional Municipality of Durham and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. ... Buttonville is a suburban community that is located 9 km west of Markham, 29 km NE of Toronto, south of Lake Simcoe and 9 km SE of Richmond Hill. ... Caledon (2001 population 50,595) is a town in the Regional Municipality of Peel in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. ... The Municipality of Clarington (estimated 2005 population 80,000) is a municipality in Ontario, Canada in the Regional Municipality of Durham. ... Concord is a suburban community in the city of Vaughan, located north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... East Gwillimbury, is a town on the Holland River in the Regional Municipality of York. ... Map showing Georginas location in York Region Georgina and other communities on Lake Simcoe, Ontario Georgina (2006 Population 42,346) is a town in south-central Ontario, in the Regional Municipality of York in the Greater Toronto Area on Lake Simcoe. ... Map showing location of Halton Hills within Halton Region Halton Hills (2006 population 55,000) is a town in the the Regional Municipality of Halton, west of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Keswick is a community in the south central portion of the Canadian province of Ontario. ... King (2001 population 18,533)[1] is a township in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Kleinburg is a small unincorporated village located in the city of Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. ... Maple (IPA: /meɪ.pÊŠl/) (Estimated 2006 population 49,388[1]) is a high-growth suburban community northwest of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, part of the city of Vaughan in York Region. ... Map showing Markhams location in York Region Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Ontario Regional Municipality York Region Communities Buttonville, Thornhill, German Mills, Milliken, Unionville Settled 1794 Incorporated 1972 (town) Government  - Mayor Frank Scarpitti  - Deputy Mayor Jim Jones  - Regional Councillors Jack Heath, Tony Wong, Gordon Landon  - MPs Susan Kadis (LPC) - Thornhill... Coordinates: , Country Province Region Halton Established 1818 Government  - Town Mayor Gord Krantzz [1]  - MPs Bonnie Brown, Garth Turner  - MPPs Ted Chudleigh, Kevin Flynn Population (2006)  - Town 53,939 Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) Area code(s) L9T Website: Town of Milton Milton (2006 census population 53,939) is a... Newmarket (2006 Population 74,295) is a town located approximately 45 km north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Oakville (2006 population 165,613[2]) is a town on Lake Ontario in southern Ontario, Canada, midway between Toronto (about 31 km or 19 mi away) on its eastern border and Hamilton (about 20 km or 12 mi away) from its western border. ... For other uses, see Pickering (disambiguation). ... Motto: En la rose, je fleuris (French for Like the rose, I flourish) Map showing Richmond Hills location in York Region Country Canada Province Ontario Region York Region Incorporated 1873 Government  - Mayor Dave Barrow  - Governing Body Richmond Hill Town Council  - MPs Lui Temelkovski, Bryon Wilfert Population (2006)[1]  - City... Scugog, township in south-central Ontario, in the Regional Municipality of Durham in the Greater Toronto Area. ... Sutton is a suburban community located nearly 2 km south of Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada. ... Thornhill (2006 population 106,394) is a community in Ontario, Canada, directly north of Toronto. ... Unionville Millennium bandstand Toogood Pond, Unionville, Ontario Unionville is a suburban community that is located within Markham, 33 km NE of downtown Toronto, south of Lake Simcoe and 13 km SE of Richmond Hill. ... This article is about the township. ... Whitby (2006 population 111 184) is a town located east of Toronto on the north shore of Lake Ontario, and is the seat of Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. ... Whitchurch-Stouffville, town in south-central Ontario, in the Regional Municipality of York in the Greater Toronto Area. ...

Woodbridge Avenue (Pine Street), downtown Woodbridge (Burrwick) 1850

Barn raising, near present day hwy 27 & Langstaff

Annual Woodbridge Fair Demolition Derby