# Markham Village

Markham Village (2006 population 6,090) is the historic town centre of Markham, Ontario, Canada. Originally settled in 1825, the village, which was originally named Reesorville (in reference to the Reesor family of settlers) sometime after 1804 and also known as Mannheim (likely after Mannheim, Germany), was founded by Mennonites from Upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Eventually, as Upper Canada (now Ontario) started to experience immigration from the British Isles, Markham would experience significant growth. By 1825, the name "Markham" was established as the permanent name. In 1850, it was established as a police village, and in 1873 was fully incorporated as a village within York County. Markham was amalgamated with the surrounding Markham Township, which included the villages of Unionville and Thornhill in 1971, and incorporated as a town.
As the name implies, Markham Village was the city's original downtown. It was also the only small historic urban village within an amalgamated suburban city in the Greater Toronto Area well offset from the centre of its present municipality and not being the obvious core to have its status as the official downtown. However, being small and becoming largely relegated to being a community node near the far eastern part of the amalgamated municipality's urban area as development progressed over the years, that changed when the city decided a larger, more centrally-located downtown was needed. The new downtown began development in the early 2010's southwest of Unionville.

## Population

As of 2011, Markham Village has a population of 3397 compared to 3418 in 2006 (Census/NHS 2011, Census 2006). This decrease in population is likely due to aging demographics and the lack of major new developments in the area.

## Markham Village Community Centre

Markham Village Community Centre is located on the southeast corner of Main Street Markham and Highway 7 (originally named Wellington Street). It was the former site of the Markham Fair and (William Armstrong's and later Robert Goodfellow Armstrong's) Wellington Hotel. The community centre features a library (c. 1981 and renovated 2009), community rooms (above rink) and indoor ice rink (c. 1963 with rink seating for 450 originally for hockey and now home to skating club). and drop off recycling centre. The community centre is configured on a north-south axis, where as the old Agricultural Hall was east-west with much of it now occupied by the current day parking lot.

## Veterans Square and Cenotaph

In the southwest corner of Main Street Markham and Highway 7 is the Markham Cenotaph. The area is used for annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Built in 1981 by Phillip Carter, the current memorial was re-vamped (2017-2018) with a new Veterans Square and Cenotaph which features an obelisk-like cenotaph and dedicated to the men and women who fought for Canada's freedom. An earlier memorial by Rebecca Sisler (c. 1967) was moved indoors into the community centre in 1996.

## Main Street Markham Farmers’ Market

From early May to early October a farmers market is set up along Robinson Street just west of Main Street. The market features local products and live entertainment and runs every Saturday from 8am to 1pm from May to October.

## Education

Markham Village is home to one of York Region's oldest schools. Opened as SS #17 in 1846 (later as SS #15), it became Markham Village Public School in 1886 and currently as Franklin Street Public School since early 1960s.

## Transportation

Public transit options are mostly limited by major arterial roads serving Markham Village:
* Highway 7 - York Region Transit Route 1 Highway 7 (East) and Viva Purple
* 16th Avenue - YRT Route 16 16th Avenue, 41 Markham Local, 301 Brother Andre C.H.S.
* Main Street - Toronto Transit Commission Route 102D Markham Rd. with limited stops along the route
There are two routes serving both Markham and Mount Joy GO Stations:
* YRT Route 201 Markham GO Shuttle - runs partially on 16th Avenue and Main Street with rest of route on side streets
* YRT Route 301 Markham Express - runs partially on 16th Avenue and Main Street with rest of route on side streets
Three routes provides transit to students during school year with limited runs weekdays in the morning and afternoon:
* YRT Route 406 - routing on side streets in Markham Village
* YRT Route 410 - routing partially on 16th Avenue and rest on side streets within and beyond Markham Village
* YRT Route 411 Markham District H.S. - route on side streets to the east of Main Street and bypassing 16th Avenue and Highway 7
Markham GO Station is the only stop on the Stouffville line within Markham Village. GO bus routes 54, 70A, 70C, 71C, 71E also has limited service to the station.

## Markham Santa Claus Parade

Markham Santa Claus Parade has been held in Markham Village in the month of November since 1972. The parade route begins just east of Main Street on Highway 7 and runs north along Main Street to 16th Avenue. The parade is hosted by Rotary Club of Markham and Markham-Unionville Rotary Club. The parade has been cancelled for 2020 and 2021.

## Markville

The area between just east of Kennedy Road to just west of Robinson Creek/Main Street Markham is referred to as Markville or Raymerville – Markville East. It is not formally recognized by the City nor in most maps and included as informally within Markham Village.