# Uxbridge (Ontario)

Uxbridge is a a mostly suburban community of 21,000 people (2016) in northern Durham region of the Greater Toronto Area, in Ontario. It has a museum in the former home of Lucy Maud Montgomery, the famed author of the Anne of Green Gables novels.

## Understand

The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge. Other communities within the township include Coppins Corners, Goodwood, Leaskdale, Sandford, Siloam, Victoria's Corner, and Zephyr.
Major manufacturing employers include Pine Valley Packaging (packaging, containers and portable shelters), Koch-Glitsch Canada (mass transfer systems) and Hela Canada (spice and ingredient manufacture). Many residents commute to other centres in Durham and York Regions and beyond.

### History

It was named for Uxbridge, England, a name which was derived from "Wixan's Bridge".
The first settlers in the area were Quakers who started arriving in 1806 from the Catawissa area of Pennsylvania. The community's oldest building, the Uxbridge Friends Meeting House, was built in 1820 and overlooks the town from Quaker Hill, a kilometre to the west.
The first passenger-carrying narrow-gauge railway in North America, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway arrived in Uxbridge in June 1871, and for over a decade Uxbridge was the headquarters of the railway.

## Get in

Uxbridge has no major highways and railways that run through it, though major highways are in neighbouring townships. Highway 407 and 401 run through Pickering, just south of Uxbridge; Highway 48 runs in Stouffville, to the west of Uxbridge.
GO Transit's Stouffville line commuter trains run from Toronto's Union Station to Old Elm (formerly Lincolnville) where buses connect to Uxbridge.
Durham Region Transit has service on Route 905 from Port Perry and Whitby.

## Get around

Travel through the town may be done on foot, but the increasingly sprawling nature of the town necessitates car travel. Durham Transit provides intermittent shuttle service between Uxbridge, Port Perry, and north Oshawa. GO buses connect Uxbridge to Stouffville, allowing access to Toronto. Some limited taxi service is available. The traditional 'downtown' is demarcated by an area known as the Four Corners, which delineates the intersection of Hwy. 47 (Toronto Street) with Durham Road 8 (Brock Street).

## See

* Uxbridge-Scott Museum and Archives. Artifacts mostly related to the township's agricultural heritage and the genealogy of its residents. The museum includes nine heritage buildings and heritage herb and flower gardens. During the annual Heritage Days festival (last Sunday in Aug), the museum grounds are host to the "Steam Show" featuring steam-engines and steam-based agricultural machinery, among other attractions. (updated Jun 2018)
* 44.1581-79.14071 Thomas Foster Memorial (Foster Memorial), 9449 Concession Rd 7 (north of Uxbridge via Main St N), ☏ +1 905-852-6761. Mausoleum built by a wealthy citizen and former mayor of Toronto, designed to replicate the famous Taj Mahal in India. (updated Sep 2016)
* 44.2031-79.16042 Home of Lucy Maud Montgomery, 11850 Durham Regional Rd 1, Leaskdale (north of Uxbridge via Main St N), ☏ +1 905-862-0808. Daily 10AM-4PM. Former home of the famed author of the Anne of Green Gables novels. (updated Sep 2016)
* 44.1101-79.12483 York–Durham Heritage Railway, 19 Railway St (north of Brock St on east side of railway tracks), ☏ +1 905-852-3696. Until it announced that it was ceasing operations as of January 2024, the railway operated excursion trains between Stouffville and Uxbridge. The museum's rolling stock may still be visible behind chain-link fencing. Uxbridge Station has a beautiful witch's cap roof. (updated Feb 2024)

## Do

* Hike, bike, ski or rire 220 km of trails. Uxbridge calls itself the Trail Capital of Canada. Hikers, cyclists, equestrians, skiers, and lovers of fresh air can enjoy over 220 km of seasonally managed trails on over (32 km²) of protected greenspace within its borders. The trails run through historic villages, mixed forests, streams, wetlands, and meadows with an abundance of brilliant flora and fauna. The Oak Ridges Trail and the Trans Canada Trail run through the township. (updated Jun 2018)
* 44.1086-79.12231 The Roxy Theatre, 46 Brock St W, ☏ +1 905-852-7699. provides Uxbridge with first and second run movies. (updated Sep 2016)
* 44.1089-79.1242 Parish Lanes (Uxbridge Bowl), 69 Brock St W, ☏ +1 905-862-2695. Closed Mondays. 5 and 10 pin bowling, catering for birthday parties. (updated Sep 2016)
* 44.1014-79.11883 Uxbridge Fair, 440605 Dufferin County Road 8 (Elgin Park). First weekend of September following Labour Day. Starting in 1886, the Uxbridge Fall Fair has been held annually. Attractions include home craft, vegetable and flower exhibits, cattle, goat, sheep, poultry and rabbit shows, the midway, tractor pull, demolition derby, heavy horse pull and barnyard rodeo. (updated Sep 2016)
* 44.1068-79.11624 Uxbridge & Area Swimming Pool (Uxpool), 1 Parkside Dr, ☏ +1 905-852-7831. Sports activity location with public pool and squash courts. (updated Sep 2016)
* 44.1071-79.13415 Uxbridge Arena & Recreation Centre, 291 Brock St W, ☏ +1 905-852-3081. During winter, free ice skating is occasionally available at Uxbridge Arena. (updated Sep 2016)

### Skiing

* 44.027807-79.0630056 Lakeridge Ski Resort, 790 Chalk Lake Rd (Exit on Lake Ridge Rd N from Highway 407), ☏ +1-905-686-3607, info@ski-lakeridge.com. Large skiing resort with instructional classes for beginners. Has a variety of advanced hills. (updated Dec 2017)
* 44.030236-79.0762157 Skyloft Ski Resort, 722 Chalk Lake Rd (Exit on Lake Ridge Rd N from Highway 407), ☏ +1-905-649-5160, office@skyloft.com. Beginner skiing resort with wide variety of beginner hills. (updated Dec 2017)
* 44.014344-79.0494098 Dagmar Ski Resort, 1220 Lake Ridge Rd (Exit on Lake Ridge Rd N from Highway 407), ☏ +1-905-649-2002, info@skidagmar.com. Large skiing resort with several classes for beginners. Has scenic trails and the largest terrain park in Durham. (updated Dec 2017)

## Buy

Uxbridge is becoming the familiar suburban blend of older, boutique-style stores in the traditional downtown, with larger, big-box type stores located on the periphery.
Near the downtown core, you will find small businesses such as Blue Heron books, Rutledge Jewellers, SugarFX candy and AudioVision electronics.
On Hwy 47, you will find a Zehr's supermarket which also sells electronics, books, housewares and clothing. Next door are a Canadian Tire store, and a medium-sized iteration of WalMart.
Other chain stores you will find in Uxbridge include: M&M Meat Shops, Mark's Work Wearhouse, Coles bookstore, Hallmark gift shop, Home Hardware, Global Pet Foods, PetValu pet foods, Dollarama, Staples/Business Depot.

## Eat

Uxbridge generally caters to family style restaurants with a few bistro-style fine dining establishments. There are numerous Pub 'n Grub style restaurants, including: Jersey's, the Fox and Fiddle, and the Hobby Horse Arms.
* 44.1109-79.12211 Tin Mill Restaurant, 53 Toronto St N, ☏ +1 905-862-0553. Tu-Su 11:30AM-9PM, Su 10:30AM-7:30PM. Housed in a restored building and features many micro-brew beers and an extensive wine list. (updated Jun 2018)
* 44.1093-79.12012 Frankie's Ristorante, 1 Main St (Corner of Main and Brock St. in the downtown of Uxbridge), ☏ +1 905-852-1011. Tu-Sa lunch & dinner. 100% gluten and wheat free Mediterranean restaurant. Everything is made from scratch and all a la minute. Caters to all. $18-45/person. (updated Sep 2016)
* 44.1093-79.1233 Urban Pantry, 4 Toronto Street North, ☏ +1 905-852-5050, contact@urbanpantry.ca. W Th 11:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30-9PM, F Sa 11:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30-10PM, Su 9AM-2PM, 4:30-9PM. Trendy casual, globally influenced, locally sourced. (updated Jan 2024)
* 44.1085-79.12344 The Passionate Cook's Bistro, 68 Brock St. W., ☏ +1 905-862-3359, passionatecookuxbridge@gmail.com. M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 10AM-3PM. All of their food is made in-house, including soups, salad dressings, sauces and compound butters. Nothing is pre-made or purchased. (updated Jan 2024)

## Drink

* Wixan's Bridge, 65 Brock St. W, ☏ +1 905-852-1222, wixansbridge@gmail.com. M-W 11AM-midnight, Th F 11AM-2AM, Sa 10AM-2AM, Su 10AM-midnight. Comfort food, English pub. (updated Jun 2018)

## Sleep

* See Pickering