Why was Vaughan so late to develop?

[adma]

This is correct.

The subdivision at Martin Grove north of Hwy 7 was from the 80's.

The subdivisions at Langstaff and Weston started in the 80's too.

According to my 1992 MapArt volume, this is where Vaughan's urban residential boundary extended (excluding farms and exurbs). In Woodbridge, up to Langstaff Rd W of the Humber, and up to a horizontal line just short of Rutherford from Humber to Weston; Kleinburg was its own entity. Maple was confined to a compact nucleus surrounded by the Don, the GO line, Rutherford and McNaughton. Thornhill, meanwhile, was basically filled out (or at least platted out) S of 7/407.

 

[Johnny Au]

Wonderland was entirely surrounded by farmland until the 2000s.

 

[James]

Wonderland was entirely surrounded by farmland until the 2000s.

My friends who grew up in Toronto tell me vividly that driving out to Wonderland in the 90's was literally driving out to the farm. Oh, how things have changed!

 

[King of Kensington]

I remember quite well when the highway signs said "Town of Vaughan - population 29,000" and Wonderland felt like it was in the sticks.