Markham GTA Centre | ?m | ?s | GTA S. and E. | BBB

Markham VIP said:
Not that far my friend....it's more or less the geographic centre of the GTA!
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They gta is simply sprawl with a few hubs like MCC VCC and the new Markham development. But it's still sprawl. I'm not even old (in my 30s) and I remember when nothing was past finch. Highway 7 is far. Even if you don't think it is by kms it definitely is. 40mins by go train to downtown is far. You can get downtown from Kennedy, Kipling, downsview, or finch in less time with a ton of stops. But that's my opinion and obviously alot of ppl are moving to these places. I'm just not as optimistic as you that they will he sustainable in 50yrs.
 
sixrings said:
Yonge is the Centre Not Kennedy or warden.
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Markham borders Yonge.
If you hop on the 407 from Yonge you can exit at Warden in less than 2 minutes, right at the doorsteps of Downtown Markham.
VIVA rapidway along Hwy 7 will also be completed by 2015 from Yonge to Downtown Markham.
 
Isn't richmondhill at yonge? You have very optimistic calculations about how long it takes to travel in your city whether it be by Go or by car. That's what all 905ers tell themselves. "were just 10 mind from Toronto". Maybe 10 mind from the border but another 30 to the core.
 
sixrings said:
Isn't richmondhill at yonge? You have very optimistic calculations about how long it takes to travel in your city whether it be by Go or by car. That's what all 905ers tell themselves. "were just 10 mind from Toronto". Maybe 10 mind from the border but another 30 to the core.
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You obviously are not familiar with this part of the GTA.
Markham borders Yonge from Steeles to Hwy 7.
Richmond Hill is North of Hwy 7.
And have you ever driven on the 407 from Yonge to Warden...I'm not kidding when I say less than 2 minutes.
Lastly, this is the 21st century my friend and the world is growing outside of the Toronto borders. People are moving to other parts of the GTA at an exceptional rate. Just like you don't recognize the GTA from 30 years ago, the same will also be true 30 years from now.
 
This is such a silly conversation ...

With both parties taking it to the extreme.


Everyone should take a step back ... a lot of the population growth is going to take place in the 905; Downtown Markham, and other similar developments are the best way to handle this, Downtown Markham is good for the entire GTA.

Of course it'll never be like a 'real' downtown of a large city, the population estimates for both total residential and commercial even at full build out 30 years from now pale in comparison to say downtown Toronto, or that of most large cities in Canada.


The direct comparison to make here is clear, MCC ... interestingly the densities are very similar (actually MCC is projected to be higher in 2020) also MCC has quite a bit more land mass and a lot more employment - even today. The total amount of office space for the downtown precient in Markham is around 3 million (The greater Markham area i.e. along Hi-way 7 has appropriately another 10 million today, this number will grow as well) ... it used to be more but they've already reduced it and I wouldn't be surprised if that number falls further. The retail space is similar, which is very impressive, but compares to Square One.

So this is a chance to do MCC and SCC properly ! What I imagine here is flavours of NYCC on a larger scale ... if Markham can achieve that it'll be great ...

I'm not sure why some view this as negative, it'll be good for the entire region.
 
What I like about Markham Centre is that you will have "downtown-style" retail, a relatively major mall just down the street (Markville, which is renovating extensively), small-town type retail up the street in old Unionville (and to the east in Main Street Markham), big box shopping to the west, and very easy access to Pacific Mall/Market Village and First Markham Place. I don't think it's the geographic centre of the GTA, but I think it offers more variety -- at least in terms of shopping -- than MCC, which is so focused on the mall.
 
valkoholic said:
Good lord, that's not even close to true.
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The first time I heard that Markham was the geographic centre of the GTA was around mid April in the discussion about the GTA casino. I questioned it at the time and received some clarification from the geographer that was supporting that theory:

TOareaFan said:
Bit off topic but I am intrigued by the idea of Markham as the geographic centre of the GTA.....is that true? I have no "research" but I would have guessed the geographic Centre would have been nearer, say, 407 and somewhere between 400 and 427

I alwaysthink of Markham as east of centre.....btw, I think the east end has a gambling facility too....I heard a radio ad for the slots at Ajax Downs
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Markham VIP said:
When I say geographic centre....that is a term that i use loosely.
Markham is....more or less....the centre, but the same argument could maybe be made for Vaughn or Richmond Hill.
Just google map of GTA and you will see what i mean.

Regardless of whether or not it is the centre....the point is that Peel Region is not the most strategic place for a casino. There are over a million people in York Region that are currently being underserviced in terms of gaming facilities.
Peel Region already has Woodbine, and you are correct, Durham Region has OLG Slots too.
But what about York Region with a population of over 1 mil?
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There may be, either, some doubt as to its status as the geographic centre or it may just be poetic license being exercised.
 
TOareaFan said:
I really admire your enthusiasm for your community but some of your comments really show it as nothing more than that.

People will only use the GO Train from Union if it is where they are going back to later. Use me as an example.....I am a fairly typical downtown worker....I sometimes use GO and sometimes drive.....but I live on a different line. If I was going to a game or show at your new rink there is no way I would take the train from Union to Unionville (38 minutes BTW) just so I can retrace that path and still be nowhere close to home (or face some multi-system.....multiple-transfer....many stop.....long bus ride home). On those days I would definitely drive to work and drive to the event after work. Even today I have friends/co-workers who live in Oakville that commute by train every day BUT only drive when they are going to the ACC after work because they want the flexibility post-event that transit does not offer.....if that is happening now at transit friendly ACC imagine your new GTA Centre!

If it gets built it will be lovely....but they had better plan for a lot more than 4k cars a night.
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While I agree with you point, I think that your scenario illustrates just how important a 407 rapidway (or whatever we want to call it) will be to this arena. In your scenario a 407 route would easily connect with 3 existing GO lines, and less conveniently connect with 2 others. So basically unless you lived along one of the lakeshore lines you could get back to your original GO line by using the 407.
 
Woodbridge_Heights said:
While I agree with you point, I think that your scenario illustrates just how important a 407 rapidway (or whatever we want to call it) will be to this arena. In your scenario a 407 route would easily connect with 3 existing GO lines, and less conveniently connect with 2 others. So basically unless you lived along one of the lakeshore lines you could get back to your original GO line by using the 407.
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That is true....I am just a lot less optimistic that people will take a train to work.....then a train to Markham after work....enjoy their event then take a bus to a train that takes them back to their car.

I might do it....and I imagine that there are people on these boards that might do it....but I think the majority would just say "today I will drive, because I am going to the GTA Centre {as opposed to the centre of the GTA ;) } after work for that event".

Like I said, I know multiple people who live in Oakville, where there are already all day two way trains....who use those trains every day for work but abandon them when they have tickets to something at the ACC after work.
 
In terms of the geographical centre of the urban area of the GTA, Yonge and Steeles maybe?

If you did one of those fancy population-weighted maps, the centre would probably be in central Etobicoke given the western suburbs are more populous.

If you weighted the map by income, Markham Centre would be more central though (see page 10): http://www.toronto.ca/demographics/pdf/2006_income_and_shelter_costs_briefingnote.pdf

Looking at that map, you can see that the highest incomes are nearby or are, for the most part, connected via the 407. Within the 416 (map on page 12), much of the wealth is along the DVP, which is also well connected to the 407, obviously.

This arena isn't being built as a low-cost alternative to the ACC (as someone suggested earlier in the thread); it's being built near the highest levels of disposable income.
 
sixrings said:
Is anyone here from mississauga jealous this isn't happening in their back yard. My in laws are near square one and although there are something like 30 buildings being built in MCC there is nothing entertainment wise as good as this. Maybe Markham should have gotten the casino and Sauga the rink.
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I'm no hockey fan and being from Mississauga have the same bias, but I really think it makes more sense in the MCC than any of the other 'burbs'. That said, the private developers and Markham council have stepped up to the plate, where Mississauga has not, so unless one of our own local powerbrokers with NHL connections comes to the plate with an equivalent, it won't be happening here.

It would accelerate the Downtown21 plan in terms of dollars and visitors, to be sure, and the growing skyline of Mississauga is actually something they would bother to show on TV.
 
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