Victoria Square blends elements of the past. Present, drawing inspiration from the hamlet surrounding Victoria Square Blvd and Elgin Mills Road, a community that has roots dating back, to the early 1800s in some form or another. Situated east and west of Woodbine Avenue with boundaries extending north and south along Elgin Mills Road this neighborhood strikes a balance, between preserving its charm through heritage inspired architecture while embracing new residential developments.
History of Victoria Square
Victoria Square, previously named Read’s Corners was owned by Thomas and Ann Read, who held land in the region. Thomas Read played a role as a founding member and supporter of the Victoria Square Wesleyan Methodist Church. Following the establishment of the Victoria Square post office, in 1854 the locality has been referred to as Community Square since.
The Nichols family were the farmers, in Victoria Square before the neighborhood was developed in 1965. They stopped farming in 1974 while their two farmhouses were kept and renovated by the developers to be part of Reads Park where they are now surrounded by new homes and have become integral parts of the community.
Lifestyle
The community hub known as Victoria Square Community Centre situated at 2929 Elgin Mills Rd E is a place where various local events take place and serves as a favored spot, for picnics among residents and visitors. Next to the community center in the direction lies Victoria Square Park featuring two baseball fields that see frequent use by sports enthusiasts. Additionally present in the park are a walking and biking path for strolls or rides along, with open sports fields and a playground for children to enjoy playing outdoors.
The Markham Arts Council provides assistance to, than 80 organizations and 850 individuals totaling over 2000 members residing and working across York Region and Ontario. Membership is open, to everyone regardless of background – the organization encourages individuals of all ages. From various walks of life to participate in the diverse range of events and activities offered by the Markham Arts Council.
Victoria Square Markham Transit
In this neighborhood there are a total of 15 transit stops available, for use by the residents and visitors. The majority of residents in Victoria Square rely heavily upon using vehicles as their mode of transportation and a significant number of them commute to neighboring cities, for work or other purposes.
Commute Destination for Residents
- Commute within the city – 27%
- Commute to another city – 71%
Commute Types
- Vehicle – 84%
- Transit – 13%
- Walk/bike – 2%
Commute Times of Residents
- 15 to 29 minutes – 29%
- 30 to 44 minutes – 25%
- 45 to 59 minutes – 12%
- 60 minutes and over – 22%
- Less than 15 minutes – 9%
Victoria Square Markham Parks & Facilities
Having a time is quite simple, at the parks around here! This neighborhood boasts 1 park with a total of 4 facilities to enjoy in total—making an average of 4 facilities, per park.
- Number of Parks: 1
- Number of Recreation Facilities: 4
Recreation Facilities in Neighbourhood Parks
- Playground – 1
- Ball Diamonds – 2
- Community Centre – 1
Victoria Square Markham Elementary, Secondary, High Schools
Victoria Square boasts elementary and secondary high schools, along with specialized programs at both levels such as Advanced Placement courses and language immersion programs like French Immersion and International Baccalaureate. The educational landscape, in Victoria Square comprises 10 schools and 8 Catholic schools catering to the needs of the community.
- Public Schools: 10
- Catholic Schools: 8
Public
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS
- Stouffville District SS
- Richmond Green SS
- Académie de la Moraine
- Nokiidaa PS
- Whitchurch Highlands PS
- Sir Wilfrid Laurier PS
- ÉS Norval-Morrisseau
- Lincoln Alexander PS
- Victoria Square PS
Catholic
- St Mark Catholic ES
- St. Katharine Drexel CHS
- École catholique Pape-François
- Blessed Chiara Badano CES
- St Monica Catholic ES
- ÉÉC Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys-Markham
- St Augustine Catholic HS
- ÉSC Renaissance
Victoria Square Homes
In the section of Victoria Square, near the church and closer to Elgin Mills are 40 heritage homes situated there. On the side of the neighborhood of the church stands a new area displaying spacious detached houses crafted from brick or stone with architecture inspired by heritage styles. These houses come equipped with either double or triple car garages, for residents convenience.