Thornhill, Ontario


Thornhill is a suburban community in the Regional Municipality of York in Ontario, Canada. Thornhill lies along the northern border of the North York area of the City of Toronto and immediately south of the City of Richmond Hill. Once a police village, Thornhill is now a community and postal designation, although its lower tier municipal governance is split between the City of Vaughan and the City of Markham. As of 2016, the total population of Thornhill, both its Vaughan and Markham sections, was 112,719.

History

Early history

Thornhill was founded in 1794. Its first settlers on Yonge Street in Thornhill were Asa Johnson and Nicholas Miller. Of particular importance was the arrival of Benjamin Thorne in 1820 from Dorset, England, who was operating a gristmill, a sawmill, and a tannery in the community. The settlement came to be known as Thorne's Mills, and later, Thorne's Hill, from which its current name is derived.
Between 1830 and 1848, Thornhill experienced a period of continued growth and prosperity. The business district of Thornhill developed on its portion of Yonge Street, between Centre Street and John Street. Stagecoaches travelled between Holland Landing and York as Yonge Street's road conditions improved with new stonework. During this prosperous period, several churches, many of which are still standing today, were constructed.
Thornhill's location along Yonge Street, a major transportation route, proved beneficial to the community's growth throughout much of the twentieth century. The implementation of the electric radial Metropolitan line along Yonge Street in 1898 running north to Sutton and south to Toronto meant that, for the first time, people could reside in Thornhill and work in Toronto. By the 1920s, automobiles also facilitated travel along Yonge Street.

20th and 21st centuries

In 1931, Thornhill became a "Police Village"; before that time, Thornhill had no independent status and was split between the townships of Vaughan and Markham along Yonge Street, since the creation of municipal government in 1850. Before 1931, each township administered its half of the village. The creation of the Police Village gave Thornhill its own political boundaries. The village was headed by a reeve.
In 1971, York Region was created, part of a wave of municipal re-organization which converted many townships into towns and eliminated many of the municipal forms of organization which had existed within those townships. The establishment of a regional administration effectively eliminated the Police Village of Thornhill. Thornhill's administration reverted to Markham and Vaughan, which were enlarged in territory and upgraded to Town status at this time.
However, many social institutions remained organized around the former municipal entities eliminated in 1971. Like neighbouring communities such as Woodbridge, Maple, and Unionville – and more so than was the case for historic suburban communities within the City of Toronto – community organizations such as local newspapers, and sports teams continued to operate under a Thornhill administrative structure. As an example, until the mid-1990s residents of Thornhill who wanted to play high-level hockey were required to play for a Thornhill team.
While the old village of Thornhill revolved around Yonge Street between Centre and John Streets, the neighbourhood is typically thought to be between Dufferin Street to the west, Highway 7 to the north, Steeles Avenue to the south, and Highway 404 to the east.

Suburbanization

Thornhill's growth since the 1960s and 1970s has been largely connected to its location bordering what is now the City of Toronto.
Growth has continued apace. Developments have sprung up across various areas of Thornhill in each of the municipal districts which encompass Thornhill, following the development patterns of the Greater Toronto Area.

Demographics

Ethnicity

Thornhill has a very ethnically diverse population. It is home to a significant number of Jewish, Chinese, Korean, Iranian, and Italian people.
According to 2001 Federal Census data, the electoral district of Thornhill consists of Chinese, the largest visible minority, accounting for almost 11% of total residents, followed by South Asian, Black, Korean, Filipino, and West Asian.
According to the 2009 Report of Canada's Demographic Task Force, Thornhill-Vaughan is home to more than 33,000 members of the Jewish community.

Government

Thornhill is split into Wards 4 and 5 in the City of Vaughan and Ward 1 in the City of Markham. It is represented by Sandra Yeung Racco, Alan Shefman, and Keith Irish.
Thornhill is also a federal and provincial riding. The Member of Parliament for Thornhill is Peter Kent, and the Member of Provincial Parliament is Gila Martow.

Infrastructure

Healthcare

There are no general hospitals in Thornhill, but a private hospital, Shouldice Hernia Centre, is located there.

Thornhill Community Centre

Located at Bayview and John Street, the community centre features a double arena, therapy pool, gym room, running track, multi use rooms and Markham Public Library branch. The complex was opened in 1975.
The community centre hosted the Markham Thunder of the Canadian Women's Hockey League from 2017 to 2019.
Thornlea Pool is public swimming pool located further north of the community centre.

Education

Public schools

Secondary schools
Elementary schools
Catholic schools
Jewish Schools
Secondary:
Primary:
York Farmers Market has existed on Yonge Street since 1953. The farmers market is housed in a permanent building structure.

Notable people

Arts

Film and broadcasting