Local Focus: Aurora & Newmarket

By NextHome Staff
January 30, 2018
by Gale Beeby

The two historic towns are sustaining gradual growth

HOUSING OPTIONSOften considered a bedroom community of Toronto, Aurora and Newmarket have a wide selection of homes for any taste or budget, from historic century homes to custom estate homes. The towns have also seen the influx of the condo boom and a number of developers are currently building there. To see a list of new homes for sale in these two communities please click on the links above.LEISURE PURSUITSAurora has its own community theatre group, Theatre Aurora, which was founded in 1958, and now is located in the Factory Theatre on Henderson Drive. The Aurora Cultural Centre is an 1886 heritage building that has been transformed into a centre for the arts, culture and heritage. Built in 1862, Hillary House is recognized by the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board as one of Canada's best examples of Gothic Revival architecture. It contains a significant collection of medical instruments, books, papers, household furnishings and equipment dating from the early 19th to the late 20th century.The Newmarket Theatre is the largest in town, with a capacity of 400, and boasts a selection of world-class artists each year. The Resurgence Theatre Company is a small professional company that is focused on resurrecting the classics and has an annual Shakespearean production in the Fairly Lake Conservation Area.Newmarket is home to the Newmarket Hurricanes, who compete in the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. Their main rivals are the Aurora Tigers.There are several golf courses in the area, including Silver Lake Golf Course, St. Andrew's Valley, Highland Gate Golf Club, Westview Golf Club, Magna Golf Club, Beacon Hill Golf Club.PARKS & RECAurora has over 65 parks encompassing more than 700 acres. Connecting many of the parks is a trail system of about 25 kilometres for joggers, hikers and cross-country skiers. There is also an emerging community bicycle path network. The Holland River Valley Trail, designed in 2000 as part of the regional Nokiidaa Trail, passes through a natural valley of mixed forests, meadows and wetland habitats. The McKenzie Marsh, Salamander Pond and Willow Farm Pond are some of the natural areas in Aurora. Mature forest trails can also be accessed in Case Woodlot and Sheppard's Bush as well as the urban and rural sections of the Oak Ridges Trail.Newmarket has over 45 parks with over 800 acres of parkland, including picnic areas, walking trails, playgrounds, soccer pitches, tennis courts, basketball courts and baseball diamonds. Fairy Lake was created when a dam was built on the East Holland River in 1801. The Mabel Davis Conservation Area has 1,400 metres of trails along the east and west sides of the East Holland River.RETAIL THERAPYAurora and Newmarket both have fabulous historic downtowns that offer many unique boutiques, antique shops, restaurants and cafés. Aurora's downtown is known for its home decor stores. In nearby Newmarket, the Upper Canada Mall is a high-end centre with over 300 stores and services.EASY ACCESSAurora and Newmarket are connected to Toronto by Highway 404, which then connects with Highways 407 and 401. Public transit is provided by York Region Transit, which operates the Viva Blue bus rapid transit route from Newmarket to the Finch Bus Terminal. Commuter train and bus service is operated by GO Transit.

BY THE NUMBERS

Aurora population: 53,210Newmarket population: 80,400Aurora walk scores: 47Newmarket walk scores: 50Aurora.caNewmarket.ca

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