Showing posts with label travel guide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel guide. Show all posts

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Understanding What Makes Up the Greater Toronto Area

City of Toronto - 2015

Which Towns & Cities Make Up the Greater Toronto Area?

If you're planning to visit or move to Toronto, you'll find the information here to be a useful, educational guide.
The "Greater Toronto Area", known to local residents as the "GTA", is the largest metropolitan area in Canada.
When we speak about the "GTA" we are referring to the City of Toronto and the four surrounding regions of York, Durham, Halton & Peel. Within these Regions are various town's, cities, and rural communities.

York Region - Communities in York

AURORA - Slogan: "You're in Good Company" The Town of Aurora is situated on rolling hills of Oak Ridges Moraine, just 30 minutes north of Toronto. Population in 2010 approximately 53,000.
EAST GWILLIMBURY - Slogan: "Thinking Green" The Town of East Gwillimbury is located on the East Holland River. It encompasses the Villages of Holland Landing, Queensville, Sharon & Mount Albert. Population as of 2011 approximately 22,473.
GEORGINA - The Town of Georgina is the northernmost municipality in the Region of York
Humber Bay Shores - Condos - City of Toronto
. It's incorporated as a Town, but operates as a Township where several surrounding communities share an Administrative Council. These communities include; Keswick, Sutton, Jackson's Point, Pefferlaw, Port Bolster, Udora and Willow Beach. The population as of 2011 was approximately 43,517.
KING - The Township of King is known for its gorgeous countryside, rolling hills, and prestigious horse and cattle farms. There are three predominant communities in the Township of King; King City, Nobleton & Schomberg. The population as of 2011 was approximately 19,899.
MARKHAM - Slogan: "Leading While Remembering" The City of Markham is made up of numerous original 19th century communities listed here. The population of Markham, at 2011 was approximately 301,709.
*Neighbourhoods and Communities that Make up Markham, Ontario - Located in the Region of York in the Greater Toronto Area
Almira, Angus Glen, Armadale, Berczy Village, Box Grove, Brown's Corners, Buttonville, Cachet, Cashel, Cathedraltown, Cedar Grove, Cornell, Crosby, Downtown Markham, Dickson's Hill, German Mills, Greensborough, Hagermans Corners, Langstaff, Legacy, Locust Hill, Markham Village, Milliken Mills, Mongolia, Mount Joy, Quantztown, Raymerville - Markville East, Rouge Fairways, Sherwood - Amber Glen, Thornhill, Underwood, Unionville, Victoria Square, Vinegar Hil, Wismer Commons.
NEWMARKET - Slogan: "Prudence" The Town of Newmarket is situated conveniently between Bradford and Toronto, Ontario. It's located on the picturesque Holland River and
City of Toronto - Taken from Top of CN Tower - Island Airport-Left
provides a lovely balance of country and city living. The estimated population of Newmarket for 2011 is 87,000.
RICHMOND HILL - Slogan: "En la rose, je fleuris" (In the Rose, I Flourish) The Town of Richmond Hill acquired it's slogan from once being considered the Rose capital of the world. It's centrally located in York Region. It's located about halfway between Lake Simcoe and the City of Toronto. The population of Richmond Hill in 2011 was approximately 185,541.
VAUGHAN - Slogan: "The City Above Toronto" The City of Vaughan was Canada's fastest growing municipality for ten years from 1996 to 2006. There are five communities that make up the City of Vaughan: Woodbridge, Maple, Thornhill, Concord, and Kleinburg. The population of Vaughan as of 2011 was approximately 288,301.
WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE - Slogan: "Country Close to the City" The beautiful countryside Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville encompasses several area communities, with the largest being Stouffville itself, and the rest being; Ballantrae, Bethesda, Bloomington, Cedar Valley, Gormley, Lemonville, Lincolnville, Musselman Lake, Pine Orchard, Pleasantville, Preston Lake, Ringwood, Vandorf, Vivian, and Wesley Corners. At 2011 the population was approximately 37,628.

Durham Region: Communities in Durham

AJAX - Slogan: "Ajax by the Lake" The lovely Town of Ajax is approximately 25 kilometers east of the City of Toronto and rests on the shores of Lake Ontario. It's name sake is from the a Royal Navy Cruiser called the HMS Ajax that served in World War II. At 2006 the
CN Tower - City of Toronto
population of Ajax was approximately 90,000.
BROCK - Slogan: "A Community With a Heart" The Township of Brock is approximately 1 hour northeast of the City of Toronto. It encompasses several hamlets, beautiful countryside living and urban areas. Beaverton and Cannington are the larger urban areas, and included are the following smaller communities: Blackwater, Cedar Beach, Creightons Corners, Derryville, Gamebridge, Layton, Maple Beach, Pinedale, Saginaw, Sunderland, Thorah Beach, Vallentyne, Vroomanton, Wick and Wilfrid.
CLARINGTON - Slogan: "Wisdom, Knowledge and Trust" The Municipality of Clarington is located to the East of the City of Toronto. It includes four larger urban communities; Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle, & Orono. The rural communities are: Bond Head, Brownsville, Burketon, Clarke, Crooked Creek, Enfield, Enniskillen, Gaud Corners, Hampton, Haydon, Kendal, Leskard, Maple Grove, Mitchell Corners (sometimes called Mitchell's Corners), New Park, Newtonville, Port Darlington, Port Granby,Salem, Solina, Starkville, Taunton (split with Oshawa along Townline Road), Tyrone, West Side Beach & Wilmot Creek.
OSHAWA - Slogan: "Prepare to be Amazed" Oshawa is situated approximately 60kms east of the City of Toronto on the shoreline of Lake Ontario. Although Oshawa has it's own CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) it is still considered part of the Greater Toronto Area. Oshawa is the largest municipality within the Durham Region with a population in 2006 of approximately 142,000.
PICKERING - The City of Pickering is situated east of Toronto and located on the shores of Lake Ontario. The southern part of the city is typically urban with the northern part of the municipality being mostly rural. As of 2006 the approximate population of Pickering was 89,000.
Humber Bay Shores City Park - City of Toronto
SCUGOG - The gorgeous Township of Scugog is located North east of Toronto. According to "Place Names of Ontario" by Alan Rayburn, the name Scugog is said to mean "waves leap over a canoe", however other sources say it's a native word that means "swampy or marshy land". Port Perry is the main urban center and the following smaller communities are also part of the Township: Aldreds Beach, Blackstock, Burketon, Cadmus, Caesarea, Carnegie Beach, Cedar Shores, Epsom, Fralicks Beach, Gerrows Beach, Greenbank, Highland Beach, Honey Beach, Lakeside Beach, Manchester, Marsh Hill, Nestleton, Nestleton Station, Pine Point, Port View Beach, Prince Albert, Prospect, Purple Hill, Saintfield, Scugog, Scugog Centre, Scugog Point, Seagrave, Shirley, Strattonville, Sunrise Beach, Utica, Victoria Corners and Williams Point
UXBRIDGE - The Township of Uxbridge is located in South Central Ontario. The main center is the Town of Uxbridge and the smaller communities included in the Township are: Coppins Corners, Goodwood, Leaskdale, Roseville, Sandford, Sandy Hook, Siloam, Victoria Corners and Zephyr. In 2006 the approximate population was 19,000.
Lighthouse on Pier in Whitby, Ontario - Canvas
WHITBY - Slogan: "Durham's Business Center"- Whitby is located east of the City of Toronto on the north shores of Lake Ontario. The southern portion of Whitby is mostly an urban economic and business hub with the northern sections consisting of these rural areas: Ashburn, Brooklin, Myrtle and Myrtle Station. In 2006 the population of Whitby was approximately 112,000.

Halton Region - Communities in Halton

BURLINGTON - Slogan: "Stand By" Burlington is a City located in the "West End", meaning it's west of the City of Toronto. It's close to Hamilton, and a drive to Niagara Falls would only take about an hour. The city is rated as one of Canada's best places to live. In 2006 the population of the city was approximately 175,799.
HALTON HILLS - The Town of Halton Hills is located in the West End. It's a community that has been amalgamated with the former Esquesing Township and the two major urban centers, Georgetown and Acton. Much of the magnificent picturesque countryside is protected by Conservation Halton, Credit Valley Conservation & the Grand River
Taken at SpringRidge Farm - Milton, Ontario
Conservation Authority. In 2011 the population was approximately 59,008.
MILTON - The Town of Milton was the fastest growing community in Canada in 2006, and it is still growing at quite a clip. It's convenient location may have something to do with that. It's located in the west end, north of Burlington and Oakville. It provides easy access to the 401, 407, and the 403. In 2011 the population of Milton was approximately 84,362.
OAKVILLE - Slogan: "Avancez" (French for Advance) - The Town of Oakville, located in the West end, on the shores of Lake Ontario, is one of the most affluent towns in Canada. It's conveniently situated between the City of Toronto and City of Hamilton. The population of Oakville in 2011 was approximately 182,520.

Peel Region: Communities in Peel Region

BRAMPTON - Slogan: "Flower City" - The City of Brampton, located in the North West End of Toronto is the third largest city in the GTA with a population in 2006 of approximately 434,000, and has a large South Asian community. Brampton was once known as the "Flower Town of Canada" because of it's large Greenhouse industry. Today Brampton's economic industries include, manufacturing, sciences, retail, logistics, and more.
CALEDON - The Town of Caledon is located in the North West end of the city, and does have some urban elements to it, but is primarily rural, and features a magnificent picturesque countryside. Some of the wealthiest citizens own estates in Caledon. Caledon is actually an amalgamation of urban areas, hamlets, and villages.The major urban center in Caledon, is Bolton. These are the smaller communities in Caledon: Albion, Alloa, Alton, Belfountain, Boston Mills, Brimstone, Caledon, Caledon East,Caledon village Campbells Cross, Castlederg, Cataract, Cedar Meadows, Cedar Mills, Cheltenham, Claude, Coulterville, Ferndale, Forks of the Credit, The Grange, Humber, Humber Grove, Inglewood, Kilmanagh, Lockton, Mayfield West, Macville, Melville, McLeodville, Mono Mills, Mono Road, New Glasgow, Palgrave, Queensgate, Rockside, Rosehill, Sandhill, Silver Creek, Sleswick, Sligo, Snelgrove, Stonehart, Taylorwoods, Terra Cotta, Tormore, Valleywood and Victoria. In 2006 the population of Caledon was approximately 57,000.
MISSISSAUGA - Slogan: "Pride in Our Past, Faith in Our Future" The City of Mississauga is located just to the West of Toronto proper and as of 2010 had a population of approximately 738,000 people.The growth of Mississauga has a lot to do with how convenient and close it is to the City of Toronto. Over 60 of the Fortune 500 base their Global or Canadian Head Offices in Mississauga. Mayor McCallion, the Mayor of Mississauga, is Canada's longest serving Mayor. She was also runner-up in 2005 for the longest serving Mayor in the world.

The City of Toronto - The 'actual city'

CITY OF TORONTO - Slogan: "Diversity is Our Strength" Toronto is the largest city in Canada with over 2.6 million people. It's also the capital of Ontario. Toronto is at the heart of the Greater Toronto Area (the GTA), and part of the "Golden Horseshoe" which has a total populace of approximately 8.6 million people. Toronto was formally divided up into six municipalities; East York, North York, Etobicoke, City of Toronto, Scarborough and York. In 1998 all of these municipalities were amalgamated into the current City of Toronto. People, however, still identify areas of Toronto by these names.



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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

A Guide to France and a Review of It...Well, More Like a Love Letter!

Why I Love France! 

I'm traveling in Europe, and decided to spend a while in France. It's just as awesome as everyone says! Well not everyone thinks so, of course, and France has a reputation for being unkind to Americans, but my husband and I wonder why. Everywhere we go we are met with kindness and people go out of their way to help us.  This is a welcome change from our Italian experience!


Colosseum Rome
Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Yes we loved Italy;  the ruins, the food, the art, the beauty, and everyone at all our hotels. But the average Italian on the street? Not so much. They all seem in a hurry, and not interested in helping anyone, let alone Americans who don't speak Italian. In fact they seem sort of angry. 

If we hadn't had our guidebooks, and my Google translator app for my phone, I think we would have been lost a lot more than we were. (We were totally lost several times in Florence and walked miles out of our way!) They are sort of rude, even to each other. Just not what I expected at all.

Like I said, the people in hospitality are generally nice. But don't get me started on the people at the train stations! (The ticket office people I mean.) At restaurants they can be either really nice, or really snotty. It's a toss up!

Florence Italy
Florence, Italy


We Love France Even More Than Italy! 

But we love France! Everyone here seems generally happy and nice and they go out of their way to help, not just the hospitality people, everyone on the street. I had 4 different men try to help me with my luggage at the train station even when it meant they might miss their own train! And the station employees are also very nice and helpful. 

Our train to Lyon broke down so it was unavailable; a train employee cheerfully informed us they would find a solution, and they did!  20 minutes later a bus arrived to take us to Lyon and he drove like a madman to get us to the station on time to make our connection. (We barely made it!)  We were not even able to get to our correct car or we would have missed the train.  

I was worried after our Italian train experiences, but not to worry.  The French ticket agent just smiled and said no problem, you're on the train and that's what counts. So refreshing! All the people around us smiled and smiled. They even tried to talk to us and since I speak some French it was totally enjoyable. 


Toulouse France
Saint Sernin Basilica, Toulouse, France

So here we are in Toulouse which is sort of like a mini Paris. It's called the Pink city because many if not most of the buildings are constructed from pink bricks. And it's breathtakingly beautiful too.  Since it's Christmas time, there are lights everywhere, and everyone seems to be in a great mood.  

But the difference between France and Italy  is that when French people hear us speaking English, they stop and tell us where to go for good food!  Ah, the French and their food. All I can say is the reputation is deserved. We love it! 


Palm Tree Cathedral Toulouse France
Jacobins Convent ceiling, Toulouse, France also known as the Palm tree ceiling

Before we left the USA, I checked out several travel books, and after my research I decided that the Fodor's ones are not only tried and true, but they are the most helpful for the kind of traveling we are doing; we don't have a schedule or a plan other than to stay where we like the vibe, and move on after we're done exploring. So if you're going on a trip, I highly recommend the Fodor's guides! We are using this one: 

 Fodor's France 2015 (Full-color Travel Guide)Check Price


But there are older ones available too, and of course guides for any country you can imagine.  So far every recommendation has been totally helpful and thorough. I don't think you can go wrong using a Fodor's Travel guide!

!  More countries coming up! Do you have a favorite European country? Let me know, as we are open to seeing new ones! 

All photos,© Heather Burns




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