Markham

 
A technological powerhouse as it's known, Markham has been a hotbed of development like most other municipalities in York Region. In fact, the infrastructure here has finally started to catch up, with widening roads for increased traffic as well as improved transit service.

What's probably most interesting about this part of the region is the shocking amount of commercial development taking place right here right now. Kennedy Road, for example, has been moderately developed but more recently, strip malls and shopping districts have been put up here.

If you put us into the equation, Kennedy Road in Markham is also home to a number of car dealerships; this is the place where Brandon checks out his dream car from the used lots of these dealerships.

There's no doubt about it, Markham's diverse. If you look to your northeast from Kennedy Road, or down the street, you'll see two distinct shopping malls catering towards Chinese-Canadians. Of course, this is a development that's starting to become old news, but it's quite encouraging to see new markets developing here.

From the old shoppes of Unionville to the high tech galleria you may find down Highway 7, to the urban sprawl currently taking place in the north and north-east reaches of the city, you can see that it contrasts its attitude from decades ago.

Try a quote from a not-so-well-known politician from here in Markham. This civic politician, fromer Deputy Mayor of Markham Carole Bell, once said that "everything's going Chinese" in this town a decade or two back.

But wait a minute... what's wrong with having a little more culture in Markham?

Thankfully, diversity won out on all fronts, and you can see just about every kind of house and business here, from Mom and Pop shops to the newest supermarket development on Kennedy and 7.

This doesn't count the employer powerhouse that the city's assembled through the years of encouraging companies to move here. Obviously, that encouragement and meddling in corporate affairs paid out.

Through the years, we've seen Markham grow. And Markham has seen us grow.