Berczy Village, Ontario

Berczy Village ( /ˈbɜrzi/) is a residential community located in Markham, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded to the north by Major Mackenzie Drive, to the east by McCowan Road, to the south by 16th Avenue, and to the west by Kennedy Road. This area is part of Unionville, Ontario. The community is named after the founder of Markham and one of its earliest settlers, William Berczy. The name can be found on limestone plaques found throughout the community's many arterial road entrances.

The Village is particularly known for its eclectic variety of mixed-income dwellings and the vast amount of green space that is found in most parts within the subdivision. Townhouses can be found all along Bur Oak Avenue, whereas semi-detached and detached homes are found on residential streets. It is also noted for the many garage alleyways found behind the townhomes and the plentiful spacious catwalks.

Berczy Village is just one of many community areas across the country that have adhered to Smart Growth Initiatives for suburban communities.^[3] The carefully planned urban design scheme puts an emphasis on open space, protection of environmentally sensitive areas, and conservation of woodlots.

History

Berczy Village was established over what was once farmland that belonged to Frederick Bagg,^[4] a prominent agriculturalist and Jersey cattle breeder, and his wife Emma. Old historical houses that once belonged to the owners of the land still exist and can be found within the subdivision. It is a highly residential neighbourhood and the construction of the community began in the mid 1990s, with a majority of homes being fully complete in the early 2000s. Many parts of the Village are still undergoing development and heavy construction.

On the southwest of the Village, it remains undeveloped and is considered part of the Berczy Village community and was recently sold to Arista Homes, Fieldgate Homes, Starlane Homes, and Paradise Homes for $100 million.^[5] When traveling north or south along Kennedy Road, one will notice a pathway to a house and barn, the Bethesda Lutheran Cemetery, and a few trees stranded in the middle of a massive wheat field. The developers have made preparations for a "tree nursery" to preserve these trees, including the "historic Bur Oak tree".^[6]

Demographic Information

The demographics of Berczy Village is diverse with residents coming from predominantly East Asian (mostly Chinese Canadian) heritage. Residents of Berczy Village also include South Asian, Middle Eastern, European, African, and mixed heritage Canadian families.

† Footnote: Based on the 2006 Census.

Parks

There are many vast open green space or parkettes that can be found in many places of the community. There are many forest groves in the neighbourhood.

The main parks in Berczy Village are:

• Berczy Park

A massive park located in the heart of the Village, Bur Oak Avenue divides the park into a north and south portion. The north part includes three soccer fields with bleachers, a playground, a circular pathway, a pond with a bridge, and a parking lot. The southern portion includes an ovular pathway with a baseball diamond, as well as a little stream with a bridge over it.

• Frederick Bagg Park

Named in honour of the former land owner of the area. Located east of All Saints Catholic Elementary School. A plaque in commemoration of Bagg and his family can be found attached to a large rock. The park is fairly small, and consists of a circular pathway encircling a small playground and shelter.

• Nördlingen Park

Found in the southern portion of the Village, close to 16th Avenue. It is dedicated in honour of Markham's twin city of Nördlingen in Bavaria, Germany. It contains a small pond with a playground area.

• Williamstown Green

An open space of grass and tall trees located west of the Williamstown Plaza along Bur Oak Avenue.

Politics

Berczy Village is part of the following political districts:

• Ward 4 in Markham, represented by Councillor Carolina Moretti
• Oak Ridges—Markham, provincial electoral riding, represented by MPP Helena Jaczek (Liberal)
• Oak Ridges—Markham, federal electoral riding, represented by MP Paul Calandra (Conservative)

Religious institutions

Churches

• Unionville Alliance Church
• Unionville Oasis

Schools

• All Saints Catholic Elementary School
• Castlemore Public School
• Pierre Elliott Trudeau High School
• Stonebridge Public School

Transportation

The main arterial roads that pass through Berczy Village are Bur Oak Avenue, Castlemore Avenue, and The Bridle Walk. Other important arterial streets include Ridgecrest Road, Stonebridge Drive, and William Berczy Boulevard.

Public Transit

The following bus routes have services in and around this community:

• TTC Route 129A - McCowan North
• YRT Route 4A - Major MacKenzie
• YRT Route 8 - Kennedy
• YRT Route 18 - Bur Oak
• YRT Route 85 - 16th Avenue

Proposed Bus Route

• YRT Route 42 - The Bridle Walk

See also

• Markham, Ontario
• Nördlingen, Germany
• Townhouse
• Unionville, Ontario
• William Berczy

References