On September 28th the Town of Richmond Hill revealed this piece of outdoor street art in the city's…read moredowntown village. The statue stands 14 feet high and is made almost entirely of granite and bronze is a figure to promote Richmond Hill's culture. Fitting that it has been erected in front of its shining center piece the Richmond Hill Performing Arts Centre (designed in the likeness of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto). The bronze sculpture is of two intertwined dancers on top of the granite base of ascending piano keys and is the vision, mission and passion for the last two years of Richmond Hill Councillor Nick Papa. Designed by artist and designer William Ho and sculptor John Porretta the estimated cost of the statue (with funds provided exclusively by generous local businesses - no taxpayers dollars were spent) is approximately just shy of $200,000. I'm a big fan of these sort of editions to the downtown Richmond Hill core, and I'm hoping this is the first of many to come to my hometown. Keepin' it local

Sadly this is not the "Original" Planing Mill which was burnt down 1983…read more The historic Unionville Planing Mill had been operating since 1840 and had been a working water mill for over 140 years. The site was redeveloped in cooperation with the town and the historical society, in May 1987 and it now housed some salons, boutique and a restaurant. One of the most photographed buildings in Old Unionville for tourists, locals and wedding parties...certainly a landmark!

A listing for Highway 7. Cool!…read more Where do I begin? Many moons ago, I remember being an undergraduate student, taking summer classes. I occasionally got to take my dad's car to and from York University. Sometimes, I'd be a bit daring and drive on Highway 7. Highway 7 was different back then. It was a single lane in either direction for a stretch. You needed your high beams on at 10 pm. These days, you can find Highway 7 to have three lanes in either direction and you still have traffic congestion. You have urban sprawl. More people choose to live in the suburbs. You also have more retail and urban development to accommodate them. It's an interesting highway. I can get to and from work using it. It stretches as far as highway 40 to the west, near Sarnia. I am more used to the eastern part of it. I don't visit Ottawa as often as I should. However, I am on Highway 7 to and from Ottawa. It's a nice alternative to using the 400-series highways to get there. I probably spend more time shopping on Highway 7 than anything. CF Markville, Times Square Richmond Hill, and SmartCentres Woodbridge come to mind. It's convenient. Parking is free. It has everything that I need. Grabbing takeout is also easy. I don't know why I am still on a McDonald's kick, but there are many McD's along Highway 7 that you will never go hungry unless you dislike its menu. You get quite a lot of restaurant variety, from Yin Ji Chang Fen in Markham, to Dosa Dosa in Brampton. When there's an accident on or near Highway 7, you can feel it. The congestion builds and you need to find another street that runs parallel to it to take. Highway 407 runs, for the most part, parallel to it. It's a tradeoff between shelling out to breathe better, or saving money and fuming. I like Highway 7. It has everything that I need. It's also nice taking it to and from work when I need a change of scenery and pace. (416)

The traffic...my God the traffic! This street has gotten substantially worse year after year. I'm…read moreso glad that there's a Yelp posting (however surprising) about a street. The amount of cars throughout Markham and overall in York Region has grown exponentially. Instead of rapid bus lanes and bike lanes we need more traffic lanes! Highway 7 is the "non-highway" equivalent to HWY 401. This road should have 6 lanes going both East & West...even then I have my doubts that traffic would improve. I hardly see people actually wall up and down this street enjoying their time. There comes a point where we have to accept that cars (with the occasional bus) is the way to go. Take away a bunch of intersections, decrease traffic lights, increase the speed limit, add laneways and let's drive from Brampton to Markham in 30 mins!

Happy 150th Birthday, Aurora!…read more On February 3, 2013, Aurora celebrates its 150th anniversary (sesquicentennial). The town did organize a special day of event in the Town Park where there was skating, horse carriage ride, free hot chocolate and pop corns and some other family type entertainment. It was a really nice afternoon out for the residents: young and old to get together for some fun! I have been to Aurora numerous time over the last 3 years. A lot of people might ask what's up there? Surprisingly there are tons of interesting events and businesses in Aurora that worth visit. Hopefully Aurora will keep it's small town charm as it is growing in a rapid pace. Interesting fact from Wiki: - Aurora was the childhood home of Lester B. Pearson, Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968, when his father, Rev. Edwin Pearson, was the Methodist minister. - And for Hockey Fan: Tie Domi, Norm Dennis, Hap Holmes (goalie that won 4 Stanley Cup!) and other NHL players - The Stronach family of Magna international is based here too!

Came here to do misc things for the house. Spoke with the ladies at front desk.. They were super…read morenice. All of them were welcoming and well mannered. My time here was brief, but I can tell they're a great bunch. Thanks ladies, you made my day! :)

Although many businesses in the downtown Uxbridge area close early (4 or 5 pm) on weekends, there…read moreare thankfully statues and buildings to keep you content as a tourist. My friend and I found this statue next to the CIBC branch. It was of Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Simpson Sharpe. He looked pensive. We both wanted to learn more about him. There was information about his life and tragic death, which was disturbing. He committed suicide on May 25, 1918 by jumping from his second-floor hospital room at Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal. He was 46 years of age. Sharpe was a war hero. He had won the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and was a sitting Member of Parliament. His war service took a huge toll on him and his mental health. He had been invalided back to Canada, suffering from shell-shock, which is more commonly known these days as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and was considered a disgrace by many in his regiment, despite having won the DSO. On the 100th anniversary of his death, on May 25, 2018, the Town of Uxbridge gave Sharpe a long-overdue recognition for his service and bravery by dedicating a bronze statue on Brock Street West, kitty-corner to the Uxbridge Cenotaph, which also contains his name. Sharpe was born in Zephyr, Ontario. It is now part of Uxbridge. He graduated from the University of Toronto and then Osgoode Hall Law School in 1895. He returned to Uxbridge and practiced law for ten years before entering politics as a Conservative in 1909, representing the riding of Ontario North. There was a lot of reading, but it was great learning about Sharpe. It's a shame that he cut his life short as there wasn't any support for him. I am glad that this statue commemorates his service. Thanks to this statue, the provincial courthouse in Oshawa was renamed in honour of Sharpe over a year later. (304)

Maple Nature Reserve is a hidden gem, nestled in the stretch of road on Dufferin between Major…read moreMackenzie and Teston. It's easy to miss and you'd never know that it was there as you drive by. There are 4 parking spots in the parking lot, but I've seen others park on the grass. It's a 3km circuit hike that includes inclines, some are quite steep. From the parking lot, you can take the Salamander Valley Trail, which is a dirt trail and can get a bit muddy after a rain. Once you're off the Salamander Valley Trail, everything is gravel trail. There are some isolated sections where you can easily forget that you're still in a city. There are plenty of trail maps along the way so that you really can't get lost. There could be better signage at major landmarks. For instance, the trail map indicates that there's an arboretum but I couldn't find it. It's ironic since arboretums are usually have tags identifying trees and plants. Overall, this trail is a good way to get out into nature while still being in the middle of a city.

Friend found this spot while trying to find a middle spot to meet up with friends for an easy hike…read more The entrance could be difficult to find as it's a little hidden. Small parking lot, with one port-a-potty for washroom needs. It'sa very easy loop trail with a pond and close to residential houses. Some of the trails can lead to dead ends, but there were plenty of signs by each fork where it points out where you are located so it's very hard to get lost. There were also a wooden teepee that someone built along the trail. I would say it'd take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete a walk around.

I want to recommend Canadian Visa Expert because they really know…read more what they are doing. I am looking forward to moving to Canada. They have been great about reviewing my application and helping me understand the immigration process.