Markham City Overview
(Go to the Markham Sport Hotels Section)

The modern history of the Town of Markham began in 1791 when John Graves Simcoe was appointed the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada. During his term as Lieutenant Governor, Simcoe's actions impacted directly on Markham. His concern for improving the military security of the new territory led to the clearing of Yonge Street and a system of free land grants, both of which greatly influenced the establishment and growth of what became the Township of Markham. Simcoe was also responsible for giving the Township its name, after his friend, William Markham, the Archbishop of York at the time.

The people of Markham were always politically active, and with the heated tensions between reformers and the family compact, leading up to the MacKenzie Rebellion of 1837, Markham found itself bitterly divided. Markham, as part of the riding of York, elected the rebel leader William Lyon MacKenzie as their member of the Legislative Assembly on five occasions between 1828 and 1836. He did not sit for long, however, as each time he entered the house, he was expelled for his republican views.

As a result of this and other issues, some Markham farmers risked arrest by openly supporting the rebellion of 1837 while others under Captain John button raised armed troops of militia to quash the violence. With improved transportation routes such as Yonge Street and the growing population, urbanisation increase. By 1857, most of the township had been cleared of timber and the land was under cultivation. Villages like Thornhill, Unionville and Markham greatly expanded and new, specialised industries such as wagon works, tanneries, farm implement manufacturers and furniture factories sprang up.  

The development of railways in neighbouring townships soon threatened the prosperity of Markham, so local business owners began to lobby for a railway. On September 14, 1871, the Toronto and Nipissing Railway Company, with stations in Unionville and Markham, officially opened its Scarborough-Uxbridge line. As first, the railway brought renewed prosperity and rapid development. The Village of Markham incorporated in 1873, grew to a population of 1,100 by 1891.

Increased communication with Toronto, however, brought about by the rail line and enhanced by the telegraph, telephone and automobile eventually diminished the industrial role of the villages in the Township of Markham after the turn of the century.

In 1971, The Regional Municipality of York was established by the Province of Ontario and a large portion of the was incorporated into the Town of Markham.

The opening of Highway 404 in the mid-1970s further accelerated the urban development of the town. Amidst all this former Markham Township rapid change and growth, however, many reminders of Markham's rural roots have managed to endure. Today Markham has a population of approx 250,000, and continues to grow and expand its community. Markham has an excellent range of community sport facilities and can host a wide range of sport tournaments.

Markham Ontario has great opportunities for sport tournaments of all kinds. Sport tourism is a part of Markham Ontario and it features a wide variety of sport tournament opportunities.