If country style living within easy reach of the bustling urban conveniences of downtown Toronto real estate
is your idea of the perfect community, then Bradford, Ontario, might be the perfect place for you. This town combines some of the very best concepts of rural dwellings and yet is still located close enough to major metropolises such as Toronto to be considered as part of the Greater Toronto Area.
The population of Bradford (or more properly, Bradford West Gwillimbury) is just under 25,000, enough to make everyone feel comfortable. The town is home to 12 different schools, including two high schools. It is north of Aurora and Markham homes, but closer to the downtown core than areas like Erin real estate.
The defining characteristic of this community is its proximity to one of the most scenic and prosperous farming communities left in southern Ontario, the Holland Marsh. This name comes from the location of the area close to the Holland River, named for explorer Samuel Holland back in the 18th century. While this area may be a bit of a commute, you won't get backyards like this in a Mississauga home for sale or Ajax condos.
Agriculture continues to be the main theme and backdrop of community activities in Bradford. Each year, Bradford throws a party known as CarrotFest. This event, which typically runs for about a week, is based on the celebration of the main crop grown in The Holland Marsh. The festival includes different showings of prime vegetable specimens, of course, but also features agrarian-based activities such as wrestling, barn dances, and so on. It is currently billed as being one of the fastest growing festivals in the region!
For those with a more urban state of mind, Bradford has the advantage of proximity to some of the most cosmopolitan areas of Canada, including the Mecca for Canadian culture and style embodied by the largest city in the country, Toronto. Bradford includes GO train stations, which connect the town to the rest of the Golden Horseshoe area. If you are relocating to Toronto but are not a city person, look into Bradford.
All in all, this is a community that has managed to retain a very distinct cultural flavour in spite of the rapid growth of the communities which surround it. Through celebration and preservation, the small town country feeling is always present but without the modern sacrifices residents must make in other areas for retaining this identity. This makes Bradford the perfect amalgamation of supposedly contradicting lifestyles, the ideal place for the family who wants to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the city without the drawbacks.
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