Cedar Grove Community

Introduction to Cedar Grove Community

The Cedar Grove Community is a neighbourhood on the southeastern edge of Markham. Most of the area of Cedar Grove is rural. Therefore, you will find century homes, farms serviced by the Rouge River, some great trails, and interesting history.

Location of Cedar Grove

Cedar Grove is located on the south-eastern outskirts of the city. Donald Cousins Parkway borders the area in the west and the east by York Durham Line. To the north, the 407, and Steeles Avenue runs along the southern border.

History of Cedar Grove

The first sawmill was built here in the early 1800s to use the plentiful wood in the area. In its busiest period, Cedar Grove had seven mills. This attracted a hotel, general store, a post office and a blacksmith into the community. The Reesor family played a large part in forming the community. The Reesor’s built their home in 1832 after they bought land in 1804 and 1805. John Eby Reesor constructed a log building along Steeles Ave’s stretch and the 11th line to serve a church and a school for the Mennonite community. Over the years, two other schools were built, and in 1850 a larger school was built on the south side of 14th Avenue. This enabled the community to merge the three schools into one building. However, the school was closed in 1966, and the building now serves as a community centre.

Cedar Grove had a very popular outdoor rink called ‘Cedarena’, which was built in 1927 by the community’s men. There was a definite need for a rink as the sawmill ponds were too dangerous for playing hockey in the winter. A clubhouse was constructed in the 1950s with bathrooms and change rooms and the arena was lit in the evening for night skating. However, since 2015 the rink has fallen to disrepair due to warmer winters causing melting ice. Additionally, the use of salt on the roads has increased the river’s salination. The river water used to flood the rink became increasingly tricky to freeze. We hope that one day someone will come along and revitalize the rink and breathe life into it once more.

The Homes

Homes in Cedar Grove are mainly detached larger traditional homes, century homes, or farmhouses sporadically dispersed along the main roads. It is a beautiful area and a tranquil part of the city for people who prefer not to have very close neighbours!

Transport & Commuting

The nearest train station is Markham Village GO station which is a 14-minute drive in rush hour. Public transport in and out of the area can be challenging, making some kind of private wheeled transport essential in this neighbourhood. However, most homes have room for large driveways which means parking is not an issue here! The roadway links are excellent. For example, Markville Mall is a short and easy 10-minute drive, and the Walmart Supercentre at Cooper Creek is a 5-minute drive.

Parks & Recreation

Cedar Grove’s Community Centre is the old schoolhouse – a small historic building that hosts community events and private events for residents.

In 2011, the Canadian Federal Government created Rouge National Urban Park, which includes the Bob Hunter Memorial Park in Cedar Grove. There is free parking and 3 trails:

• • Reesor Way / Tanglewood Trail

• • Tallgrass Trek

• • Monarch Trail

The trails all have great reviews and are unspoilt, well worth a visit.

Cedar Grove Park is another green space in the neighbourhood. The park has a children’s playground, a baseball diamond and a fire pit.

Schools in Cedar Grove

Children from Cedar Grove community would usually attend schools in Boxgrove and Cornell. Legacy Public School, David Suzuki Public School, and Rouge Park Public School are all nearby and are excellent schools. See our Schools section for more information on these schools.

Conclusion