The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury:

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury:
A Growing Tradition
Welcome to Bradford West Gwillimbury
The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury offers a return to small town charm and the sense of
community and shared history long lost in larger urban centres. Our town is characterized by local
initiatives and a commitment to being a complete and healthy community, with opportunities for
everyone to contribute and benefit.
We are a vibrant, thriving town of more than 32,000 residents, who possess a sense of pride and
community spirit. By pursuing a clear and focused economic plan, the community successfully
supports existing businesses and encourages new commercial and industrial enterprises. Through
revitalization, the downtown is becoming an attractive and active place for creative people. Our
economy is guided by goals that seek a balanced and logical approach to development. A high
priority is placed on the protection and enhancement of agricultural activities and the natural
environment, particularly the Holland Marsh,
which is a defining force in the community.
Situated on Highway 400, the Town of
Bradford West Gwillimbury is only a short
commute south to the attractions and
amenities of Toronto, Canada’s biggest city,
and north to the serene cottage country
surrounding Georgian Bay. It is also just a 10minute drive to the Town of Newmarket, where
additional amenities can be found such as a
movie theatre, hospital and world-class
shopping mall.
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The BWG Family Health Centre
Since the spring of 2012, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury has
been working with a small group of local physicians and the Southlake
Family Health Team to establish a satellite facility in Bradford. The
goal is to establish a more robust and comprehensive primary care
service to meet the needs of this growing and underserviced
community.
On March 23, 2014, three doctors who have been integral to the
project relocated their practices to the spectacular new BWG Family
Health Centre. The FHC was carefully designed to be a comfortable,
light-filled, accessible space, meeting all CSA standards for a Class ‘C’
building and using materials and systems designed for infection
prevention and control.
The team will soon be adding additional services including a full-time
Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner and a part-time Social
Worker. The facility also houses the private business CML Healthcare
Blood Labs.
There are opportunities within this
facility for an additional three
physicians, and we believe it
presents an attractive practice
location for newly graduated
physicians.
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Local Amenities
The BWG Leisure Centre opened in 2012, significantly adding to the programs and services
offered by the existing BWG Community Centre, Bradford Sports Dome and other public and
privately-owned recreational facilities. The visually stunning 150,000fsquare foot centre consists of
four major components: two NHL-sized twin ice rinks with combined seating of over 1,300; a pool
complex including an eight-lane competition pool, a beach walk-in leisure pool with slide plus a
separate therapy pool; a 7,000 square foot state-of-the-art fitness centre with the latest machines
and fitness resources and a full sized gymnasium; and community program spaces.
There are numerous public and private golf courses in the surrounding area, including the
renowned Club at Bond Head.
The spectacular 42,000 square foot Public Library and Cultural Centre opened in the summer of
2011, and was designed to easily house the library’s existing collection of 80,000 books with room
to grow to 170,000. It features a community meeting room, heritage room, computer lab, children’s
area, wi-fi Internet access, 10 seating areas, four meeting rooms and seven study rooms, and
hosts numerous clubs, workshops and events.
BWG is located on GO Transit’s Barrie line travelling to Toronto’s Union Station. Five trains depart
the Bradford station each weekday between 5:50 and 7:50 in the morning, returning between 5:20
and 7:20 in the evening. GO Buses run throughout the day including on weekends. For the past
two years, weekend train service has been offered in July and August.
BWG Transit bus service will commence operation on May 1, 2014, offering two bus routes to
help residents access amenities in the downtown area as well as the growing retail and
commercial area towards Highway 400.
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Community Events and Culture
Each year, the Town adds to its growing calendar of community celebrations and events.
Carrot Fest is a highly popular, award-winning festival celebrating Bradford’s unique agricultural
heritage and community. Taking place in the downtown core, the festival runs from for a full
weekend and provides entertainment for visitors of all ages including a midway, live music and
performances, and food and merchandise vendors. Attendance for the 2013 Carrot Fest was in
excess of 20,000 people.
Other annual events include the Santa Under the Stars Parade, the Bradford Studio Art Tour, the
Family First New Year’s Eve celebration, the Marsh Mash paddling race and the Bradford Board of
Trade’s Town & Country Living Show. New events in recent years have included food festivals,
charity runs and musical events.
Farmers’ Markets are an integral part of social activity and culture here in the heart of the Holland
Marsh. The Bradford Farmers' Market is held every Saturday from May 25 until October 26
outside the Library & Cultural Centre. The Canal Road Farmer’s Market located in the Marsh at
the south end of BWG is open from June through November, offering a wide array of fruits,
vegetables and baked goods, as well as selling firewood throughout the year. Located just off
Highway 400, it is a popular stop for summer cottagers and locals alike.
Heritage and cultural events and organizations are growing throughout the community. BWG
and the South Simcoe area boast a theatre company, arts council, local history association,
women’s institute and numerous charitable and service organizations.
The Town is also home to dozens of restaurants with an incredible variety of cuisines, and a
number of establishments whose reputations draw visitors from many miles away.
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Natural Heritage
The community of Bradford is nestled in the beautiful and diverse surroundings unique to Simcoe
County and the Holland Marsh region. The Town boasts many kilometres of trails for hiking and
biking, and a comprehensive master plan to expand and improve the trail system.
Scanlon Creek Conservation Area is a 300 hectare property comprised of forests, marshlands,
glacial erratics and a nature preserve, located just 4 km north of Bradford. The variety of facilities
and programs offered at this site, as well as its natural setting and considerable size, make it a
great place to visit all year long. A trail system runs throughout the conservation area, providing
hikers and snowshoers with a chance to explore the flora and fauna in every season. In the spring,
wildflowers and migrating birds are plentiful, and the fall colours are spectacular. During summer
months, picnicking or fishing in the four-hectare reservoir make Scanlon a great place to visit for a
few hours or an entire day.
The Holland Marsh is one of the best recognized features in Bradford West Gwillimbury. This
6,500 hectare area has been important to the Town's history and economic development, and
today is becoming a more significant area for recreational use. It is often referred to as “Ontario’s
vegetable patch” because of its incredible variety and copious amounts of fresh produce, ranging
from traditional crops like carrots, onions and celery to more diverse options like Chinese broccoli,
Asian radish and water spinach.
Henderson Park is a 40 hectare property that has been donated to the Town to provide space for
active and passive recreational purposes. The Town is working with a project consultant to involve
the public in the planning process to ensure this space best meets the needs of residents.
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Healthcare
The Family Health Centre will bring much-needed capacity to the Town of BWG. While the current
number of family physicians is not adequate to meet demand, the Town is home to numerous
dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, pharmacists and other healthcare providers.
The closest major health facility is Southlake Hospital in Newmarket, which is the regional cardiac
care and maternal child care centre as well as home to a new state-of-the-art cancer diagnostic
and treatment centre. Also just a short drive away is the Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston,
which is a rural-based hospital that offers 38 in-patient beds and a range of outpatient diagnostic
and treatment services, including cataract surgery and dialysis.
Education
Bradford boasts a dozen schools covering the range from elementary to high school, public to
separate, and there are also several private schools within reasonable driving distance. Our public
high school offers cooperative education and experiential learning programs to assist students in
exploring their career options and select appropriate post-secondary education.
Just 30 minutes away is Georgian College, where students can earn a certificate, diploma or
degree on a full-time or part-time basis. Georgian College offers relevant, cutting-edge curriculum,
quality work placements and co-op experiences, and partners with several universities to provide
quality degree programs.
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Housing
New home building is booming in Bradford West Gwillimbury, with a higher-than-average
percentage of residents owning their own homes, and home values consistently rising.
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Selected Statistics
Educational attainment
Population and dwelling counts
Population in 2011: 28,077
Population in 2006: 24,039
2006 to 2011 population change (%): 16.8
Total private dwellings: 9,979
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 9,460
Population density per square kilometre: 139.7
Average Family Size: 3.2 Individuals
Land area (square km): 201.03
Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population
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Selected Statistics, continued
Age characteristics
for both genders
Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population
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Selected family
characteristics for
both genders
2010 family income
Source: Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population
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For additional information please contact:
Mike Disano
Office of Economic Development
905-775-5369 ext.1301
ecdev@townofbwg.com
or
Rebecca Murphy
Municipal Clerk
905-775-5366 ext.1101
rmurphy@townofbwg.com
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