Ajax, ON
Named after WWII Royal Navy cruiser HMS Ajax, Ajax sits to the east of Downtown Toronto and is considered to be part of the GTA. Still, it is its own city with its own charm, which includes the longest undeveloped waterfront in the region. In the past, Ajax was just a small town that was built around a shell plant, but today it has grown into a large area that is home to over 100,000 people. It has had rapid growth in terms of housing developments and recreational areas, attracting more and more residents every year.
Ajax has recently become extremely multicultural, making it a great place to live. As well, because of its recent growth, the city has developed more schools to accommodate the new residents. It is also very accessible in terms of transportation, with Highway 401 cutting through it and the Go train connecting it to downtown Toronto. As a result, it is a great place for commuters, as the ‘big smoke’ is easy to get to. There are also 12 bus routes that travel through the city, though many residents do still rely on a car to get around Ajax.
There are nearly 30 different communities within Ajax, with Audley and Salem Heights being the most expensive neighbourhoods to live in. Pickering Beach is quite an affluent area, with houses here being lined along the waterfront. Still, the downtown area is the trendiest area to live in and where a lot of the new developments are located. This is true in terms of both residences and businesses, as well as entertainment. The Pickering Village community is the next up and coming neighbourhood and is also a great area to go for a gourmet meal or to shop for one-of-a-kind items.
Some may think that Ajax is a boring place to live, but quite the opposite. Ajax boats a lot of fun things to see and do around the city. There are over 90 kilometres of cycling trails in and around the city, over 70 kilometres of pathways to walk along and the spectacular Ajax Waterfront to explore. On top of that, there is also the St. Francis Centre for the arts, the Ajax Community Theatre and the Ajax Downs. Ajax is also home to four golf courses, the Greenwood Conservation Area and the 1 million square foot Durham Centre.