Pickering is well known for the Pickering nuclear power plant, and the adjacent OPG 7 commemorative turbine. Several other manufacturing and high-tech firms are located in the city. It borders on Toronto and is economically part of the "Greater Toronto Area" (GTA).
The name Pickering is taken from "Pickering Township", the name of the geographic and political area until the establishment of regional government in 1974. At that point the area (with the exception of what became the Town of Ajax) took the name "Town of Pickering". It was changed to "City of Pickering" in 2000. Awkwardly, the community that was known by the name Pickering before 1974 is now located in the Town of Ajax, and is commonly referred to as "Pickering Village". Before 1974, the suburban areas south of Highway 401 were generally known as "Bay Ridges", and the area north of Highway 401 as "Dunbarton".
While much of Pickering is still farmland or wild lands, it is one of the fastest growing regions in Canada. Its proximity to the adjoining City of Toronto makes it a very desirable real estate market. Highway 401, Canada's busiest expressway travels through southern Pickering parallel to Lake Ontario. Most of the western fringes of Pickering are part of the Rouge River park system; the largest urban park in North America.
A proposed Pickering Airport is set to begin construction in 2010.
As the gateway city to the east GTA, the City of Pickering is one of the most diverse cities in Canada. It has been designated by the Province of Ontario as an emerging growth centre in its draft Places to Grow Act and is expected to lead the nation in business and residential growth over the next 10 to 20 years. Currently, the City of Pickering and the Province of Ontario are discussing plans for development in the Seaton and Cherrywood areas of central Pickering. According to the Region of Durham, the population of Pickering is expected to reach 215,235 in 2031¹. By 2031, Pickering will become the most populous municipality in Durham Region¹
The City of Pickering consists of several communities and rural hamlets. The communities of Southern Pickering are:
- Amberlea
- Bay Ridges
- Duffin Heights
- Dunbarton
- Liverpool
- Lynn Heights
- Maple Ridge
- Rougemount
- Rosebank
- Village East
- West Shore; and many others.
The rural hamlet communities of Northern Pickering are;
- Balsam
- Brougham
- Cherrywood
- Claremont
- Green River
- Greenwood
- Seaton
- Kinsale
- Whitevale
The Pickering Recreation Complex is the main athletic facility in the city. The building contains fitness equipment, conference rooms, a swimming pool, squash courts, indoor tennis courts and two rinks. There are two other arenas in Pickering: Don Beer Arena and Art Thompson Arena. The main outdoor athletic complex is Kinsmen Park, which contains baseball diamonds, soccer fields, and a football field.
The city's lakefront has undergone serious renovations in the last few years. There is a boardwalk which spans the lakefront with a splash pad and volleyball nets. The nearby neighbourhood has been converted into a nautical village with stores and restaurants.
With its access to major markets, high residential values, lowest residential tax rates of the lakeshore Durham municipalities and wealth of community services, programs and amenities, the City of Pickering is a preferred community of choice for residents and businesses and has been previously recognized by Canadian Living Magazine as, "the best place in Canada to raise a family."
Visit the cities official website at www.cityofpickering.com
