What is an exurb?

[King of Kensington]

This term isn't usually defined but I think of "exurbs" as being places that serve as bedroom communities but retain their own character. Often they're semi-rural places like Caledon or small towns like Uxbridge but could also include cities like Oshawa and Barrie.

 

[billonlogan]

exurbs = gigantic lots, hobby farms, bedroom community, no real commercial to speak of, and few (if any) services offered. Incubators of urban sprawl. King City and Nobleton come to mind, but now they fall in the shadow of urban sprawl. Lemonville maybe.

 

[Hydrogen]

exurbs: formerly referred to as "the middle of nowhere."





Look at that; 2,000 posts. Where has all the time gone? (aside from posting at UT).

 

[unimaginative2]

Our very own Exurban Expatriate could surely answer best.

 

[CDL.TO]

LOL. I miss that handle. It feels good to be an exurban expatriate, living in self-imposed exile in the big city.

I would define exurb as "an area that serves the suburban role of being within the commutershed of the city, but which is rural in nature".

Exurbs are different from towns, even if that town serves a commuter role. A better term for places like Barrie, Stouffville, or Georgetown would be "commuter town". Towns are by definition urban in nature (not "extra-urban") and have a historical reason for existing other than as a bedroom community. Uxbridge could definitely go either way, but I would argue that for the past 25 years it has been a commuter town.

Caledon is a good example when looking at exurbs, as the entire township* is within commuting distance from either Toronto or the jobs in Vaughan, Brampton, or Mississauga. Exurb in this example would include purely rural areas, villages, and very small towns BUT Bolton and Valleywood would not be included as they are suburban in nature.

It seems that some people just feel the need to own somewhere between 2 and 100 acres even if they have no practical use for it. Don't ask me why.


*I know it's not a township, but I use this term to differentiate from the towns and villages within Caledon. Too many people think the "Town of Caledon" lies at the intersection of Hwys 10 and former 24.

 

[ShonTron]

I'd agree with CDL's definition. I would say that those sprawling estate subdivisions with 1/3 and 1/2 acre lots in the middle of nowhere to the epitome of exurbia - like those in King Township, north of Oakville and Burlington, all over Halton Hills, and of course Caledon.

Barrie is a regional centre with a somewhat self-contained local economy, except that in the last 20 years or so, if has become fashionable to live there and commute to jobs in Toronto, but especially York Region (this is why I doubt the GO train to Barrie will be a big deal). I'd consider Nobleton to be exurban (there was very little to that village until the 1980s). Rockwood as well.

 

[Hydrogen]

I would define exurb as "an area that serves the suburban role of being within the commutershed of the city, but which is rural in nature".
[/SIZE].

As much I agree with your definition, it's too long. I'm sticking with "middle of nowhere."

 

[CDL.TO]

If Palgrave is the middle of nowhere, then what on earth is Hearst, Dryden, or the Toronto Zoo?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Exurbia isn't rural towns, it's just suburban developments that are so awful, they can't even be called suburbia as an adma-esque term of endearment. They're farther out than they should be - thankfully, Toronto doesn't have a huge amount of leapfrogging exurbia - and contain no stores, no schools, no nothing, other than houses or maybe secluded office parks.

 

[gboykovekin]

My familial home town of East Gwillimbury.

 

[Hydrogen]

If Palgrave is the middle of nowhere, then what on earth is Hearst, Dryden, or the Toronto Zoo?

I make no distictions with respect to my snobbish urban-based geographic referencing - although I'd say the Zoo is almost in the middle of nowhere.

Not to say that "nowhere" is bad. Some of my best holidays have occured out there.

There are still plenty of people who have an odd reaction to the word "exurbia." They might be confusing it with a skin problem.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Exurbs-they exist all over North America!

Everyone: An exurb to me is a more recent suburban subdivision that is further away from a central city then older closer-in suburbs-due to modern day suburban sprawl. They exist around the perimeter of metropolitan areas in North America-some come to mind like a large percentage of Long Island and the Los Angeles areas as well as more recent exurbs around Atlanta and outer areas of Chicagoland - especially the S and W area I know of.

It really gets me when people would trade-I am using Chicago as an example since I have relatives there-a decent house in a stable City neighborhood for living in a McMansion in a far-out exurb with a longer traffic-prone commute as well as needing a car for basic existence-no amenities of any type is within walking distance. Older cities and towns-and older housing construction-has much more appeal to me then any McMansion anyday.

Ontario has some smaller cities and towns that look quite nice-and have much more liveable appeal to me. With the increasing price of oil as an example we should be looking at places to live where a car is not as much of a necessity as it were if we were living in a far away exurb. The exurb way of life has no appeal to me personally. LI MIKE

 

[CDL.TO]

When I was living in exurbia the house across the street would have two cars leave every day by 7am and two cars would pull back in to the driveway around 9-10pm. I believe the father worked in downtown TO. Even then, it really seemed like no way to live your life. Sure they got to enjoy the pleasures of the countryside on the weekends, but their kids must have practically lived their lives in daycare.