Port Perry/Uxbridge

by Sherry Hinman

Tucked into the westernmost edge of Durham

Region is the township of Uxbridge. While it is the

second smallest of the region's municipalities, it

actually covers a large geographic area, including the eight rural

hamlets of Coppins Corners, Goodwood, Leaskdale, Sandford,

Sandy Hook, Siloam, Udora, and Zephyr. Much of the

population is spread out over farmland and, at last count in

2001, Uxbridge was home to only about 17,000 people.

Rebecca James, sales representative for Alliance Homes,

works and lives in Uxbridge. "There are three fairly new home

subdivisions coming in here," James says, "and there are

several condos. People come here because of aesthetics as well

as location. There's a lot of green space left, lots of trees, and

beautiful parks."

"There's also a lot of history in Uxbridge," says James. "In the

main part of town, the older part, are several heritage homes

with their historic plaques." One of Uxbridge's most famous

early residents was Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of

Green Gables, who lived here for 14 years in the early part of the

last century.

The thought of Montgomery crafting her books here

conjures up a wholesome image, and James says this is still true

today. "It's safe and clean here," she says. "On a Friday night at

10 it's like a ghost town."

Uxbridge is also the departure point for the York-Durham

Heritage Railway, which takes passengers on a 20-kilometre

ride along the Oak Ridges Moraine between the picturesque

towns of Whitchurch-Stouffville and Uxbridge.

Travelling east along Reach Road in Uxbridge brings you to

the rural town of Port Perry, one of four municipalities that

makes up Scugog Township, also part of Durham Region.