Woodbridge, Vaughan, Vaughan
Woodbridge, Vaughan
Until 1855 this place was called Burwick. Rowland Burr arrived in 1837 and built a flour mill on the Humber River, between two older mill settlements, Brownsville and Smithsville. A second Burwick existed in Canada West, so the post office needed another name, and Woodbridge was chosen. The old village now sits inside the City of Vaughan.
Last reviewed November 1, 2026 by the York Happening editorial team.
From mill town to suburb
Burr added a saw mill and a textile mill in 1838. The next change came in 1862, when John Abell opened his agricultural works. He began with 20 employees and had upward of 200 by 1874. The village incorporated in 1882, after its population passed 1,000.
Abell then moved his plant to Toronto in the late 1880s. The City's account gives 1,400 people in 1884 and just over 600 in 1901. Recovery came slowly, with the Canadian Pacific line in 1908, hydro in 1914 and Highway 7 in 1930 and 1931. The village joined Vaughan Township in 1971 to form the Town of Vaughan.
Hurricane Hazel flooded the Humber at Woodbridge in October 1954. The river widened far past its usual banks, and people in the village died.
On foot in the old village
The Woodbridge Heritage Conservation District covers the land between Kipling Avenue and Islington Avenue, from Highway 7 north to just south of Langstaff Road. Council passed the by-laws for the district on May 26, 2009. The Humber runs through it, so a walk here mixes old streets with river land.
Wallace Street marks the old Brownsville mill site on the Humber, and the library is on Woodbridge Avenue. Further north, the William Granger Greenway follows the river. Route lengths differ between sources, so check a current map before you set out.
Woodbridge Library
A branch inside the old village, and a dry stop on a walk.
150 Woodbridge Avenue, Woodbridge
Pierre Berton Resource Library
A resource branch on Rutherford Road.
4921 Rutherford Road, Woodbridge
The Woodbridge Fall Fair
The fairgrounds are at 100 Porter Avenue, off Kipling Avenue and north of Woodbridge Avenue. The fair is held on Thanksgiving weekend, and event listings give 1847 as its first year. An older listing describes a midway, a petting zoo, a giant pumpkin contest and a horse show.
The 2027 date is not confirmed, so check with the Woodbridge Agricultural Society before you plan around it.
Woodbridge Fall Fair
The annual agricultural fair, run by the Woodbridge Agricultural Society.
100 Porter Avenue, Vaughan
Conservation land for a day out
Kortright suits most weather. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with more than 16 km of trails, a marsh boardwalk and a Visitor Centre with washrooms and a gift shop. For 2026 it lists adult admission at $8.30, children aged 4 to 13 at $5.50, and parking at $6.25, all plus HST. Children aged 1 to 4 have the Little Seedlings and Little Saplings programs.
Boyd is the summer choice with children. It has a beach-entry pool, a barrier-free splash pad and a playground. TRCA charges $26.20 plus HST for each passenger vehicle in 2026. For 2026 it ran daily to September 13 and on weekends to November 1. TRCA lists it as closed from November to April.
Kortright Centre for Conservation
TRCA education centre on 325 hectares of woods, with family programs.
9550 Pine Valley Drive, Woodbridge
Boyd Conservation Park
A seasonal park in the Humber valley with trails and a pool.
8739 Islington Avenue, Vaughan
Getting there
By road, Islington Avenue and Kipling Avenue run north from Highway 7 through the heritage district. Pine Valley Drive leads to Kortright. York Region Transit's April 2026 map shows Route 10 Woodbridge and an On-Request Woodbridge area. The Kortright and Boyd pages give no transit details, so use the YRT Trip Planner before you leave without a car.
Upcoming events
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called Woodbridge?
The settlement was Burwick until 1855, when the post office needed a name that no other place in Canada West used. The City history that we read does not explain the choice of Woodbridge.
When is the Woodbridge Fair?
It is held on Thanksgiving weekend in October. The 2027 date is not confirmed.
Is Boyd Conservation Park open in winter?
TRCA lists the park as closed from November to April.
Sources
- City of Vaughan: Village of Woodbridge history (Committee of the Whole, June 20, 2005)
- Wikipedia: Hurricane Hazel
- blogTO: Woodbridge Fall Fair listing
- Ontario Heritage Act Register: Woodbridge Heritage Conservation District notice
- Vaughan Public Libraries: Locations map, January 2026
- Kortright Centre: Plan your visit
- TRCA: Boyd Conservation Park
- York Region Transit: System map, April 2026
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