Townhouses For Sale in Bay Ridges, Pickering

Fairport Village, summer cottages, then the 1960s build-out

In the mid-1800s, the Frenchman's Bay Company ran a grain elevator and wharf on the sheltered harbour here, and the village around it was called Fairport. It declined when rail replaced lake shipping for grain.

In the 1910s and 1920s, Toronto families built summer cottages by the lake, and many were winterized after the 401 opened in the 1950s. Most of today's Bay Ridges was built in the 1960s and 1970s, and Nautical Village, a beach-style residential and retail area, was added in the early 2000s.

From 1970s complexes to Nautical Village towns

Bay Ridges' townhouses span its whole history. Older complexes date from the main build-out, with the usual age-related items: roofs, windows, paving and reserve funds. The newer nautical-themed towns near the water are recent, with modern layouts and views.

Lakeside living brings its own maintenance questions. Exposure to wind and moisture off Lake Ontario can wear exterior siding, caulking, decks and railings faster than inland. In a condo complex, check how often the corporation budgets for exterior painting and sealing. On a freehold, ask the seller when those were last done.

Bay Ridges also has brick and frame semi-detached homes, ranch bungalows on wide lots and custom infill, so townhouses are one option among several here, not the default.

Living beside Frenchman's Bay and the generating station

Frenchman's Bay is the centre of life here. There are three marinas, waterfront parks at Millennium Square and Beachfront Park, a boardwalk and the Waterfront Trail. Nautical Village adds restaurants, shops and an art gallery, and the bay hosts the annual Pickering Dragon Boat Festival.

To the east is the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, run by Ontario Power Generation. If proximity to the station matters to you, read Durham Region's emergency preparedness information and the provincial plan, which includes potassium iodide pills for nearby households, before you buy.

Liverpool Road north to Pickering GO

Bay Ridges is one of the best-placed Pickering neighbourhoods for train commuters. Pickering GO is just north, near Liverpool Road and the 401, with local service about every 15 minutes on weekdays. From many Bay Ridges streets it's a short drive, bus ride or bike ride.

Liverpool Road also gives quick access to the 401, and the Pickering Town Centre is across the highway via the GO station bridge. For buyers who want the lake and the train together, Bay Ridges is the obvious first look, and it's worth walking the route to the station before you buy.

Who ends up choosing Bay Ridges

Bay Ridges draws GO commuters who want the lake as well, downsizers who want to walk to the water and the restaurants in Nautical Village, and boaters who want a marina close by.

Families often look here for the established schools and parks, and first-time buyers look at the older complexes as a way into a lakeside neighbourhood that might otherwise be out of reach. The trade-off for older complexes is the maintenance cycle; for the newer waterfront towns, it's the fee. Some buyers split the difference by choosing an older complex a few streets back from the water, close enough to walk to the bay and the GO station without paying for the view.