Newcomers is a regular series featuring the impressions and experiences of residents who are new to Newmarket. To share your story, send an email to [email protected]
Each morning Sonia Schnick is woken up by the geese she can see from the balcony of her Newmarket apartment building.
She doesn't mind the intrusion, she said, because she loves birds and nature — something she's seen an abundance of since relocating from Keswick several weeks ago.
So far, Schnick has seen a swan, a blue heron and possibly a fox and she's hoping to buy a bird feeder so she can see more.
"I love the hummingbirds, so I'm hoping to see some of those; I love cardinals, blue jays, woodpeckers... "
After 11 years of waiting on the subsidized housing waitlist — Schnick had indicated a preference for Keswick or Newmarket — her number was finally called and she moved to Newmarket, where she plans on staying put "unless I win the lottery."
Schnick, 60, is the youngest resident in her building for seniors, but one tenant on her floor has taken Schnick under her wing, she said, and told her about all of the activities in the building.
The mother of two sons doesn't drive and is "still trying to figure out bus routes," so most of what Schnick has experienced in town has been within walking distance of her Eagle Street building.
Schnick's neighbour is kind enough to give her lifts and since her 21-year-old son and her stepmother live in Newmarket, she's never short on rides when things are too far to walk. (Her 35-year-old son lives in Mississauga.)
She loves shopping on Main Street and finds the staff at every shop is very friendly, she said, and has even provided her with restaurant suggestions.
"I love to walk into all these little stores."
Though she can't remember its name, she has a new favourite coffee shop where she buys her mocha latte and the occasional sweet.
There's a Tim Horton's "every two miles" in Keswick and she much prefers the choice of cafés available to her now.
"I prefer these little cafés. . . instead of just drinking plain coffee all the time."
Popeye's fried chicken is something Schnick misses — she isn't able to walk to the two Newmarket locations — but so far, she's eaten at Chip + Malt and the patty melt she tried at The George Brew House & Eatery "was amazing."
Now she's on the hunt for a great burger and already has her eye on a few restaurants that she wants to try.
Schnick is recovering from a 2018 injury sustained when she was struck by a car as she left her job at Tim Horton's in Keswick.
Her broken hip is on the mend and walking is part of her rehabilitation but it's also something she has always loved to do, she said.
She can't wait until the weather gets warmer and she's able to take longer walks and explore the trails.
"I can only walk a short distance but I'm getting better at walking. I haven't walked to where Yonge is because that looks like a bit of a jaunt."
Schnick, a self-described "disco person," is a huge fan of music and has decided to start a record collection but with new records retailing for a much as $100, she wishes she would have kept the records from her youth, she said.
"I grew up in the disco age but I like the '70s, '80s and '90s; The Backstreet Boys are my favourite there."
Like many newcomers, Schnick has definitely heard of Newmarket's free summer concerts, which she said she is looking forward to attending.
Prior to becoming a full-time resident, Schnick visited Upper Canada Mall and the movie theatre but not much else. She's looking forward to making new friends both in her building and in town, and discovering more of what Newmarket has to offer.
"There's a lot more here to do than in Keswick. For me it's a little bit bigger and there's a little bit more things so that's what I'm looking forward to."
