At a glance
Play areas
Turf over a safety pad under swing sets and play structures, plus lawn for everyone else.
Moraine lots
Oak Ridges sits on the moraine: sandy, fast-draining ground.
Heritage districts
Unionville and Markham Village have heritage rules worth checking for front-yard work.
Putting greens
A popular addition to larger Bayview Hill and Unionville yards.
Communities covered
Unionville, Cornell, Berczy, Markham Village, Milliken, Thornhill, Bayview Hill, Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill, Stouffville
Local rules to check
York Region summer watering schedules. Oak Ridges Moraine lots in north Richmond Hill. Heritage districts (Unionville, Markham Village) may review front-yard changes. free utility locates (Ontario Dig Authority) before any digging.
Turf in Markham and Richmond Hill
Markham and Richmond Hill have a lot of family homes on mid-sized lots, and artificial turf in Markham is often about kids: a lawn that is green and soft in May without mud at the back door, and a play area under the swing set that drains after rain. Larger lots in Bayview Hill, Unionville and along the moraine add putting greens and pet turf to the list.
Play areas
Under a play structure or swings, turf is only safe on top of a shock pad rated for the equipment's fall height. Families often turf the whole yard and put the thicker pad only where the play structure sits. Tell the installer the height of the highest platform. The same applies to private schools and child care centres in York Region, which are inspected against Canada's playground standard. See playground turf.
Moraine and clay
North Richmond Hill and Oak Ridges sit on the Oak Ridges Moraine, a ridge of sand and gravel that drains fast and feeds the region's groundwater and streams. Turf bases on moraine soil are often simpler. Southern Markham and Richmond Hill are mostly on slower-draining clay till, where the base needs a planned route for water. Either way, keep the lot's grading as it was built so water flows away from the house and the neighbours.
Heritage districts
Unionville's Main Street area and Markham Village are heritage conservation districts. Front-yard landscaping in a heritage district can come under review; check with the city before turfing a front lawn on a heritage property. Backyards are generally not affected.
Watering limits
York Region limits outdoor watering in summer. Turf keeps a yard green through those months without watering, though it's worth rinsing pet areas and dusty turf with a hose now and then.
Popular jobs
- Family backyards with a play area over a pad.
- Putting greens and golf simulator rooms.
- Dog runs and side yards.
- Turf at private schools, daycares and community facilities.
- Commercial and office landscaping in Markham's business parks.
Around Markham and Richmond Hill
- Unionville and Markham Village: heritage districts with older homes and mature trees.
- Cornell: a planned community where many homes have rear lanes and garages, leaving small rear yards that turf well.
- Berczy, Wismer and Cathedraltown: newer subdivisions with compact yards and engineered grading.
- Milliken: older homes and townhouses with smaller yards.
- Bayview Hill and Mill Pond (Richmond Hill): larger lots, pools and putting greens.
- Oak Ridges: moraine country around Lake Wilcox, with sandy soil and some lakeside lots.
Like Vaughan, both cities fall within the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's watershed. Properties along the Rouge, Don and Humber valleys, or around Oak Ridges' kettle lakes, can be regulated; check before regrading a slope or a shoreline.
Getting a quote
Measure the area, note any play equipment and its height, and say whether you're on a heritage property. One installer who works Markham and Richmond Hill gets back to you. Published prices are in the cost guide.
Markham and Richmond Hill facts that change a turf job
Checked October 29, 2026 · Artificial Turf Canada
Climate
- Snowfall
- 142.6 cm a year
- Rain and snow
- 852.9 mm a year
- July average high
- 27.1 °C
- Days above 30 °C
- 17
- Days at or below 0 °C
- 148.5
17 days a year above 30 °C is on the high side for Ontario, so plan shade for turf that pets or children use in July and August. 142.6 cm of snow a year and 148.5 frost nights are why the gravel base has to drain: water that sits under turf freezes and heaves it.
Lawn watering rules
- Markham (Water Use By-law 2019-53), June 1 to September 30: odd or even days, 6 to 9 a.m. or 6 to 9 p.m. but not both. New sod is exempt for two months after it is laid. (City of Markham: water use by-law)
- Richmond Hill (By-law 39-08), June 15 to September 30: odd or even days, at most four hours between midnight and 6 a.m. or 7 and 10 p.m. Newly laid sod is exempt for one month. (City of Richmond Hill: lawn watering restrictions)
Turf needs no watering apart from a rinse, while new sod needs daily water for weeks. That trade-off is in artificial turf vs sod.
Prices are the same published Ontario figures everywhere on this site: see artificial turf cost in Ontario and every cost guide and comparison.
Questions people ask
Is artificial turf safe under a swing set?
Only over a shock pad rated for the equipment's fall height. Ask the installer for the system's tested critical fall height.
Can I turf my front yard in Unionville?
Check with the City of Markham first. Unionville and Markham Village are heritage conservation districts, and front-yard changes can come under review.
Does turf work on the Oak Ridges Moraine?
Yes. Moraine soils are sandy and drain fast, which suits a turf base well.