The Keith Davis Tennis Club in downtown Newmarket will soon be no more as the municipality begins work to add downtown parking.
The Town of Newmarket will begin demolition work on the facility starting the week of May 6, as it prepares to build a two-level modular parking structure on the site. The new parking facility will have more than 200 spaces, while the tennis club will be temporarily displaced before relocating to a new facility in the southwest corner of town in the near future.
By mid-June, the town said there will be a temporary parking lot with 100 spaces ready at the former tennis centre site.
“Newmarket has become a top dining, shopping and entertainment destination within York Region and beyond," Mayor John Taylor said in a news release. "The new parking structure will add over 200 much-needed parking spots to ensure the continued success of our local businesses and vibrant downtown for many years to come.”
The plan has been in the works for a couple of years. The town initially planned to have the new tennis facility ready by the time demolition started, but delays pushed them to shift timelines. While many players in the tennis club protested, NewmarketToday polling indicated more people were supportive of getting parking added to the downtown more quickly.
The move comes with the anticipated opening of the Postmark Hotel in the coming months, expected to further add to parking demand. The town has opened up more parking on Church Street and plans to use a multi-faceted approach to address downtown parking while the structure is under completion. For instance, the town is examining the possibility of adding a 20 to 30 space granular parking section to the All Our Kids Playpark parking lot, returning it to sod when the parking structure is ready.
The town also said it would limit bookings at its community centre at peak times and is incentivizing downtown business owners to park further out.
“We are doing everything possible to continue to support the business community by implementing creative temporary measures to accommodate visits to our vibrant Main Street, which we are very proud to say is one of the best in the country,” Taylor said.
Meanwhile, tennis players will have to use existing courts in other parts of town. The town has recognized the inconvenience for tennis players but has previously said they would work with the club as far as reserving court times.
The town also plans to address parking demand for the Newmarket Farmers’ Market, set to open this weekend, before the temporary parking lot falls into place. From May 18 to June 8, the town will be shuttling visitors from the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex to the farmer’s market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday.
“The town will continue to monitor the availability of parking throughout the summer and be in the ready position with additional measures if necessary,” the municipality said.
The construction of the parking structure will begin later in 2024 and is expected to continue through 2025. You can find more information at heyNewmarket.ca/downtownparkingstructure.
