Some Newmarket residents expressed concern with traffic and parking issues that could come with a proposed 392-unit apartment complex on Cane Parkway.
The Town of Newmarket held a public meeting for the proposed three-apartment development at the corner of Cane Parkway and Mulock Drive. The proposal for 392 units by Algibon Investments will be located next to an existing car dealership and has been in the works for a couple of years.
Several residents raised concerns about how traffic might flow from the facility, particularly through the residential William Roe Boulevard. Resident Neil Pickrell said increased traffic will be a natural part of this project.
“There is going to be traffic ... You got to be aware of that,” Pickrell said, adding that people will likely want to avoid the major routes like Mulock Street and Yonge Street if they can. “Nobody wants Mulock and Yonge Street. They’ll take our route.”
The proposed apartment buildings would range in height from six to eight storeys, with the 392 units having one to three bedrooms. There would be 473 vehicle parking spaces, as well as retail space on the ground floor of the buildings.
Groundswell Urban Planning president Brad Rogers said the developer currently owns the nearby car dealership. The total proposed area for the apartment buildings is 3.7 acres, stretching along Cane Parkway to the corner of Mulock Drive.
Resident Valerie Luttrell also raised concerns about the potential traffic impacts for the site and the number of vehicle parking spots relative to units.
"There is a lot of traffic on these roads, and this will just add to it, especially on the main intersection of William Roe (Boulevard) and Cane (Parkway)," she said.
Vehicle access on Mulock would be limited, Rogers said, with the desire to keep residential separated from the business traffic of the neighbouring Volvo dealership.
But he said the access from Cane Parkway would be full movement, with vehicles able to turn left and right.
He added the "great percentage of the traffic" that leaves the development would likely turn left on Cane to access Mulock.
Newmarket Councillor Victor Woodhouse asked about the possibility of smaller, more affordable suites in the development.
“Housing is an issue, not just within our community, but within our province,” Woodhouse said. “We are, as a community, certainly committed to providing housing.”
Rogers responded that purpose-built rental is being considered in all three buildings in the proposal.
“The struggle our clients are facing these days is the cost of construction versus the affordability issues that people have nowadays,” he said.
Asked by Woodhouse about timelines, Rogers said the developer plans to build the first building as soon as possible. He said if all goes well and a building permit is issued, construction could start in the spring of 2025, with buildings of this nature taking 24 to 30 months to construct.
Taylor noted that this meeting is meant to get public input, with lots of process left to go before any approval happens.
Director of planning Jason Unger said the application will be further reviewed by staff before a report with a recommendation comes back to council.
