From parking woes and the demolition of downtown Newmarket’s historic Charles Hargrave Simpson building to affordable housing, homelessness and council remuneration, there was plenty on the minds of residents last night as they filed into the Old Town Hall auditorium for the first live town hall event with Mayor John Taylor.
The Nov. 21 event was also livestreamed on Facebook and garnered 486 views, with many participating in the comments section by asking questions about local matters of concern.
Taylor kicked off the town hall with a short presentation about the town’s anticipated $172.4 million 2020 budget and the possible implications for taxpayers (2.39 per cent tax increase), housing affordability and options (“extremely challenging terrain”), and development of the Mulock property into a year-round park (full steam ahead for a 2022 opening).
“We’ve got a real treasure on our hands, it’s spectacular,” Taylor said, of the former home and estate of Sir William Mulock that the town purchased for $24 million in 2018. “We’ve got to imagine the possibilities and move into the future. We’ve engaged with PLANT Architect Inc., and we’ll be working with them to engage the public, council, staff and experts, and in less than one year’s time, it’s our intention to have a very clear vision for the park, clear enough to move it on to engineering and construction.”
PLANT recently won the town contract to lead the park development project and, according to budget documents, $300,000 has been earmarked to create the concept master plan.
Taylor fielded more than 20 questions from residents over the course of the roughly one hour and 40-minute meeting, moving between residents' concerns over clear-cutting trees to make way for development, intensification at Yonge Street and Davis Drive, climate change, transit, and the town’s temporary ban on so-called monster homes.
On the subject of the heritage Main Street Simpson building being demolished by the developer owner in early October, Taylor was blunt.
He believes the building itself needs to be rebuilt in a “heritage fashion” and the restoration work on the accompanying properties completed as originally agreed. These Main Street South heritage properties, which include the landmark clock tower, were recently put up for sale by owner the Forrest Group.
“We all agree this is unacceptable, it’s a disregard for heritage in our community, and there has to be clear consequences,” he said. “You can’t just say let’s just move forward, it sends the wrong message.”
“We want to get things moving on Main Street, we want it to get fixed, and I would prefer the consequences aren’t three years of litigation,” Taylor said. “But it’s a balancing act we’re going through right now.”
Many residents hung back after the town hall to speak personally with Taylor, who vowed to welcome everyone back again at the same time next year for what he plans to be an annual event.
You can view the entire town hall meeting on the Town of Newmarket’s Facebook page here.
