Newmarket council will weigh putting in a new 30 km/h speed limit on Lorne Avenue.
Staff is recommending the move as part of a traffic-calming demonstration on the street, up for discussion at a May 30 committee of the whole meeting. Council will also be discussing public art at the new Mulock Park and an update to the town filming policy.
Here is what NewmarketToday will be following:
Speed limit reduction
Newmarket is looking to create a new 30 km/h street, and create policy do to this in other streets throughout town.
Town staff put forward the recommendation to do this for Lorne Avenue between Eagle Street and Davis Drive, with the Highway Traffic Act getting a recent change to allow municipalities to go below 40 km/h on more roads.
Staff said Lorne Avenue would be a test case with other measures such as bike lanes, textured intersections and signage, to help develop a policy for putting lower speeds on other roads in town.
The staff report said a blanket 30 km/h limit is not being considered as effective. Instead, roads will be selected based on certain criteria, with a town-wide public consultation on the matter also recommended.
Most streets in Newmarket have a 40 km/h speed limit. A portion of Bayview Parkway had a 30 km/h limit, which was allowed as it met provincial criterion of crossing through a park.
Mulock Public Art Plan
Planners for Mulock Park are putting forward their vision for artwork on the site.
Consultants will present to the council on the public art portion of the park. The plan includes embedded permanent art, seven public art opportunities primarily in the forest and gardens, a residency and various temporary programs to come.
“The Mulock Park Public Art Plan sets forth a road map that will maximize the benefits of public art in creating an iconic space and a memorable experience within Mulock Park,” a staff report said.
The plan includes a “beacon” permanent sculpture to be featured at the park entrance. The plan has the town featuring other permanent art at the entrance bridge, the maintenance building gates, and the water feature.
Film policy
After what it has said was a successful film production with The Handmaid’s Tale, Newmarket is looking to update its film policy.
Staff is recommending a new policy with tiered classifications that could distinguish between smaller and larger productions versus a “one size fits all” approach of the current policy.
A staff report said that "a tiered option would be most beneficial to streamline the overall process" for larger productions, if the town council wants more of them.
The new policy could use varying fee structures and streamlined public notification practices.
Staff is also presenting an option to update the policy but keep the status quo of a uniform process for all film permits.
The meeting begins May 30 at 1 p.m. You can access the livestream at newmarket.ca/meetings or attend in person at the town office at 395 Mulock Drive. You can make a deputation request by contacting [email protected].
