Residents, councillor concerned about Thornhill golf course development

Tridel bought 2.6 acre site from Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto

Yorkregion.com
September 14, 2018
Simone Joseph

Kanizehn Patel is worried a proposed residential development will increase congestion in her Royal Orchard Boulevard and Bayview Avenue neighbourhood.

“This redevelopment needs to be stopped as the area is already dense in population. It is a green space that needs to be protected.”

Patel wrote a letter to Markham council explaining her concerns.

She uses Bayview Avenue to travel from her Thornhill home to her job downtown.

Tridel submitted a report to Markham council earlier this month proposing a residential development in the Royal Orchard and Bayview Avenue area. The plan also includes a public park.

Tridel bought the 2.6 acre site from Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto in Thornhill. Tridel bought land at the ninth hole at the south west corner of Royal Orchard Boulevard and Bayview Avenue. The development represents approximately 2.5 per cent of the golf course and includes developments 12 and 14 storeys high. It will include 360 parking spaces plus bicycle spots.

Tridel’s application says it aims to provide environmentally friendly designs and practices including a green roof, bird friendly window treatments and energy efficient devices.

Monica McIntosh, president of the Ladies’ Golf Club of Toronto, says the sale will allow the club to upgrade its facilities, to build its reserve fund and to invest in infrastructure. “It will do an awful lot for us. It is exciting.”

Tridel held a public meeting in June at Thornhill Community Centre to inform residents about the proposed development.

McIntosh was there and said residents’ main concerns were about traffic since Bayview Avenue is already congested and worries that any additional development will put extra pressure on the road.

Markham Councillor Valerie Burke was concerned by the golf course’s decision to sell land.

“I was disappointed because it is beautiful green space. We’re losing our green space,” said Burke, who has decided not to run again for councillor.

Burke said she does understand that the ladies’ golf course wants to protect its future.

“Construction can be hard on trees. They can get destroyed. I’ve seen it time and time again.”

“They are planning to preserve a lot of these trees,” she acknowledged.

Tridel will replace shrubs and trees, said Justin Van Dette, Tridel’s Government and Community Relations Director.

But compatibility with neighbourhood is a concern, Burke said.

“It’s too high and too dense,” Burke said, saying this is her opinion and that of residents.

Burke pointed out that the corner to be developed is not identified as high density.

Kanizehn Patel is concerned the development will bring too much density, pointing out that the development report mentions the proposed density already exceeds the maximum permitted.

Tridel’s response: “While the density proposed exceeds the maximum permitted, it is our belief that the site specific conditions warrant this kind of development while mitigating any kind of negative impacts on the community.”

Mia Poscente, president of Royal Orchard Rate Payers Association, says Bayview is a regional problem that has to be dealt with before any increase in density.

https://www.tridel.com/resources/future-developments/royal-orchard-bayview/