Council members spill what's in store for Newmarket in the next four years

Yorkregion.com
January 10, 2019
Teresa Latchford

Looking forward to the next four years, members of Newmarket’s town council have a long list of things they want to accomplish.

While Mayor John Taylor acknowledged much has been accomplished by previous councils, the responsibility of the 2018 -- 2022 council will be to carry the vision forward and enhance it along the way.

However, that doesn’t mean an individual will be able to do great things solo, it will take a village, including the public, to get things done.

“We have made bold decisions in the past and we have taken risks which have helped us move forward with projects like Riverwalk Commons, ENVI Broadband and the purchase of the Mulock Farm,” he said. “I believe we will continue to make bold decisions and we will continue to not be afraid to take chances and to step forward with confidence.”

While council is embarking on a strategic priority list to develop a shared vision for the term based on public feedback received during the election, Taylor does have an idea of accomplishments to be had in the future.

Development of the Mulock Farm from design to final construction should be completed before the end of the term so residents can use the space and see the results of the tax dollars used to invest in the property, he added.

He also plans to move forward with an off-road, multi-use path along Mulock Drive from Bathurst to Harry Walker Parkway.

Taylor wants to strive for fewer in camera (closed-door) meetings, greater access to information and has committed to a mayor’s newsletter, mayor's town hall meetings and a mayor’s roundtable on diversity and inclusivity.

Other priorities include:

Getting creative with housing options and bringing more employment to town by taking an active role in job attraction, retention and economic development.

Adding public art and festivals to downtown to help it flourish as the entertainment centre, which also means adding parking.

It is a long ‘to-do’ list but Taylor believes the new term of council is up to the challenge.

Here is what other council members hope to accomplish over the next four years:

Regional Coun. Tom Vegh wants to expand housing for senior citizens, build a dual-purpose library and seniors’ centre, construct a tiered parking structure downtown, use speed humps on local streets to reduce speeding, speed up community splash pad construction and attract more events to local parks.

Ward 1 Coun. Grace Simon hopes to slow traffic on residential streets, spearhead street parties or community sports day events, hold ward events, attract family-friendly businesses, create a youth council and lead survey studies for proposed projects to further engage residents.

Ward 2 Coun. Victor Woodhouse wants to push forward with a new library, what a new and improved facility would look like and add opportunities to be innovative, encourage culture and connect new trails to the existing to connect communities.

Ward 3 Coun. Jane Twinney plans to propose a multi-year plan to develop Mulock Farm to avoid a large burden on the taxpayers, ensure discussion and decisions about the future of the Hollingsworth Arena are open and transparent, upgrade or revamp the Glen Cedar Public School lands, amend no-smoking bylaws to include cannabis and finalize the Clock Tower development as a new member of the downtown BIA.

Ward 4 Coun. Trevor Morrison plans on reintroducing semi-annual ward meetings, creating a Ward 4 community advisory group, sharing information through social media, holding annual ward events, spearheading school and community safety initiatives including enhancement of lighting along trails and paths and completing an outdoor recreation court and volunteer operated outdoor skating rink.

Ward 5 Coun. Bob Kwapis wants to continue his momentum from last term on addressing traffic safety concerns on residential streets and in school zones, to enhance the Quaker Hill community and attract more festivals and beautifying downtown while adding parking.

Ward 6 Coun. Kelly Broome intends to provide Ward 6 community safety projects, build the ward's first splash pad, enhance George Lusby Park and add a parkette to the William Dunn community while working on some fun ways to get kids active with affordable recreation ideas. Public input for all will be collected at community gatherings she will hold in January, April, August and October and she will communicate with e-news blasts and at community events.

Ward 7 Coun. Christina Bisanz will encourage much public input on the use and preservation of green space, specifically land formerly designated for a school beside Environmental Park, the donated lands from Marianneville Homes in Glenway and Mulock Farms. She will strive to implement traffic mitigation measures to help with the congestion caused by construction and will continue to inform residents through monthly e-newsletters and bi-annual ward gatherings.