Five things to know about plans for Newmarket's iconic Mulock Property

More than 3,000 residents have weighed in with ideas for developing the site

Yorkregion.com
June 1, 2020

Newmarket council held a virtual meeting May 25 to update the status of developing the Mulock Property at the northwest corner of Mulock Drive and Yonge Street.

The town, which paid $24 million for the farm, is considering a number of options as it moves to create a cultural and recreational legacy space on the property.

Here are five highlights from the meeting:

Public feedback, involving more than 3,000 residents, shows that people want to make the property a destination spot for important gatherings, but they also want it to be accessible for everyday use. People want the property to honour its history but also be forward-looking, while at the same time keeping its natural features. They also want it to be accessible and connected to the town rather than a standalone site. The five guiding principles of the site are nature, history, art, recreation and education.

A survey of residents and stakeholders indicates that 62 per cent of respondents want to see programmed activities such as markets, festivals and community events. Fifty per cent want skating, with the idea of a skating trail being popular if it makes sense and doesn’t overwhelm the site. The vast majority, 89 per cent, want walking and running trails. Thirty-six per cent want to see public art on the site. And everyone wants food.

Councillors talked about the possibility of creating an iconic piece of art that will help define the property. While the site is to be inclusive, they stressed that they don’t want it to be a mishmash collection of every suggestion made. They discussed having a water feature, which could be part of an art element, that is interactive for all ages but not a splash pad. They also talked about enhancing the natural landscape, particularly with gardens, connecting the property in some way with Jim Bond Park and addressing parking and access issues.

With COVID-19 putting a strain on town finances, some residents have expressed concern about spending money on the project, Mayor John Taylor said. At the moment, the town is moving forward with planning and vision work that has been ongoing for some time, but council will have to monitor its spending through the budget process over the next one to two years as the fallout from the coronavirus plays out, he said. The federal and provincial government may be offering municipalities grants to help stimulate the economy, he added.

The project is now moving into the second phase, which will focus on the park’s design. Consultant PLANT Architect Inc. will come back with three options for council to consider based on “emotive themes” --namely, peaceful, expressive and energized.