‘Tourist attraction’: Baha I Temple poised to put Markham on world map has neighbours worried

Yorkreigon.com
May 17, 2023

World-class architecture is coming to Markham, but not without altercations.

The Baha I Faith community of Canada has submitted a development proposal to build a new Baha I National Centre and Temple on its current centre’s land located in Thornhill near the intersection of Leslie Street and Steeles Avenue East.

Printed on site at 7200 Leslie St., the design renderings of the Baha I Temple released by world-renowned Hariri Pontarini Architects is believed to be breathtaking.

However, the secluded neighbourhood is also home to the northern dead end of Leslie Street, a cul-de-sac on Waterloo Court, and a meadow and natural habitat at German Mills Settlers Park. That’s why Kimberly Seymour and some local residents became concerned.

Seymour, vice-president of Settlers Park Residents Association, organized a number of site tours hosting local councillors and the mayor, in a bid to “save the German Mills meadow and greenway.”

The Baha I project triggers an emergency access road based on an existing trail cutting through the park, linking the Leslie Street dead end up north to John Street.

“This access road will destroy this very unique natural habitat to many animals including endangered species and will threaten the safe passage of deer and coyotes to move along their wilderness corridor,” said Seymour during a May 8 tour unexpectedly joined by Baha I representatives.

Baha I architects, along with MGP planning consultants and GEI environmental consultants, demonstrated a 3D model of the proposed temple, showed the proposed forest site, and addressed some concerns of the community regarding wildlife impact, tree removal, footfall increase and parking spillover.

Siamak Hariri, founding partner of Hariri Pontarini Architects, explains that the Markham temple, as a national house of worship, will likely attract 300 visitors a week, much less than the thousands of tourists drawn to Santiago, Chile and New Delhi, India, both as continental temples.

“This is the poster child temple,” said Hariri, who grew up in the subdivision. “For visiting worshippers, there are no set hours for worship, and forest-bathing in the natural environment is part of the reflective.”

According to Allyssa Hrynyk of MGP and Laura Williamson of GEI, trees proposed for removal to accommodate the temple are either invasive species and/or were planted species from a former orchard, and efforts will be made to minimize impact on the needed emergency access route.

However, Seymour believes the Baha I representatives downplayed some of the environmental damage. “I have to say the presentation was greenwashed.”

Wendy Sun and Mark Newton, residents on the adjacent tucked-away Waterloo Court, dread that such an attraction would have the hidden gem over-touristed.

While Hrynyk says traffic analysis indicates no anticipated impacts during peak hours, Harry Singh, president of German Mills South Ratepayers Association, believes the current single-lane Leslie Street north of Steeles is simply not equipped to handle any additional traffic, adding a safety hazard to pedestrians and cyclists.

“To build a grand imaginative monument in a place with a very limited access road is a distinct disservice to all,” Singh, who has visited the Baha I Temples in New Delhi and Chicago, said, proffering to think outside the box and consider a bigger location.

“Baha I has to come back to the drawing board to propose a smaller scale site in order to protect this green space or look for another site that is more suitable,” Seymour concluded.

Mayor Frank Scarpitti says the city will evaluate and decide on the proposal when all the issues have been dealt with satisfactorily by Baha I working with various agencies and stakeholders.

A public meeting on the proposal is scheduled on May 23 at 7 p.m. and residents will have a channel to communicate with the developers.

On the forest site, birds are chirping and deer roaming, but Seymour and others wonder how the wildlife will react to changes in the coming years.

“The deer took off as soon as we arrived,” said Seymour. “This reminds us that this woodlot is their home.”