YMCA, servicing big priorities for East Gwillimbury

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 3, 2015
By Simon Martin

With more than half the year in the rear-view mirror, the Town of East Gwillimbury unveiled its mid-year review last week.

It has been a busy 2015 in town, so far, including the completion of the Queensville and Mount Albert Fire Station construction, the renovation and lease of 19040 Leslie St., the completion of the multi-use Green Lane trail and earthworks underway for all draft approved plans.

Even with all that is being built, the thing Mayor Virginia Hackson wanted to highlight most is a future project.

“The unanimous endorsement of the healthy active living plaza with YMCA is the most important in my opinion,” she said. “That’s a long-term facility that will deliver what our community needs.”

The town is in negotiations with YMCA about the project.

The town would like to place a recreation centre alongside the YMCA in Queensville as part of an area that could also include sports fields, a library, York Region health services, Boys and Girls Club of York Region and centralized town services.

Another item Hackson noted from the first half of the year as an important stepping stone was the province agreeing to construct noise barriers along Hwy. 404 in Sharon.

“It is certainly gratifying that (the province) listened to us and saw that the need was real,” she said.

Hackson expects an implementation plan for barriers to come before council some time in the fall.

Other items in the staff report include the fact the town is on target to run a slight surplus in 2015.

There have been 1,351 new homes sold this year with the majority of occupancy expected in 2016 and 2017.

As Hackson looks toward the fall session of council, there are several items on the agenda, but one that is of the utmost importance for the town.

“For me, it’s making sure that our 404 employment lands are serviced,” she said. “We need to be ready and open for business.”

Council will consider undertaking a detailed design of servicing the employment lands in the fall that could cost upwards of $350,000.

Hackson said its also important for the town to work with the region to come to a better understanding about when the Upper York Sewage Solutions will come to fruition.

According to Hackson, the 2016 budget deliberations will begin close or near the beginning of December and she hopes council will be able to pass the budget before the Christmas break.