Hwy. 404 extension should bring growth to Georgina

YorkRegion.com
Dec. 23, 2014
By Heidi Riedner

Next stop growth now that the Hwy. 404 extension is complete?

It should be, since holding patterns on developments primarily in the south end of Keswick couldn’t be removed until sufficient road capacity came to fruition with the opening of the $87.5-million, 13-kilometre, four-lane highway extension to Ravenshoe Road in September.

For years, Georgina residents have been told the extension will usher in a period of growth, more local high-end jobs and commercial development.

That should be the case moving forward, especially for the Keswick Business Park - a 109.2-hectare section of land at the northeast corner of Glenwoods and Woodbine avenues intended to function as a key employment centre that will accommodate between 7,500 and 9,000 jobs, according to the town’s planning department.

A major component of that fell into place when a decade of development plans finally got draft approval in February.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Matthew Cory on behalf of Glenwoods Developments - the people behind a proposed subdivision consisting of 10 industrial blocks separated into three “park” components, including an area for hotels, convention centres, business and professional offices.

Other areas are targeted to house private sector commercial or trade schools, as well as more traditional industrial development, such as manufacturing, fabrication, assembly and processing, warehousing and related distribution.

With various legislative ducks already in a row regarding the project in terms of servicing and various regulatory approvals, Georgina is “ahead of the game” compared to other business parks and employment lands about to come online in other municipalities, Cory said.

In addition, the land is “development ready,” which is the real attractor when it comes to investors looking to locate their businesses, Cory added.

With more than 70 per cent of Georgina’s workforce commuting to employment opportunities farther south, the business park is supposed to provide local employment and an increased non-residential tax base to help support the growing demands on the town’s programs and services.

A traffic impact study, commissioned by the developers, indicates development on the subject land is expected to spin off in the form of 4,000 employees.

Georgina may well be a more attractive dot on the investment map thanks to the Hwy. 404 extension, but that is contingent on marketing the municipality so there’s a two-way street of development and not just an avenue for residents of a one-way ticket out of town to work and play.

As Mayor Margaret Quirk said in reference to signs posted throughout Georgina during the election campaign touting the road’s arrival - “We know it’s here. We need to get our message out.”

2015 should be that year for a cohesive strategy to attract new business and industry - to not only bring better jobs and opportunities, but also help offset residential taxes through commercial and development taxes.