Mulock GO station proposal leaves Newmarket residents with concerns
Metrolinx proposes a 2-platform GO station with a 700-space parking lot

YorkRegion.com
April 9, 2018
Teresa Latchford

Metrolinx’s Mulock GO station proposal excited some residents but left others with concerns.

Council chambers at Newmarket town hall was packed with residents as Metrolinx presented the proposed location of the Mulock GO Station. The presentation showed the construction of a station on the south side of Mulock Drive, east of the existing tracks. The site, which is expected to open in 2024, would house two structures, two platforms, a passenger drop-off, bike racks and a 700-space parking lot that exits at the south end of Steven Court, said Metrolinx environmental assessment project manager Simon Strauss.

The proposal would include building a new access road from Steven Court east to Bayview Avenue to alleviate some of the traffic exiting from Steven Court onto Mulock Drive.

“I can’t wait to use it,” Newmarket resident Gail Birkett told the crowd. “I don’t live that far away and I’ll ride my bike there and take the train.”

But the excitement of fellow residents was shadowed by concerns about how the concept would play out in reality.

Resident Rick Metcalfe isn’t convinced 700 parking spaces is enough, especially when the province continues to push the use of public transit. He is also skeptical about the local roads handling that much traffic in the area.

“It’s all well and good to say you are going to get people to get out of their cars and use alternate transportation, but it’s not going to happen,” he added. “Being a person who is using these streets, the thought of adding 700 cars is scary unless there are plans to widen Mulock and Bayview.”

Others expressed concerns about additional traffic using small residential streets to try to get around congestion, as many have seen happen on streets surrounding Davis Drive.

Strauss explained there is room to build out in the plan. Parking will be monitored and expanded if needed. As for traffic, improvements to Steven Court will need to be made, the link between the parking lot and Bayview will be constructed and the rest will be managed by traffic light timing.

Surrounding residential streets will have to look to the municipality to come up with traffic mitigation studies if an influx of traffic occurs.

A fellow resident suggested Metrolinx take the time to co-ordinate train and bus schedules to encourage people to take transit to the train station.

“This isn’t the ultimate build out and is just what can be expected on opening day,” Strauss said. “Later down the road we will be looking at expanding, for example, creating connections to the Tom Taylor Trail to encourage more active modes of transportation.”

Al Vassos, the property manager for the plaza Metrolinx wants to build a street through, asked how the businesses are supposed to deal with fewer parking spaces in an already well-used parking lot.

He was advised that if an agreement cannot be worked out, the land would be purchased.

Environmental planning reviews are ongoing and will go out for public review when complete.

For more, visit Metrolinx.com.