These are the stories that created change that resonated far and wide within our community in the last four months of 2018. The issues and challenges raised will continue to have impact in the year ahead.
While the Town of Newmarket’s $24-million purchase of the historic Mulock Farm Estate in early 2018 raised the ire of some local fiscal conservatives and other residents who questioned if it was a good use of public funds, it’s a done deal and the No. 1 council priority for development in the new year.
The 11.6-acre property on the northwest corner of Mulock Drive and Yonge Street, once home to Sir William Mulock, will cost Newmarket taxpayers about $1,393 over 30 years, or an extra $46 on the tax bill each year. That accounts for a 2.6 per cent increase on the tax base and is estimated based on the average assessed home in Newmarket.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said on the campaign trail in fall 2018 that protecting one of the last significant green spaces in Newmarket was an opportunity not to be missed.
The plans for the historic property are ambitious and have been described as a year-round Central Park-style public space that could include such things as walking trails, a skating trail like the one found at Brampton’s Gage Park, an outdoor arena, some use of the historic home on the site, and more.
“We have made a significant investment and we must deliver something creative, something exceptional and something everyone can enjoy,” Taylor said. “We need to follow through and commit resources, human and capital. That may mean we may not be able to fully pursue other ideas or projects for a while, but we must do this to completion in this term (2018 to 2022) so the public can enjoy the space that we purchased on their behalf and see the results of their tax dollars at work.”
The public engagement process on imagining what the Mulock Farm Estate might be like in the future kicked off mid-December with the juried exhibit, Mulock Farm: Artists Preserve History, which runs until Jan. 23, 2019 at Serpa Galleries, Old Town Hall, 460 Botsford St. Admission is free.
