A 339-unit condominium development proposed for Davis Drive at Patterson Street in Newmarket has taken an important step toward becoming a reality.
Council received a report from staff on Monday, Dec. 7 advising that Briarwood Developments has made requested improvements to its proposal for 693-713 Davis Dr. following public consultation last January.
Council approved Briarwood's application and the project will move onto the next step of approval for the site plan, when an official amendment to the zoning bylaw authorizing the project will be presented to council for adoption next week.
The development proposal has been making its way through the approval process for years now. While residents have raised concerns about traffic and other impacts on the neighbourhood, Mayor John Taylor said the project would be a net positive for the community.
"No one likes having a big construction project and increased traffic, and if we could have all the other benefits in life without any more growth in our community, that would be wonderful. But if we want a strong local economy, housing options, and places for our seniors to downsize to, etc., this is what we are looking at," said Taylor.
"I see this as a really important step for us, and I have heard from many seniors saying over and over that they need condo projects. So this really is filling a need in our community for seniors housing, or people who need a place to put a foot into home ownership."
The proposed condos would have two 15-storey towers connected at ground level by 1,050 square metres of commercial space. The complex would contain 224 one-bedroom apartments, 101 two-bedroom apartments, 14 three-bedroom apartments, 375 parking spaces provided (55 on the surface and 320 underground), and 212 bicycle parking spaces.
Councillor Jane Twinney, in whose ward the project is being proposed, said she is glad to see the plan moving forward at long last.
"This will help to get the project moving along quicker, which I think is important because residents have been waiting a long time. This property has a long history already, and I think everyone has been on hold to see what will happen," she said.
The main concerns about the project are its impact on traffic and the fate of neighbouring greenspace — the town-owned property to the north on which the decommissioned Hollingsworth Arena sits — that residents want to see maintained as a park.
Briarwood initially proposed purchasing all of the Hollingsworth Arena land in 2018, leading to much debate and controversy before council ultimately decided to sell a small part of the property to the developer while retaining the rest for a future park.
Now, as part of the approval of the application, Briarwood is providing $500,000 to help outfit the park with amenities.
The cash contribution to the park is part of a system where developers can get exceptions to building regulations in exchange for providing "community benefits" or cash payments to pay for such benefits.
In this case, the developer is providing a cash payment for the park, and 50 per cent of the cost of a new water feature on Davis and Patterson, and 50 per cent of the cost of a new pedestrian walkway, a green roof, and water conservation infrastructure. In exchange, the town will allow the towers to be three storeys higher than the maximum 12 permitted.
"I’m glad to see the money will go directly into the park, and we can move as quickly as possible to come up with a plan with the community so it can be in use for them,” said Twinney.
Twinney reiterated residents' concerns about having an entrance/exit onto the corner of Patterson and Davis.
"It's on a hill and on a curve; it's a bit of an awkward intersection as is. Now with the new development going in and the entrance being right there, it's going to be even worse," she said.
"But there will be road works completed to help (mitigate the problems) with that intersection."
The improvements will include a widening of the road, turning lanes and some other additions that will be done as part of the construction.
Demolition of Hollingsworth Arena is to begin in the second week of December by Salandria Ltd., which was selected by the town through a competitive procurement process, according the the town's website.
Depending on weather and site factors, the work is expected to last until next spring, and will take place Mondays to Fridays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some work on Saturdays may take place.
During this time, access to the parking lot will not be available.
The decision to decommission the arena was made by Newmarket council in April 2019 due to the age of the building, decreased use by the community and a significant amount of capital funding required to repair and keep the building operational.
