Newmarket's mayor defended the pace of the Mulock Drive multi-use path project as councillors advanced the approximately $3.7-million initiative to the next stage.
Council committee of the whole approved moving ahead to the $370,000 design stage on Nov. 15, after months of public consultation and a feasibility study.
After a delegation criticized the pace of getting to this stage, and the prospect of more years build it, Mayor John Taylor defended how fast the initiative is progressing.
“We don’t know the timeline yet. It could take up to 10 years. But I can also say the full length of the Tom Taylor Trail took far longer than that, and I’m sure everybody is really, really glad we stuck with it," Taylor said. "Now it’s time to expand and make sure there are more options and more opportunities for people in Newmarket. So I'm really excited to see it's coming forward.”
The feasibility study by WSP Canada recommended going ahead with the mixed pedestrian and cycling path, which will connect Bathurst Street to Harry Walker Parkway. Council also agreed to include a “spur” connecting the path directly to Newmarket High School, not yet included in the cost estimate. The path proposed runs in segments on the north and south sides of Mulock, with cross rides at Columbus Way, College Manor Drive and Leslie Street.
The $3.7-million price tag is also a preliminary estimate, with more detailed costing to be determined in the coming months. Staff said they would also seek grant opportunities from upper levels of government.
Resident Paul Jolie was critical of how long the project has taken to play out and said the town has been considering an off-road path dating back to a presentation he made to the council in 2014. He also criticized the pace of active transportation improvements, specifically how bike lanes were excluded from the Davis Drive corridor intensification.
“If we are serious about promoting active transportation, we must find a way to accommodate cyclists by building a path somewhere near the road,” Jolie said.
With respect to Davis Drive, Taylor said bringing bike lanes there would have been very expensive and difficult, and the town opted toward bike infrastructure elsewhere.
The town aims to have tendering documents for Mulock ready by summer 2022. Although the town is not budgeting for construction to commence next year, staff said construction could start as early as next fall through reallocating available capital funds. Staff said a fall 2022 construction date could result in completion by early 2024.
Councillor Kelly Broome said it is an occasion worth celebrating and asked staff to ensure the public is informed about the project's progress.
“This is a very exciting opportunity,” Broome said. “Let the public know we are moving forward with this path, and that is definitely an exciting thing for Newmarket.”
