Municipality-owned Broad Band Internet Corridor Construction Begins in September 2017

It's a plan that has been discussed since 2007 in hopes of transforming the municipality into what the politicians are calling an "Intelligent City." Starting in September 2017, the shovels hit the ground for a five year project to a install broad band internet corridor owned by the municipality.

Phase 1 will run along the municipality's busiest street and connect the library, the municipal offices, and the hospital.

Phase 2 will run through the business district.

The hope is that this high speed broad band internet service will draw in young people and create jobs.

The investment in the broad band infrastructure is currently estimated at $9,000,000, but the municipality plans to have it paid for within 20 years.

Does this plan sound familiar? You could be forgiven if you thought this plan was for Newmarket, (although Mayor Van Bynen's Council is nowhere near this level of preparedness). No, we're talking about New Westminster (population 65,000 - as compared to Newmarket's population of 88,000).

The key difference is that New Westminster has $9,000,000 to spend. New Westminster is flush with cash and its politicians are proud to boast how well funded their project is.

The Town of Newmarket, with just $18,000,000 in total reserves, does not have that amount of money to spend, unless Council foolhardily decided to bet it's bank gambling on a business plan that is full of optimism, but high in risk. You can see the Town of Newmarket's reserves in this information report published on June 15, 2016.

Isn't it time that Tony Van Bynen and his Council allies admit to the residents and the business community that his Giga Bit Corridor is a non-starter? After so many years of economic development failures (Davis Drive, York University Campus, Harry Walker Parkway, Shared Digital Imaging and so on), residents have gotten pretty used to Van Bynen/Taylor coming up short.

But before another nickle is invested in "researching" broad band internet, residents need to be shown that their is a funding strategy that makes sense. Will it mean selling off Newmarket Hydro, for example, and letting go of our golden goose to pursue their vanity project?

I believe we can chalk up Newmarket's Giga Bit Corridor initiative up to a desperate Mayor and his allies who were willing to promise voters anything to dupe us into believing that they have a plan for new economic growth. This promise came during an election campaign but it appears as though this Council doesn't have any intention of following through with it.

For those keeping score at home:

• Davis Drive Bus Lanes
• York University Campus
• Harry Walker Parkway
• Shared Digital Imaging
• Finland/ Estonia Junket
• Giga Bit Corridor

The list of Van Bynen/Taylor endorsed "economic development" failures just continues to grow.

Why Won't Council Commit to a Cross Walk Signal on Water Street?

With the Province promising to increase GO Train traffic to every 30 minutes and Council intending to almost double the amount of parking spots at Fairy Lake, pedestrians in the Fairy Lake area have every right to feel ignored in the hubbub.

For many years, people that walk between Riverwalk Commons and the Fairy Lake portion of the Tom Taylor trail, must carefully cross the very busy Water St without any crosswalk, lights, or other pedestrian aids.

A May 27th Information Report once again refuses to commit to installing a pedestrian crossing light to stop traffic on Water St.

Instead, this report is proposing to construct a "refuge island" to allow pedestrians who are unable to cross the street in one attempt, to at least make it halfway to wait for another possible opening in traffic. Frankly, its a very dumb but expensive idea.

It seems like a lot of construction work as opposed to the obvious solution.

Here is what the right solution should be:

1) Put in a cross walk signal for people who are crossing Water Street on weekdays and weekends between September and June.
2) On Saturday mornings during the summer months (for the period of time the Farmer's Market is open), close Water Street to vehicular traffic between Doug Duncan Dr. and Main St. This will allow free flow of pedestrians during this peak use time.
3) Close Water St between Doug Duncan and Main St. during periods when Fairy Lake is hosting popular events such as the upcoming Canada Day event.

Closing Water St. to cars and trucks for a few brief hours on a summer Saturday morning is hardly going to inconvenience anyone and will keep residents safe.

Its a very simple solution.

It's too bad that none of our highly paid town planners could have thought of it on their own.

Parking Plan Shows Gruesome Twosome's Controversial Clock Tower Development Will Proceed

John Taylor (the junior partner in Newmarket's Gruesome Twosome) is breathlessly trying to convince residents that Main Street's vibrancy is behind the plan to pave over Fairy Lake green space to create 33 new parking spots.

Wait just a minute.

33 spaces?

Isn't that number awfully familiar?

Seems like that figure matches the number of parking spots that will be lost if the controversial Gruesome Twosome's land swap proposal with the Clock Tower development gets approved on August 29th.

Coincidence?

I don't think so.  Unless there is new development, there really isn't any need to create the volume of parking spaces that are being proposed.  Even if there is minor development, there still must be allowances made for the improved public transit, bike lanes, and trails that service this area.  Not every visitor uses a car.

The status quo for parking is perfectly fine if there is no new residential development.

But if a decision about the Clock Tower has already been made (as suggested by the number of back room meetings that the developer has been conducting with Council members individually and in small groups), then - and only then - would the additional parking be required.

A lot of hardworking community activists are about to be greatly disappointed.

Preserve Fairy Lake for People not Cars

Here is an excerpt from the Association of Municipalities Ontario (AMO)

"Municipal Government  
The powers of municipal governments are determined by the provincial government. Municipal governments in Ontario are responsible for providing many of the services within their local boundaries that you rely on daily such as: 

• Airports 
• Ambulance 
• Animal Control and By-law Enforcement 
• Arts and Culture 
• Child Care 
• Economic Development 
• Fire Services 
• Garbage Collection and Recycling 
• Electric Utilities 
• Library Services 
• Long Term Care and Senior Housing  
• Maintenance of Local Road Network 
• Parks and Recreation 
• Public Transit 
• Planning New Community Developments and Enhancing Existing Neighbourhoods 
• Police Services 
• Property Assessment 
• Provincial Offences Administration  
• Public Health 
• Side Walks 
• Snow Removal 
• Social Services 
• Social Housing  
• Storm Sewers 
• Tax Collection 
• Water and Sewage "

Do you know what's missing from this list?

Parking.

Yet the Town of Newmarket has become obsessed with paving over green spaces, like Fairy Lake, to create more and more parking spots. Have they confused "parks" for "parking lots?"

Who benefits when green spaces Fairy Lake are paved over? Certainly not the public. 

Local businesses in the Main St. area might like to have more parking for their customers but their wishes should not supersede the public's need for green space. Besides, if a Main St business is really dependent on more parking, then I'd suggest that there are plenty of vacancies along Davis Drive and Yonge Street corridors that could use a new tenant. These near empty plazas, the casualties of the VivaNext construction, provide plenty of parking opportunities.

Our trail systems and bike lanes all connect commuters to Riverwalk commons. So does YRT transit. People traveling to the Riverwalk Commons, Farmer's Market, Old Town Hall or Library should consider alternative modes of transit that have been promoted by our "green" town.  We won't be green much longer though if our Mayor and Council pave over to make way for more automobiles.    

There is a place for the automobile but it is up to private businesses to concern themselves with parking needs of their patrons. I agree with the AMO. The Town's business is to preserve our parks for people, not cars.  

What would motivate Jane Twinney to make learning to drive less safe for students?

Jane Twinney, a politician with a notorious track record for pandering, has a motion on the May 30th Committee of the Whole meeting calling on the Town of Newmarket to consider banning driving schools from certain residential streets.

Why?

Has there been a rash of accidents related to G1 drivers practicing parallel parking?

Obviously not. In fact, learning to drive on residential streets is much safer, as the speed limits are lower and traffic flow is much less. Jane Twinney's motion only serves to make learning to drive less safe for teens.

Unfortunately, Jane Twinney has been influenced by some loud-mouthed resident who parks his car on the street and is disturbed that a driving school would use his vehicle as a pylon to teach a novice driver.

There isn't a residence in Newmarket that doesn't include parking. In fact, it's the law that parking must be provided.

Those who park on the street are using public property.

It always amazes me the number of people who feel they personally "own" the road in front of their homes. It's public property.

The Town of Newmarket has always been too willing accommodate those car owners who claim ownership of the street.

The reason we don't have more bike lanes, for example, is explained by the Town of Newmarket that they would remove on-the-street parking opportunities.

The reason we don't generate more user fees from parking meters is because we have politicians kow-towing to car owners.

The reason why the Town of Newmarket is considering paving over parkland at May 30th's Committee of the Whole meeting is to build an additional 33 parking spots.

The politicians will show up on May 30th to get their photo taken at "Bike to Work Day," but ultimately, they work for car owners.

If these politicians have their way, every square inch of Newmarket's green space will be paved over with asphalt, including the walking paths within our trail system, so as the accommodate the pickup trucks our Town employees drive.

All of this will happen as pandering politicians, like Jane Twinney, continue to suck up to people who unfairly demand that their car ownership gives them the right to dominate others, including bike lanes, parkland, and novice drivers.

Taylor/Van Bynen plan return to "glory days" of Ray Twinney corruption?

The Town of Newmarket Council has been dishonest about many things in the recent past. But if there is one issue that the Gruesome Twosome has been completely honest about, it's their plans supporting unbridled development in our town.

It always amazes me to talk to people who honestly believe that Mayor Van Bynen and Deputy Mayor Taylor give a rat's patootie about preserving our neighbourhoods - whether it be Glenway, Davis Drive,or Main Street.

Last week, the province of Ontario announced plans to increase intensification for Places to Grow communities from 40% to 60%. For many years, Newmarket's un-dynamic duo has been chirping loud and clear that they advocate for 100% intensification in Newmarket.

They are and have always been on the side of the developers.

But before we rush in an put a high rise condo tower on every street corner and pave over our parkland to create more parking lots (as is their plans in the River Walk Commons area), let's take heed of what the Mayor of Barrie, a community in the midst of intensive development, has recently reported. (You can read Jeff Lehman's comments here)

No doubt about it, intensification will lead to a higher cost of living in our town. Housing prices will rise. It will be more expensive to live in Newmarket if the Gruesome-Twosome succeed.

Clean water, wildlife and natural heritage are all under attack under the controversial Taylor/Van Bynen's plan.

They want to take away the power of the people to appeal to the OMB and instead make themselves the final arbiter of what gets built and where. Remember when former Mayor Ray Twinney was arrested on corruption charges? That's the era that Taylor and Van Bynen want to return to.  Ah the glory days of council members accepting bribes from developers. Who doesn't want to return to that?

There is another path of course. We could demand sustainable development that respects our current neighbourhoods, preserves and actually builds more green space, and keeps home ownership more affordable. There is another way that ties new job growth to development.

Yet Van Bynen and Taylor believe that whatever works in Toronto will work in Newmarket. I think that's a false premise. Toronto can sustain the development because there are jobs in the city. Newmarket's housing will not be affordable because we don't have any economic growth here. Our residents must drive to Toronto for work. Bike lanes and bus rapid way systems that travel East-West across Davis Drive don't connect residents to local jobs.

And somehow the bike lane and Viva Davis Drive bus seem like the perfect illustrations of what's wrong with the flawed planning behind Taylor/ Van Bynen's unbridled growth strategy
  

Making Rental Happen in the Town of Newmarket

Over recent years, people engaged in social media noticed a trend from certain Newmarket politicians to hashtag "Make Rental Happen" after their posts.

Newmarket Council was seemingly engaged in advocating for more rental opportunities in our community.

After all, we know that our region has the lowest percentage of rental dwellings in the Greater Toronto Area. 11.5% of York Region households are rentals, as opposed to 28.4% in the GTA.

In 2012, there were just 33 new rental units completed in York Region.

To say that renters can go live "someplace else" isn't a solution. Newmarket businesses need employees and customers to fuel economic growth.

So the solution is simple.  Newmarket Council has to (hashtag) "Make Rental Happen."

Along comes the Clock Tower proposed development, which plans to construct 165 rental units on Main Street. It's important to note that Main Street has received significant investment of Town of Newmarket resources - time, money, manpower - over a 30-year period.

Council has an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. It can "make rental happen" and it can inject a significant amount of potential new customers into a shopping district that needs the economic boost.

What does our Newmarket Council do when faced with a Win-Win situation?

Lead by the controversial Regional Councillor John Taylor, Council decides to do everything it can to ensure this project fails.

I invite  you to read John Taylor's blog (Really I do - because taxpayers like you and me apparently paid John Taylor via his council expense account almost $2,000 to post his opinions on line). You can click here to see what your tax dollars paid for.

I think the lesson in all of this is that residents expect a heck of a lot more from our elected officials to (hashtag) "Make Rental Happen" than a tweet, Facebook post or a vacuous resolution.

Yet when it comes to making those tough decisions, our Council, lead by John Taylor, would rather prevaricate and pander.

That's not leadership.