Thornhill Neighbour: Join the Fight for Smart Growth!

FELLOW THORNHILLER: WE NEED YOUR HELP! 

Excessive Development Will Negatively Impact our Neighbourhood

In 2021, AWRA initiated an alliance with two other resident associations (WOSTRI and Landmark of Thornhill Community) over our shared concern about how current developments in the  John & Bayview area will impact the future livability of our community. 

We are gratified by the September 2022 announcement of the acquisition of the Shouldice property by the City of Markham. We believe that the sustained, ongoing efforts of our alliance of resident associations to work with the City are in part responsible for this excellent result. We now need to ensure that the bulk of  the Shouldice property (except for the hospital and its immediately surrounding grounds) will be made into a public park for all of us to enjoy.

Despite the excellent Shouldice result, there are still concerns around development at John and Bayview. If the application submitted by Hazelview Investments, Inc. for Thornhill Square is approved, along with the Tridel property already under construction on the Ladies Golf Course, the aggregate result for John & Bayview will be:

• 1,600 to 1,700 added residents
• 1,100+ added vehicles (in an area underserved by local transit)
• 6 new high rise towers (7, 12, 17, & 19 Thornhill Sq.; 12, 14 Tridel)
• Significant added stress to already excessive traffic congestion 
• An overloading of municipal services (community centre, schools, stormwater infrastructure capacity, etc.) 
• 20% reduction in existing grocery store space
• 9% reduction in existing drug store space
• 18% reduction in existing office space
• 17% reduction in existing retail space
• 22% reduction in patron parking. Residential visitors and retail spaces are not only highly reduced but also "shared" (in real terms, this translates into a 60% reduction of residential visitors parking and a 22% reduction of commercial/retail parking)

Link to Development Statistics and Photos

We have been working hard on your and our behalf to address this by:

• Strongly engaging our neighbours
• Submitting 1,700 petitioner signatures, plus over 300 deputations to Council to oppose excessive development proposals
• Conducting tours of the potentially impacted sites with Municipal Councillors and MPPs to make them aware of our issues and proposed solutions
• Meeting several times since last fall with the two key Markham Council members involved to ensure they understand and are addressing our concerns 
• Monitoring progress towards a resolution of our concerns by requesting frequent updates from the City of Markham.

INCREASED MEMBERSHIP GETS GREATER ATTENTION FROM THE CITY OF MARKHAM’S REPRESENTATIVES. IF YOU WANT YOUR VOICE TO BE HEARD, SUPPORT US:

If you live EAST of Bayview and share our concerns, please consider:

• Joining &/or donating to AWRA via at awra.thornhill@gmail.com
• Sharing your contact info with us (See Contact Us page on this site)
• Helping us through occasional or regular volunteering

If you live WEST of Bayview, contact WOSTRI (Ward One South Thornhill Residents) at http://www.thornhillwardone.com or email WOSTRI at info@thornhillwardone.com to see how you can support their work.

Yours truly,  Aileen-Willowbrook Residents Association (AWRA)