Another piece of development first proposed nearly 20 years ago will soon have shovels in the ground.
Bradford West Gwillimbury committee-of-the-whole recommended approving the Centreville draft plan of subdivision application for a parcel of land located at 391 West Park Ave. The application calls for 38 townhouses to be built on a cul-de-sac occupying the currently vacant land behind Canadian Tire.
The original Centreville subdivision plans were first submitted to the town in 2003 and have been largely developed over the past 15 years. The matter before the committee was connected to the larger development but required independent approval, including a statutory public meeting, which took place in March 2021.
As the motion sailed toward passing, some councillors took the opportunity to reiterate concerns brought forward during the public meeting on the development.
Coun. Peter Ferragine was “disappointed” with what was proposed. Originally, it was hoped that a retirement home would be housed on this parcel of land. When other developments were constructed, that became less of a pressing need. But what was then proposed remains something desperately needed in the town’s housing stock.
“The developer came back and asked for this to be transferred to apartment use,” Ferragine said. “It was exciting; it was something we actually need in this town. Affordable housing, an excellent spot close to your shopping, close to transit. And now we’re going back and slamming some unaffordable townhouses in a small spot.”
Ferragine pointed to concerns already seen with parking and snow removal in the new parts of town that could be exacerbated in the 1.18-hectare development.
The development lies within Community Plan Area (CPA) 2, which encompasses the area between Holland St. W. to the north, Line 6 to the south, Melbourne Dr. to the east and Sideroad 10 to the west. The town envisioned 15 per cent of CPA 2 would be medium density; given the inventory of housing built to date, that target has not been met.
But the proposed townhouses would help the town reach its goals of increasing density and Deputy Mayor James Leduc suggested they fit a housing need desired by an increasing number of people in the community.
“Potentially it could be that maybe seniors want to move into here. This is at ground level; this is accessible for seniors,” Leduc said. “I think it’s a perfect one for seniors. There’s no maintenance; they’re right downtown; they don’t have to have a car; they can walk; they can enjoy the amenities of the downtown and they can get their shopping in.”
As the deputy mayor saw it, these townhomes could be a great opportunity for seniors to downsize and use the wealth found in their current homes to help their children get into other homes. Plus, as Coun. Raj Sandhu and Coun. Peter Dykei added, many residents in the West Park area were vocal in their opposition to an apartment building being constructed on that parcel of land.
It’s not a perfect project, Sandhu added, but it’s one that Bradford West Gwillimbury will see more of in the future.
“I think this is going to work and we can make it work,” Sandhu said. “It fits in the texture of the area around there.”
