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Editor's Notes

1. There are 4 reasons why this Town Council must reject the application for rezoning.According the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing; I quote: “council can consider a change only if the new use is allowed by the official plan.” The official plan has Glenway Golf Course designated as green space.Also, according to the Ministry, “A zoning by-law: protects residence from conflicting land uses in your community.” The current zoning of this space does that. That a new party arrives and wishes to change zoning for their singular profit to the detriment of all other Newmarket residents is objectionable.What makes towns attractive is green space. According to a recent Financial Post article, access to parks and green space is a key indicator of quality of life in a town. To quote “People want to live in communities that have ample access to parks and recreational space.” Greenspace is where people gather to socialize. It allows wildlife to flourish. It creates a healthy environment. A healthy environment – we all want this.
2. Glenway Golf Course has long been a part of Newmarket’s greenspace; a home for foxes and herons, rabbits, falcons and frogs, an urban refuge for wildlife facing increasing pressure from surrounding developments
3. and an important part of the corridor for wildlife from Oak Ridges Morraine forests to the Lake Simcoe Watershed green spaces in center of Newmarket. Wildlife moves between habitats in order to survive, by finding food, and mates. Alteration of this wildlife corridor by development on this greenspace will seriously affect the health of these wildlife populations.
4. - Our neighbours in Glenway
5. Glenway subdivision has existed for 26 years as a community built around the focal point provided by the golf course lands and green space that it provides. Previous owners of the golf course lands lived in harmony with the community, opening it up for winter recreation,
6. including tobogganing, snowshoeing and of course pond hockey.
7. In winter, it has been iconic Canadiana: ponds where neighbours of all ages gather to play the games of shiny that go on with changing players from morning to night on winter weekends and throughout the Christmas holidays.
8. This greenspace is one of the few places that this classic Canadian culture, outdoor shiny, still exists in Newmarket, for our children to experience. Here the community comes together to shovel and maintain the ice, to play endless hours and share a hot chocolate with neighbours and friends from all over the town.
9. Greenspace attracts people to a town. Parks and recreational areas are a key factor in why people choose a particular location to raise their families. I would like to cite various experts regarding current understanding of the role of greenspace and urban growth: According to the international experts at the Economist, one of the key metrics that the city rankings specialists use in determining the best cities to live; a key liveability metric is greenspace: I quote “liveability is greatly based on  the distribution of green spaces within the metropolitan region, the number of local green spaces and the scale of metropolitan green spaces.” 
10. Matthew Bernstein, principal landscape architect Tridel'sdevelopments has stated on this subject: "A park or green space brings an identity to a development."Liberty's senior vice-president, Marco Filice has stated regarding greenspaces: "Urban forests improve our quality of life” .An excerpt from a recent article in the Financial Post “Regardingsmart growth and healthy cities, there's been a change from the perception of cities as places apart from nature, to one that actively nurtures and integrates nature into urban landscapes. Green spaces entice neighbours outdoors, where they build friendships and forge community ties…… One of the key reasons that people choose a town to settle in and raise their family is access to green space.”
11. It is not for nothing that theCorporation of the Town of Newmarket allocates roughly a quarter of its budget to parks and recreational facilities, as significant a portion as Fire and Emergency Services. This municipal government recognizes that provision of green space to make Newmarket a better place to live is an essential responsibility.
12. We have an official plan for a reason. With reference to zoning, when people purchasing property here, they enter into a contract with the town. Homeowners follow by-laws and expect the Town also to uphold by-laws. There is no compelling reason to breach this contract with this type of rezoning that has been requested by the interloper that has arrived, requesting this zoning change.
13. Zoning change benefits only the developer, a developer who purchased the land knowing full well what the zoning was and is. Zoning change benefits only the developer to the detriment of every resident in this town. Unplanned population density changes; roughly doubling the number of residents of this subdivision, will impact all aspects of living in this area. Despite meaningless rhetoric from the developer, we do not have the transportation, sewer, water, nor recreational infrastructure or schools to accommodate this type of growth. No reasonable person, and no one on this town council believes that you can double the population of the subdivision without impacting existing infrastructure or that the current infrastructure will suffice. The developer profits, while every other resident in town sees a tax dollars funding increased infrastructure requirements, along with a loss of recreational facilities, increase in traffic congestion and a decrease in liveability.
14. Why we have an official plan – so we do not run into this situation. If we allow this change, where does it stop? Can the developer resell a parcel and rezone for any other function.Unbridled change of use must be stopped it before it starts and escalates or eventually you end up with the above.
15. Council has the duty, according to the Ministry to adhere to the official plan and resolve this conflict between the interloper and the residents by upholding the current zoning and the official plan.
16. This greenspace is a cornerstone of the community and the reason why people live here. Ofcourse there will be pressure on the green space and it is not always easy to stand up for what is right, but you are the stewards of the town. You must choose to maintain the Glenway greenspace as is.
17. The town has a responsibility to its citizens – to stand up for the quality of life here for all residents of Newmarket – to stand up for the official plan and the zoning as it is now.
18. As a responsible global citizens I urge you to to maintain these greenspacesIt is your duty and responsibility to vote against the proposed changes in zoning- as a matter of law and policy- for the environment- for the people of Newmarket, as their elected representatives