In each “Behind the Scenes” segment, Village Media's Scott Sexsmith sits down with one of our local journalists to talk about the story behind the story.
These interviews are designed to help you better understand how our community-based reporters gather the information that lands in your local news feed. You can find more Behind the Scenes from reporter across Ontario here.
Today's spotlight is on NewmarketToday's Joseph Quigley, whose story — "Why this property in Newmarket has stayed empty for years" — was published on Aug. 19.
Below is the full story, in case you missed it.
A piece of property in the heart of Newmarket has been stuck in limbo for years, despite the Regional Municipality of York's efforts to transfer ownership to the town.
The undeveloped plot at 281 Cotter St. has sat strangely empty for years amid residential properties along Bayview Avenue at its rear and its frontage on Cotter, with a picturesque view of Fairy Lake.
The lot owned by York Region once hosted a well facility but has remained unused for more than 15 years, when the region opened an alternative facility closer to Fairy Lake.
With York Region having no further use for the property, council decided back in 2008 to convey the property to the Town of Newmarket in an “as is condition,” but title issues prevented that transfer, according to 2018 report. But despite revisiting that transfer in 2018, the property remains in York Region’s hands and sits unused.
York region director of corporate communications Patrick Casey said it is something the region is still working on.
“The transfer has experienced delays. However, we will share additional details once an agreement is finalized,” Casey said.
The region’s ownership of the property dates back to 1970 when it enacted a bylaw to assume waterworks. One of those properties was the Cotter Street Well, which became a monitoring test well. While the region was unable to transfer the property to the Town of Newmarket as planned when the well was decommissioned, the region and town split the cost of demolishing the facility.
In a 2018 follow-up report, the region planned again to transfer the property to the Town of Newmarket again, along with several others.
“The assumption bylaw stipulates that when the Region no longer needs the property, it is to be transferred back to the Town,” the 2018 York Region report said.
The property is located on the east side of Cotter, south of Water Street, and extends easterly to the west side of Bayview Avenue. It is situated on a fairly steep hill, and is surrounded by other residential properties on Bayview and Cotter.
Newmarket is largely built out and the municipality does not own much land suitable for housing. Most town-owned land is occupied by facilities or parks.
York Region has not indicated how long the transfer process might take. No public update to council on the matter has come forward since the 2018 report.
