Is The Community Is Watching ?

Objections to trail alignments are the rule rather than the exception. For forty years,we worked to provide a continuous trail system . Plans for the short stretch from St John's Sideroad north to Newmarket have been underway since 1991. The land was acquired for the purpose.

Newmarket has already completed the trail to their northern boundary. East Gwillimbury plans to take it to the lock in the Village of Holland Landing

The trail is paved in Newmarket and has a fine granular surface in East Gwillimbury. As well as walking and running, people of all ages cycle, skate board and roller blade throughout its length. Coach lanterns light their way. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle are enjoyed because of it.

Forty years ago.we were just getting going. A section proposed behind Heathwood Heights
was opposed by a single individual.

He recently bought a home backing on to public property assuming the land was there for his personal convenience. When he discovered others might walk past his property.his fury knew no bounds. He didn't much like being respectfully informed the plans were in place before he was
and they would proceed.

His arguments were exactly the same as Hadley Grange and residents in other places since; invading his privacy, littering, noise and Oh Calamity, young folk. He bought a house in that location to enjoy the amenity, not to share it.

The trail was built. He didn't move. We never did receive complaints.

Perfectly normal, reasonable people are capable of being thoroughly unreasonable if they believe their personal interests are to be negatively affected. It's happened before and it will again..

The problem emerges when the people charged with responsibility to make decisions do not have the intestinal fortitude to accept it.

A consistent pattern has developed here.

We regularly bypass staff advice and retain services of a "problem facilitator" We paid this one more than $50ks to tell us how to " facilitate" the problem.

We are now contemplating adding almost half a million dollars to the cost of the project . Because that's how he "facilitated" the problem.

My guess would be he did exactly what he was told to do.He told Council what they should do and it gave them cover.

Residents of Hadley Grange are pleased with the outcome. Who cares about the cost? They have been accommodated

The rest of the community don't seem to be paying much attention.

Doing it as if the planet is watching , is clearly not intended in this place at this time.