A Message from your President

I wish to thank everyone who emailed either myself or my Executive Assistant Karen Cilevitz following the public meeting of March 2^nd. We received over 400 emails and phone calls and have done our best to respond to everyone’s concerns – it’s been an overwhelming task to say the least! Thank you also to all who emailed and called with your thanks for our attention and diligence to this matter, we greatly appreciate everyone’s welcome words of thanks.

As of today, the minutes of settlement (the agreed to counter proposal between GMRA and Bayview Summit) have not yet been signed. I am told this is a good thing as it indicates the parties are looking this over very seriously and ensuring its accuracy on a go-forward basis. 

As most of you are aware, last Tuesday Toronto Council supported a motion from Toronto Ward 24 Councillor David Shiner to investigate the possibility of proceeding with a full OMB hearing on the matter of re-development of the SOS site.  We are still waiting to hear what Councillor Shiner is proposing should this matter proceed and whether or not the city is even going to agree to a full blown OMB hearing in this regard. The OMB reconvenes on the matter of SOS on April 7th and we may have to wait till then to hear anything, unless further information from the city is forthcoming.

I acknowledge that there were many residents in both Markham and Toronto who supported Councillor Shiner’s ideals to proceed further. We in turn stated that should the city proceed with a full blown SOS OMB hearing, we would support the move to reduce the density to not exceed 1,000 units and heights to not exceed 20 storeys. 

I wish to reiterate that our support and endorsement of the GMRA counter proposal of 1,235 units with building heights in the low 20s. We firmly believe this agreement represents the best possible outcome for both our communities and most importantly, avoids the costly and lengthy process of a developer-centric OMB.

Again, until the minutes of settlement are officially signed and we know the exact figures involved here (please be aware the site plan Councillor Shiner publicly distributed a couple of weeks ago following the March 2^nd public meeting, is NOT the final and official plan showing the AGREED to specifics, this is yet to be made public). Please also remember, it is possible that this move by Councillor Shiner could cause the OMB Chair to toss the GMRA/Bayview Summit agreement and go back to the Bayview Summit proposal originally before the Board of 1,767 units with building heights in the mid to high 20s, resulting in a highly regrettable LOSS and negative impact for our communities.

OMB hearings rest on the decision of the Chair, a  provincially appointed person who makes decisions historically in favour of the developer. THIS is the reason we agreed with and supported the GMRA counter proposal. We were given EXPERT advice on multiple occasions which clearly indicated the odds were 70-30 AGAINST winning at the OMB (with the former proposed unit count of 1,000 and building heights not to exceed 20 storeys), with the added concern that all cases heard last year before the Board were won 9 out 10 times by the developer. We could NOT in good conscience ignore this expert advice and roll the dice AGAINST the good of our communities – I could not do this in the best interests of my home, my lifetime investment therein and my responsibility to my Association and community. Therefore, should the city’s legal counsel believe they can BETTER the GMRA/Bayview Summit agreement, WNENA would support this attempt. I believe the same statements were made publicly by GMRA representatives and the Town of Markham.

Now here is the OTHER side to all of this – should the city agree to go forward, GMRA, as a Party to this hearing, might have to call in expert witnesses, including planners, and will also need to seek legal advice and/or assistance. This will in all probability cost GMRA tens of thousands of dollars. This money will have to be raised BY THE COMMUNITIES.

We had an excellent turnout to our Public Information Meeting on March 2^nd – 300 residents from Markham and Willowdale attended, and that is very good news. The problematic issue relating to this excellent turnout is that between WNENA and GMRA, we had ONLY 5, that’s right, FIVE new members sign up with both residents’ Associations. Our Associations did NOT even cover our costs for renting the hall at the synagogue for March 2^nd. We HAVE to do better than this for the sake of our communities should we progress to a full blown OMB hearing in this matter, otherwise it will not be feasible for GMRA to mount an appropriate defense on YOUR behalf.

In order for GMRA and/or WNENA to host other Public Information Meetings etc. we need ALL of you to join and help us out financially. The fee for joining either (or both!) Associations is ONLY $10 annually. We remain among the LEAST expensive of other like Associations in this area. PLEASE JOIN EITHER WNENA OR GMRA NOW!!! All you have to do is log on to our websites and follow the links for membership:

http://www.willowdaleneighbourhood.ca/

http://www.gmra.ca/

To all who have joined either GMRA or WNENA already, we THANK you very much. Please remember you may donate MORE than the $10 fee to either Association at ANY time to ensure our valid participation in the SOS OMB Hearing and/or any other like issues which will impact our communities in the future.

The SOS OMB Hearing is set to resume on Thursday April 7th, 10 am at Markham Town Centre, 101 Town Centre Blvd., Markham, in the Canada Room.

I thank you for taking the time to read this important email. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you require any further information.

Keeping you informed as always – WNENA IS THE VOICE AND CONSCIENCE OF WILLOWDALE!!!

Regards,
David Slotnick-President & Founder
W.N.E.N.A.
dslotnick@rogers.com
34 Song Meadoway,
Willowdale, Ont.
M2H 2T7
416-726-6722