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DOWNTOWN
Clock tower plan creates big divide; new petition started Controversial proposal heads to public meeting BY CHRIS SIMON
T
csimon@yrmg.com
he back-and-forth between council and opposition to the proposed clock tower development was almost as predictable as the hands of time themselves. There were a few testy, borderline personal exchanges between residents and council members over the Main Street clock tower development, which was discussed during a Newmarket committee of the whole meeting Monday afternoon. Nearly 100 people packed the audience gallery inside the council chambers and most were there for the debate over the controversial downtown development. Although the recommendation still needs to be ratified next week, the committee eventually called for the zoning bylaw amendment application for 178, 180, 184, 188, 190 and 194 Main — commonly referred to as the clock tower — to be referred to a public meeting for input from residents. Some deeper, long-standing personality conflicts set the tone for the discussion early. Local blogger Gordon Prentice asked council to disclose the number of times it has met with clock tower representatives outside the realm of an open public meeting. “Newmarket does not have a lobbyist register yet,” he said, before targeting Mayor Tony Van Bynen. “You told The Era, ‘The clock tower is a great example
i
For more stories on this issue, go to bit.ly/1NkoPlY
of the intensification we need’. These remarks show predetermination and bias. You crossed a red line. You may go through the motions, but you will not weigh and balance what you will hear because your mind is set.”
‘Councillors can meet with developers; the rest of us should know about it.’ The Forrest Group’s application is for seven storeys and the town bylaw for the Downtown Newmarket Heritage Business District permits three, he noted. “That’s a tremendous difference and it is incapable of being ‘fine tuned’,” Prentice said. “I would like to see all elected members put into the public domain any conversations, emails or private meetings when town staff were not present pertaining to the clock tower development,” he said. “I do not think that is an unreasonable request. Councillors can meet with developers; the rest of us should know about it.” Van Bynen’s reply was one of apparent disbelief. “Seriously? Seriously?” he said. “I have hundreds of phone calls in a week and it’s not possible to
STAFF PHOTO/CHRIS SIMON
Pro-clock tower redevelopment advocates Wasim Jarrah (from right), Dave Kempton and Art Weis insist Main Street businesses need the development to bring young people to the area to support a regular customer base. For more stories or to sign a for or against petition on this issue, follow bit.ly/1U6Kbou at yorkregion.com.
JUSTICE
Toddler punched in stomach with ‘force’ Father, Mario Wint, pleads guilty to manslaughter of 2-year-old son, Ty BY JEREMY GRIMALDI
A
jgrimaldi@yrmg.com
See page A4.
which restaurants aren’t meeting health standards: bit.ly/1RRY1cS DON’T SEE IT IN THE PAPER? READ THESE AND MORE ONLINE:
❐ OFFICER HURT: Pinned during drug impaired arrest in Vaughan: bit.ly/1YHhXzQ
❐ DINE SAFE YORK: Find out
❐ LUNCH ON THE GO: Controversial breastfeeding situation: bit.ly/1Wd5cxT
❐ GET TICKED OFF: Dangerous pests make appearance in York Region: bit.ly/241cgjY
MARIO WINT: Newmarket father in an undated photograph with his infant son. Wint pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the toddler’s death.
TRANSPORTATION
Newmarket father charged with murdering his toddler has pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Mario Wint, 30, was accused of second-degree murder of his son, Mathias, nicknamed Ty, 2 when police discovered the boy not breathing at Wint’s home on Longford Drive, near Davis Drive and Yonge Street Jan. 22, 2015. On April 14, Wint pleaded guilty to losing his temper and punching Ty more than once “with significant force” in the abdomen, causing devastating internal injuries that resulted in
the toddler’s death. Although Mario knew he had caused serious injury, he delayed calling 911 for several hours, according to an agreed statement of facts read out in court. Ty was bleeding internally and had a rapidly declining level of consciousness. His dire medical state became obvious and Mario called 911 at 2:22 p.m.. Although the authorities tried to resuscitate Ty for 15 minutes after arrival, they were unsuccessful. Since the beginning, Wint, who is a spoken word artist and See page A10.
CRIME
Welcome to road construction season Boy, 16, uses slingshot to fire rocks at police
Yonge/Mulock work expected to be complete sometime in 2018
Crisis negotiator calmed down teen after standoff
BY LISA QUEEN
I
BY JEREMY GRIMALDI
lqueen@yrmg.com
f Canada only has two seasons, winter and construction, then Happy Traffic Jam Time! Road work will be taking place across York Region this year, according to a presentation by Salim Alibhai, the region’s director of capital planning and delivery in the transportation services FILE PHOTO department. Davis Drive reconstruction with dedicated Viva bus lanes is part of The presentation only dealt York Region’s $2.4B roads improvement, transportation strategy. with regional projects and did not include any construction also takintersections and streets,” ing place on local roads or provinshe said. cial highways. The region is investing $2.4 Commuters better brace them❑ Let us know what you think billion on capital road, transit, selves for a whole lot of traffic about this issue. Email Tracy bridges and intersection projwoes, regional councillors warned. Kibble at tkibble@yrmg.com ects over 10 years to address the “We’re going to be under contransportation needs of the growstruction this year, the whole of Quirk agreed. York Region,” Markham Council“I think we all know where to lor Jack Heath said. avoid during this summer, what See page A2. Georgina Mayor Margaret
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olice have charged an area teenager after talking him down from a frightening situation that could have turned out badly last
week. On the morning of April 12, police were called to a house near McLeod Drive and Aurora Heights Drive for a weapons call after a 16-year-old made threats and locked himself in his bedroom with a knife. Just after 8 a.m. the police’s emergency response unit, the Air2 helicopter and mental health support officers arrived, discovering the situation had morphed into a “armed and barricaded person”. Police shut down the street and used an armoured vehicle, as the teenager climbed out onto the roof and began shooting rocks at
the officers with a sling shot. After going back into the residence, the teenager appeared to point a long gun at officers, before starting to fire rocks again, according to police. At this point, a crisis negotiator tried to calm him down. After a 90-minute standoff, the teenager descended and was taken into custody. Once in the back of the cruiser, he became agitated again and tried to harm himself. He was taken to hospital. Police seized a switchblade, slingshot, plastic shotgun and Nerf gun. He was charged with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and disobeying a court order. “This incident was a great example of our officers using their negotiation skills to de-escalate this situation, which resulted in a safe conclusion for everyone involved,” Staff Sgt. Wallace Gossen, said.
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