Mayors pitch Hwy. 400/Hwy. 404 bypass to province
By Brea Bartholet Bradford West Gwillimbury Topic
A major imprint of Bradford West Gwillimbury has been left on Queen’s Park following a meeting involving Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca.
Mayor Rob Keffer, joined by Simcoe County Deputy Warden Terry Dowdall, York Region chairperson Wayne Emmerson and mayors from East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Innisfil, Georgina and Essa Township, spoke to Del Duca for nearly an hour about the importance of the Hwy. 400/404 connecting link.
BWG and surrounding municipalities to the north and east are continuing to push for the link, formerly known as the Bradford Bypass, between the two major highways.
Deeming the meeting as a positive conversation with the minister, Keffer hopes it will kick start a conversation within the provincial government.
“I look forward to continuing our work together toward this critical infrastructure issue. The fact that so many mayors came down to discuss it was rather impressive,” Keffer said.
“We highlighted points related to economic development, especially the employment lands along Hwy. 400 here in Bradford and similar plans for the future in EG.”
Hwy. 400 employment land uses discussed
By Brea Bartholet Bradford West Gwillimbury Topic
The ball is finally rolling on Bradford West Gwillimbury’s Hwy. 400 employment lands.
During a public planning meeting held prior to council on Jan. 19, Darren Steedman, vice-president of DG Group, and Ryan Windle, the town’s manager of community planning, discussed plans regarding an eight-block industrial development — the first of its kind to be presented to council and the public.
The area of land in question for the application is located along Hwy. 400 and Line 5, nestled in the northeast quadrant of the intersection.
Surrounded by agricultural land, which remains mostly vacant at this time, the 194-hectare property is largely designated as an economic district under the Simcoe County official plan, as well as the BWG Strategic Employment Settlement Area.
A small portion in the southeastern corner of the property is under agricultural zoning, explained Windle.
The plan calls for eight employment blocks, as well as space for future development, a future highway interchange block and sanitary pumping station.
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