Resident calls proposed rental units in Midhurst ‘entirely unwelcome’
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, Mar 07, 2025
A developer’s plan to convert 80 single-home lots into 18 blocks containing two or three fourplex units per block in the Midhurst Heights subdivision has received a less-than-enthusiastic reception from some local residents.
During a public meeting at the Springwater Township Administration Centre on Wednesday night, prior to the council meeting, a half-dozen or so residents opposed a proposal that would see an additional 80 residential units created, moving the total residential unit count for Midhurst Heights from 1,551 to 1,631.
Ten blocks of fourplexes are proposed for the northeast corner of the property on White Cedar Parkway, and another eight are planned for the middle of the development, at the intersection of Jack Pine and White Cedar parkways. The entire development area is bound by Gill Road on the west, Russell Road on the east, Doran Road to the south and a new, yet-to-be-built county road to the north.
According to the township’s bylaws, fourplex dwellings are a permitted residential use in this area.
“This whole development is entirely unwelcome,” said Jim Edwards, who lives on Idlewood Drive. “I haven’t met a single person that I’ve spoken to who has any interest in this whole thing continuing.
“You’re not going to find anybody in Midhurst who lives here who’s going to support this,” he added.
Those comments were echoed by a resident identified as Williamson, who lives on Spence Avenue in Midhurst. Their first name wasn’t audible during the public meeting, but their opinion was.
“We don’t need these rentals, let alone the entire development,” she said. “It’s time to fight against these fourplexes and these rentals.”
She said she’s concerned about the effects the rental units would have on the community.
The woman also said she’s kept an eye on a development in Midhurst Valley that features rental units in its mix of housing options and she’s not impressed.
“You have constant turnover and less upkeep,” she said. “That is what we can expect from this development, especially with the rental properties.
“That’s not the Midhurst we know, that’s not the Midhurst we want.”
According to Kory Chisholm, partner at MacNaughton Hermson Britton Clarkson Planning Limited, (MHBC), Williamson’s concerns have already been addressed.
He said a professional management company will be hired to ensure the rental properties are maintained with the same level of care that any homeowner would dedicate to their property.
“Just like in a typical apartment building, it’s managed by a one-owner entity that manages the leasing, maintenance of the property and the maintenance of the building,” Chisholm said. “There would be professional lawn maintenance, snow removal — typical building maintenance.”
Derrick Wills, who lives on Neretva Street in Midhurst, wanted to know why the developers were including rental units in a subdivision that’s almost entirely devoted to single-family homes.
Chisholm explained that the development was approved 11 years ago and, since that time, housing markets and needs have changed dramatically across the province.
“In subdivisions that were built 10 years ago, you typically saw larger lots,” he said. “Now, with housing affordability and prices, not just at this site but in all subdivisions I’m working on throughout Simcoe County and Barrie, we’re seeing smaller single-detached dwellings, smaller townhouses.
“We’re trying to assist with that affordability,” Chisholm added.
According to Chisholm, his client, Clarose GP Inc., has been analyzing the market and has discovered a demand for a rental-type product, but a rental-type product beyond the traditional apartment building.
The fourplexes that are planned for Midhurst Heights will offer renters a variety of configurations that will include their own garage and their own backyard.
“As market conditions change, there are mechanisms in place so you can adjust plans to adapt to those,” Chisholm said.
According to Doug Herron, Springwater’s interim chief administrative officer, construction at the site may begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
All comments from Wednesday night’s public meeting will be included in a report that will be prepared for township council’s consideration.
As the Midhurst Heights subdivision was granted approval by the Ontario Municipal Board (now the Ontario Land Tribunal), final approval will be subject to a decision by the OLT.
Springwater’s parks and recreation master plan in limbo
By: Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Source: BarrieToday.com, Mar 08, 2025
Springwater’s parks and recreation master plan will remain an orphaned idea for at least a few more weeks after township council refused to adopt it Wednesday night.
Coun. Danielle Alexander recommended the plan be deferred because she was concerned with one of the 93 recommendations that the plan contained — dissolving the township’s community recreation associations (CRAs).
Identified as a long-term objective — to be completed in seven years or more — the plan recommends, as staffing resources allow, the township phase out out the individual CRAs and centralize the control to the township to streamline operations, funding and support objectivity.
The plan also recommends that the transitioning from individual CRAs to full municipal control should be supported by the creation of one community recreation advisory committee with representation from each of the existing CRAs, if feasible.
“While there are many great recommendations in the plan, the one that personally concerns me the most, and the one that I have received concern about the most, is the end goal of dissolving the CRAs and having the township take over that recreation piece,” Alexander said.
“CRAs are volunteers, perhaps our biggest group of volunteers, throughout this township who have worked tirelessly over decades,” she added. “To me, the events we hold through the CRAs is what makes our community so unique. An event in Phelpston is going to be different from an event in Midhurst.”
How this could affect local events remains to be seen.
“If we get to the point where those are dissolved then we are going to have very standardized events and I think that takes away from what Springwater can offer,” Alexander said.
The councillor recommended township staff host a meeting/workshop with the township’s CRAs to gain their feedback and incorporate that feedback in the plan before council adopts it.
According to township staff, that’s already been done.
While Briana Dean, manager of parks and recreation for the township, couldn’t remember the exact timeline, she told council that all of the CRAs were invited to a workshop hosted by the parks and recreation master plan consultants.
“I believe there was representation from all of the CRAs,” Dean told council. “I don’t think the Elmvale CRA was active at the time. Additionally, we hosted a number of open houses, workshops and an online survey.”
During his presentation of the draft of the parks and recreation master plan during a special session of council two weeks ago, on Feb. 19, plan author Jon Hack, who’s the director of Sierra Planning and Management, told council his firm contacted 63 community groups and more than half of them responded.
“It’s notoriously difficult to get everyone to respond.” Hack told council during the Feb. 19 presentation. “Of course, the usual sort of refrain, and I say it just tongue-in-cheek, is we try our best to get outreach to people and then, when we do that, there’s always someone who says, ‘I didn’t know about it.’”
He added that his planning team had individual meetings with the township’s CRAs.
Coun. Matt Garwood struggled with the deferral.
“I think what we have in front of us is multiple years worth of work, a significant investment by the taxpayer, by this council and especially our staff and the consultant,” he said. “I would hate to push it along, understanding the significant importance of recreation, parks and facilities within our municipality.
“At the end of the day, (recreation, parks and facilities) director (Dean) Collver, I believe, did answer it. Most of, if not all of these recommendations, would require council direction and approval to proceed regardless,” Garwood added.
Township council voted unanimously to defer until staff conduct a workshop with all of the township’s CRAs on the draft 2025 parks and recreation master plan.