Creating #MyMulock

Thank you! We received over 100 questions & comments from the residents who joined us live on Facebook for a public update on the Mulock Park development project. We're now moving to the Design Development stage.

Learn more below.

About the Mulock Property

The Town of Newmarket's vision for this property is to create an iconic community park/outdoor green space. The Town is developing the property into a civic space where community life, recreation, culture, heritage and conservation collide in innovative and engaging ways.

From imagination to Master Plan

From 2019 to 2021, the Town of Newmarket, with the support of PLANT Architect Inc. (PLANT) and PROCESS, engaged over 3,000 people to share their ideas and visions for the property.

The community's feedback helped us develop:

• Five guiding principles which will continue to steer us forward
• Three concept themes - Expressive, Energized & Peaceful

Extensive community and stakeholder engagement coupled with concept design work, has led to a design that will enhance the natural beauty of this landmark property.

The final design concept was presented to the public at a Facebook Live event on March 9, 2021.

Watch the video below highlighting the design concept.

The Town of Newmarket has awarded PLANT Architect Inc. (PLANT) and Process to continue with the visioning consultation exercise and Concept Master Plan development for the Mulock Property. The award-winning firm co-led the revitalization of Toronto's iconic Nathan Philips Square to maintain its cultural status while creating a stimulating public destination.

What’s next for the #MyMulock project?

Development of the Mulock Property into an iconic park space is a major project, delivered in a phased approach. The Town of Newmarket is advancing through the Design Development and Contract Drawings stages to make the Master Plan vision a reality.

The Schematic Design phase began in mid-2021 and is now complete. Town of Newmarket staff and our consultants have reviewed many different design concepts, ideas about site ecology, building layouts, environmental sustainability, pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle traffic flows, and more! We have also begun the process of seeking necessary approvals and permits for the different project elements.

Thank you to the residents who joined us live on Facebook for a public update on the Mulock Park development project. Lisa Rapoport from PLANT Architect Inc. shared the work the team has been doing during the “Schematic Design Phase” including findings and considerations for planting, landscape, ecology and more.

Rebecca Carbin, a specialist on the consulting team and principal at Art + Public UnLtd, presented a vision for public art that celebrates the landscape through a lens of innovation to highlight stories across past, present and future that expand our understanding of nature and our relationship to the land.

You can watch the full presentation here.

We received over 100 questions and comments which will be considered as we move into the “Design Development Phase” running through winter and spring of 2022. During this phase we dive even deeper into:

• Details of design elements
• Building and landscape engineering
• Lighting and planting
• Adjusting design to fit the budget

In this phase, the team will develop requirements, reports, and designs and apply for required approvals to meet the vision built through Master Planning and Schematic Design.

Residents can expect another touch point in the spring, in addition to tuning into Council meetings throughout the process.

The Contract Documentation phase starts in mid-2022 and will prepare the detailed drawings and specifications, together with obtaining final permits and approvals to tender, all leading to construction beginning in 2023.

Our Guiding Principles

The final design concept was born through various conversations with local residents, Town Council, school groups and community leaders where five guiding principles emerged:

1. Make it a destination
2. Keep it natural
3. Root it in diverse histories and look forward
4. Create inclusive and accessible spaces
5. Connect it to our town

Bringing the Mulock park to life

It is estimated that the property will be open for community use in 2024/2025 and cost approximately $40 million, including construction costs plus costs for project management, design, contract administration and other supporting studies. There will be no property tax impact for residents because the majority of the funding will be provided through development charges. These development charges were collected for the purpose of building parks and recreational spaces for the community and can only be used for these purposes. Other funding sources include, but are not limited to parkland contributions, community benefit charges, dedicated reserves for trails and/or public art and potentially grants and sponsorship.

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