Waratah Stormwater Facility Enhancements

The Waratah Stormwater Facility Enhancements project is a Town of Newmarket initiative that will implement stormwater management improvements within Charles Van Zant Park. The project stems from the recommendations of the Wayne & Waratah Environmental Assessment (EA) completed in 2017 and is being undertaken as part of the Town's Stormwater Management Facility Inspection and Maintenance Program. The primary objectives of the project are to:

• Reduce flooding risks within the surrounding neighbourhood.
• Improve stormwater management performance.
• Enhance water quality before runoff enters local watercourses.
• Implement the preferred stormwater improvement solution identified through the EA process

Project Update: Preferred Design Selected and Final Design Work Underway

The Town of Newmarket is pleased to provide an update on the Charles Van Zant Park - Waratah Berm and Outlet Project.

Following the Public Information Centre (PIC) held last November and extensive technical review, the project team has completed an evaluation of several potential flood mitigation concepts and has selected a preferred design to advance into final detailed design.

Resident feedback received through the engagement process was carefully reviewed and helped inform several key refinements that are being incorporated into the design, including:

• Reducing the pond footprint to increase the number of existing trees that will be retained;
• Maintaining the existing outlet pipe size to reduce construction impacts to neighbouring properties;
• Re-aligning the rear lot drainage along the Elgin Street properties to reduce stormwater directly impacting neighbouring properties;
• Including a backflow preventer to further reduce impacts to neighbouring properties;
• Realigning and strengthening the existing berm to reduce construction impacts to neighbouring properties while accommodating increased stormwater flows; and
• Re-aligning the sidewalk on Waratah Ave to accommodate the berm realignment while maintaining connectivity.

The preferred design was selected because it provides the most comprehensive opportunity to improve drainage and reduce flood risks within the study area while balancing environmental considerations, property impacts, accessibility, and long-term maintenance requirements.

What's Happening Now?

These design changes represent a refinement of the original project scope and have resulted in a change to the project timeline. Additional surveying and model updates are necessary to support the revised design. Through this process, we will continue to engage directly with affected residents.

The remaining field investigations are planned to be complete by the end of October 2026. Residents may observe survey crews and arborists working within the project area during this time. The information collected through these investigations will help refine and finalize the preferred design.

Continued Community Engagement

The Town recognizes the importance of ongoing communication throughout the design process. As the detailed design progresses, the project team will undertake additional engagement activities, including:

• Meetings with directly affected residents;
• Project updates and communications;
• Sharing information about anticipated construction impacts; and
• Providing opportunities for residents to discuss the proposed works with Town staff and the project team.

Community feedback has played an important role in shaping the preferred design, and we thank residents for their continued participation and patience throughout this process.

Next Steps

The project team will continue refining the preferred design and completing supporting technical studies. Future updates, engagement opportunities, and project milestones will be posted on this page as they become available.

Public Meeting Recap

The Town of Newmarket and its consultant, Aquafor Beech Limited, hosted a public information session on November 18, 2025, to share details of the proposed Waratah stormwater improvements and gather community feedback. The meeting was held at the Municipal Office, in a drop-in open house format, allowing residents to review project information boards, discuss the project directly with Town staff and consultants, ask questions, and provide comments on the proposed concept plans. There was no formal presentation.

Key discussion topics included:

• The need for stormwater system improvements in the area.
• Proposed enhancements within Charles Van Zant Park.
• Flood mitigation benefits of the project.
• Opportunities to improve stormwater quality and environmental performance.
• Collection of public feedback to help inform the detailed design process.