Nemarket’s Glenway development was one of the most spectacular projects undertaken in the town’s history at the time, growing out of the sale of two historic farms and re-development of more historic properties.
Since our history is always the underlying focus of my articles, let us begin with the history of what has become the Glenway area.
The area was originally settled in the 1830s by Dr. John Dawson, who owned a Georgian brick manor. He served as a doctor and justice of the peace in York County.
It was part of farmlands owned by early pioneers like the Crosslands, Doners, Dawsons, and Ballards and part of the original land grants given to Timothy Rogers by the Crown in 1801.
The Dawsons, Ballards and other pioneer families owned farms along Yonge Street to the north that were later developed into subdivisions as Newmarket grew.
The Glenway subdivision was developed partly on the former Ernie Crossland farm and on the Samuel Alexander Doner lands on Lot 94, first concession west of Yonge in the 1980s.
The stately Maple Gables farmhouse on Yonge, former home of the Sociable Pub and now Dawat India, was originally part of a 180-acre farm granted to Timothy Rogers, one of the original Quaker colonizers from Vermont in 1801.
The farm was later owned by John William Bowser, who developed it into a country estate before selling it in 1948 to the Crossland family, after which it became part of the Glenway subdivision development.
The town would receive applications in 2019-2020 for the Glenway West development on the former western half of the Glenway Golf Course lands, proposing approximately 193 residential units. 16 acres was donated to the town for recreational use, which was sweetener developers usually include.
The Glenway area transitioned from early pioneer farmlands to a modern residential subdivision in the 1980s, and some historic landmarks like Maple Gables were preserved.
My assessment of the ways that the development of Glenway Estates transformed the area is purely subjective. Since the subdivision was built partly on the former Crossland farm and partly on lands owned by Samuel Alexander Doner on Lot 94 in the 1800s, their farms and barns were totally demolished around 1980 to make way for Glenway’s expansion.
To the north along Yonge, new developments also replaced historic farms owned by pioneers the Dawsons and Ballards as Newmarket grew outwards.
This transformation from farmlands to a modern residential subdivision community accelerate throughout the 1990s, driven by the demand for housing.
One must acknowledge that Glenway Estates were meticulously planned but they did result in a loss to our town’s heritage. The development of Glenway Estates in the 1980s-90s started a significant transition, the conversion of historic farmlands owned by early settler families into a sprawling residential enclave. One must also acknowledge that some heritage landmarks like the Bowser / Rogers house were preserved.
I am sure that you remember some of the challenges that faced the development of Glenway Estates. There were concerns about the environmental impact of developing the lands, which had significant natural heritage features like woodlands and wetlands. Issues were raised about protecting these natural areas, managing stormwater runoff, and ensuring the development was compatible with the surrounding neighbourhoods.
There were some planning issues, as well. The town initially recommended against allowing development on the Glenway site due to outstanding issues and concerns that the proposed development did not align with planning policies. This brought about a series of disputes and appeals related to the planning applications, density, and compatibility with the existing community character.
The development would require significant infrastructure upgrades and expansions to accommodate the new residential units, including water, sewer, roads, and stormwater management facilities. Ensuring adequate servicing capacity and co-ordinating the construction of new infrastructure was a challenge during the planning process.
There was some opposition from residents and community groups concerned about the loss of green space, increased traffic and impact on the character of the area.
I remember that addressing these concerns and gaining community support for the development plans were an ongoing challenge for the developers.
Despite all these challenges, the Glenway Estates development ultimately proceeded after working through the environmental, planning, infrastructure, and community concerns, resulting in the transformation of the former agricultural lands into a new residential community.
Perhaps I should remind you of the timeline of the development of Glenway. It all began in the 1980s, when the Ernie Crossland farm and Samuel Alexander Doner lands located on Lot 94 were demolished. Construction of residential units in Glenway began in 1981 and accelerated through the 1990s.
Most of the homes in the Glenway Estates neighborhood were constructed in the 1980s. The western portion of the former Glenway Golf and Country Club lands were later sold to developers around 2009 and the golf club ceased operations in 2011.
This would lead to proposals in 2019-2020 for the Glenway West development on the former golf course lands, with plans for another 193 new residential units.
Residents living on Alex Doner Drive formed a neighbourhood group to oppose the development on the former golf course lands starting in 2010.
This group, along with the Glenway Preservation Association, would actively fight against the development plans back in 2013 and in subsequent public meetings, citing concerns over increased density, traffic, loss of green space, and impacts on the existing community character.
The Glenway West development proposal included a donation of 16 acres to the town that undoubtedly helped to solidify support for the project.
In acknowledgement of the fact that Samuel Alexander Doner’s and Ernie Crossland’s former farmlands on Lot 94 constituted a crucial part of the land assembly that enabled the construction of the Glenway Estates subdivision in the 1980s and1990s, the Doner and the Crossland names were immortalized through the naming of Alex Doner Drive and Crossland Gate in the heart of the neighbourhood built on their ancestral lands.
I hope that this trip back, taking a closer look at the history of the Glenway development has brought back some memories. I always bemoan any development that takes historically relevant lands out service, but I am not anti-development. I do wish we could find some way for history and growth to co-exist somehow.
Sources: Mosaik Homes, Glenway Subdivision, Newmarket; Glenway West – Town of Newmarket; What’s Coming Up at Council: Glenway West development up for …; Most of Newmarket’s growth came at expense of farmland; ‘Facade of democracy’: Glenway area residents feel unheard as …; [PDF] MARIANNEVILLE; DEVELOPMENTS LTD. – Town of Newmarket; [PDF] Recommendation Report Glenway West OPA ZBA DPS; Glenway Estates Newmarket – Vaughan Neighbourhood Guide; From Empire State Building builder to NHL hockey legend, Ward 7 …; [PDF] Glenway Questions and Lessons Learned Public Information Centre; [PDF] 11-24 Outline of Issues on the Glenway Applications (V3); Glenway Golf Course vs. Housing Development – Toronto Golf Nuts; Newmarket providing key approvals for 189 homes at Glenway; Living in Glenway Estates: Welcome to the Neighbourhood
Newmarket resident Richard MacLeod, the History Hound, has been a local historian for more than 40 years. He writes a weekly feature about our town’s history in partnership with NewmarketToday, conducts heritage lectures and walking tours of local interest, and leads local oral history interviews.
