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stouffville siintribune thursday march 16 2006 3 the northeast corner of hwy 7 and main street markham as it looks today and as it did 50 years ago key intersections harbingers of change by chris traber staff writer crossroads is an apt term for york regions intersections they tend to make a lot of people cross and sad whether its ire resulting from the increased traffic or melancholy for places and spaces long gone longtime residents all have somber recollections of what was lome smith 69 was bom raised and continues to live in the rural environs north of markham as the towns official historian his interest in growth is both personal and scholarly using a map he coproduced he illustrates how concession roads running north and south first carved by new arrivals remain the main transport arteries today all major roadways were exactly a mile and quarter apart in both directions to border 1000acre land parcels in the early 1800s five families worked the parcels in the 1900s 10 families farmed 100 acres each today the same acreage supports between 2000 and 5000 homes urban sprawl makes intersec tions once familiar and convenient virtually ghost roads mr smith said adding he attended school at coltyis comers now kennedy road and major mackenzie drive there were stores and mer chants there people gathered shopped and talked he said with more people the shopping areas moved to markham and unionville beginning in the 1950s iiijljb jhp today planning for growth march 23 economics of growth march 30 growing green april 6 getting around april 13 livable lifestyles april 20 healthy communities stores closed only the school is still there the commercial shift to hwy 7 and intersections at mccowan road and hwy 48 spelled the end for most country comer stores and gathering places it saddens me mr smith said there was a tremendous sense of community around these intersec tions its almost impossible to know your neighbours nowadays craig benson and wife iris have raised four children in markham since arriving in 1987 an expanse of unspoiled coun tryside started at 16th line and kennedy and there was a farm at the southwest corner of kennedy and carleton mr benson recalled those intersections were like an oasis in what was a small town beginning to grow he said wed walk and bike in and around there now its a plaza and homes devel opment in markham doesnt anger me it does bother me longtime unionville resident rafik bechbache has observed the changes from his medical practice at main street squth and unionville gate its getting busier he said of the traffic the morning lineup is just packed on main coming from hwy 7 mccowan kennedy and warden is bumper to bumper bru tal the changes around the inter- section just north of at hwy 7 are indicative of how growth has gen- trifled what was a rural setting gone is the corner gas station the bank is closed nearby unionville fairways an 18hole golf facility where dr bechbaches children learned to play is gone ive been here since 1985 the physician said weve lost the old small town feel markham museum curatorial services supervisor marie jones resides in nearby heritage estates a collection of rejuvenated century homes everywhere you look four cor ners always had a connection with the villages and hamlets around them she said theyve almost all disappeared the speed of todays traffic is too fast and these intersections are ho longer a place to stop and do business growth has benefits but its also affecting our cultural landscape the intersection of hwy 7 and markham road once a peaceful comer bordering the former fair grounds and a church was a jog in the road during the 1950s ms jones said hwy 7 was straightened to accommodate traffic flow and is now mostly populated by vehicles and few pedestrians thornhill wireless media execu tive producer renata richardson and her family have been residents for 22 years bayview avenue and john street is a key crossroad for shopping recreation and travel everywhere you look four corners always had a connection with the villages and hamlets around them theyve almost all disappeared marie jones markham museum curator when we first moved here it was a relatively quiet intersection she said it was quaint and wed often walk there now its a busy hub and not conducive for a stroll richmond hill resident cora donnelly recounts weekend jaunts to maple where rutherford road and keele street meet the comer and its amenities appealed to her european culture it was an eclectic mix of small town ontario and old world shops she said it was leisurely and peaceful you could park walk in any direction and enjoy the shops and sights today ifs built up and hectic and the concentration of cafes and stores are gone vision 2026 in 2026 york region residents will live work play and learn in healthy accessi ble and safe neighbourhoods that are vibrant exciting and peoplefriendly the vision statement says residents will continue to enjoy the high quality of life that attracted them to york and will have a strong sense of belonging and commitment to their communities the regional government predicts eight goals are also listed to accomplish the vision identify yourself fostering a strong sense of community identity and place things to do encouraging and development of a range of activities recreational opportunities and exciting community places safety first promoting livable sustainable and safe communities build core values revitalizing and promoting compact community cores looking good promoting high- quality urban design park your car encouraging pedestrianfriendly and transitoriented neighbourhoods enjoy it all valuing our country side and rural lifestyle as well as the distinctiveness of our towns and villages and city living in country address ing the challenge of demands for urban service levels in rural communities have your say sessions have been scheduled to allow you to get involved in the regions plan ning process open houses start at 5 pm followed by presentations at 7 pm march 21 regional south services centre 50 high tech rd richmond hill march 23 town of markham anthony roman centre canada room 101 town centre blvd markham april 4 vaughan civic centre council chambers 2141 major macken zie dr vaughan april 6georgina civic centre coun cil chambers 26557 civic centre rd rr 2 keswick and april 12 regional administration centre seminar room 17250 yonge st newmarket