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BY CHRIS TRADER ctraber@yrmg.com he dog days of summer in Newmar- ket Heights: children play, a couple wash their front porch, a senior citizen strolls, gardeners turn the earth, men sit on lawn chairs, drink- ing beer and smoking, waving to passersby. The small. post-war houses, most neat and tidy, an occasional eyesore wedged in, tightly line the warren of curved roads pressed hard against the northeast comer of Yonge Street and Davis Drive. Though its beginning half a century ago was shiny and historic, today it’s an enigmatic neighbourhood with a down tmdden reputa- tion residents say it doesn’t deserve. As East Gwillimbury’s inaugural subdivi- sion and York Region’s first planned commu- nity north of Steeles Avenue, the 776 homes completed in 1958 comprised what was then known as East Gwillimbury Heights. Follow- ing annexation in 1964, it was renamed New- market Heights. Avro Aircraft Limited and the Bells Royce jet engine firm, building the infamous Avro Canada CF-150 Arrow jet fighter in Malton and Downsview, needed engineers and mechan- ics. Specialists arrived from around the world, Relative to the times, jobs were to be had, land north of Toronto was inexpensive and deals were expedited to cobble a community for the mass of workers recruited by the bur- geoning aviation sector, Heritage Newmarket committee member Paul Millard says. COMMUNITY PATCHING UP REPUTATI’ON Newmarke't councillor Larry Blight has lived in the community pejorativer referred to as ‘Dog patch’ for years and says the term is unjustified. many fmm the United Kingdom, lured by the promise of good wages and afiordable hous- ing at less than $12,000 a home. It was a harbinger, perhaps, when the contract to build the RCAF all-weather long- range interceptor was abruptly cancelled in 1959 by the new federal Conservative govem- ment. More than 50,000 employees and sup- plier stafi were out of work A good portion of the newcomers were liv- ing in East Gwillimbury Heights; as quickly as they had arrived, many families moved on. With the economic shift in the late 19505 and early ’608, change came to the neighâ€" bourhood. Many homes were abandoned and new owners began renting them out. Mr. Millard, a longtime Newmarket resident, Iohn Dowson, 72, longtime homeowner and co-founder of the Newmarket Heights Community Association. and his neighbour, CULTIVATING NEIGHBOURHOODS A six-part ln-depth series on the changing 19508, Newmarket’s population was 10,000. communities of York Region, highlighting Today, it’s nearly 12 times that number. success and opportunities, examining In essence, the town grew around the challenges and celebrating diversity. Heights' small, semiâ€"detached bungalows and PART30FB Ward 4 Councillor Larry Blight, 59, are the unoflicial Newmarket Heights historians and staunch supporters of the oft-maligned com- munity that has undergone various transfor- mations over the years Only one in 10 of the original residents remains, estimates Mr. Dowson. ' When developers broke ground in the In essence, the town grew around the Heights' small, semiâ€"detached bungalows and handful of larger detached homes, he adds. After many walked away from the new community, it recovered in the late 19603 as an aflordable enclave of family homes. close to schools, transportation, fledgling shopping plazas and a young hospital. “The '803 also brought change," Mr Blight says. “Subdivisions were built. People starting investing here. There were a lot of absentee landlords and illegal rooming houses. The municipality had no control. There was no pride of ownership." The community was a magnet for tranâ€" sients, a place where one could hide effec- tively and inexpensively. The association, 'estab- lished in 1991 remains active, Mr. Dowson said. It conducts govemment and community relations, advocates on behalf of residents. works with police and fire departments and created an array of neighbourhood programs. These include the street captain, safe and clean street and clean park programs. Last year, the community’s environmen- tal day collected and disposed of 17 tonnes of garbage. “It's all about keeping the street clean and safe," he said. But the men cringe when asked about the origins of their neighbourhoods colloquial epithet: the Dog Patch. “I'm offended by the term,” Mr. Dowson says. “It’s derogatory. We got a reputation as be Ave1 STAFF PHOTO/MIKE BARRETT TO READ THE ENTIRE SERIES, GO TO YORKREGION.COM Sec COMMUNITY, page 7. July 23 Part 1: York Region The Face and Pace of Change July 30 Pan 2: Bathurst Street A mflving Jewish Neighbourhood Aug 13 Part 4: Milliken Mills: A New Home for South Asians Aug 27 Part 6: Jackson's Point A Community of Contrasts Aug 20 Pan 5: Maple: The Hopes of Ahmadiyya Muslims