Enhanced health care, a new high school, four new heritage evaluations, plus more are all on the agenda for Bradford West Gwillimbury’s regular council meeting set for 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Zima Room at the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library.
Enhancing health care
In a report, CAO Geoff McKnight is recommending council approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Southlake Regional Health Centre and the Northern York South Simcoe Ontario Health Team.
While non-binding, the MOU is intended to formalize a commitment to improving health facilities and resources within town, as part of Southlake’s distributed model of care. That aims to offer additional health-care services closer to home across the communities the hospital serves through expanded programs and new facilities, according to the report.
Other improvements could include new and expanded health and wellness services, advocacy, data sharing, exploring research and innovation, fostering collaboration and capacity building.
Specific objectives include:
- increasing health-care capacity by developing facilities and resources in town, while also expanding use of existing spaces
- attracting new health-care services, including new primary care clinics and practitioners
- better integration of seniors’ health care among local retirement homes, long-term care homes, local primary care practitioners, and Southlake
- representing the town’s diverse population and associated health and wellness needs
- advocating for uniform data-sharing platforms among health-care providers to reduce administrative burdens
According to the report, the MOU is based on a similar agreement with Georgina, but tailored to Bradford based on a public meeting on May 14, and is expected to help council meet one of its strategic priorities of enhanced health care in the community.
While there is no direct financial impact, McKnight notes all parties entering the MOU acknowledge additional investment is required to provide better local access to health-care services and facilities.
MZO for new high school
A separate report from McKnight recommends council endorse a request for a minister’s zoning order (MZO), which could provide a location for a new public high school.
According to the report, that request comes from two landowners, GB (Bradford) Inc. and CLE 72330 Ltd., who are each willing to donate four hectares (10 acres) for an 8.1-hectare (20-acre) high-school campus across two neighbouring properties at 2901 Line 6 and 2944 Line 5.
In consultation with the town and the school board, the owners have also committed to building a road, sidewalk and servicing from Line 6 to the school, but the construction and donations are contingent on the MZO being approved. That would also see the high school surrounded by residential development and parks, with both Langford Boulevard and West Park Avenue extended south to Line 5.
The two properties total 81 hectares (200 acres) zoned agricultural and are outside of the town’s settlement area boundary, but that could be changed as part of the town’s ongoing growth management plan.
This new opportunity follows council’s ongoing effort pushing for a new high school in town, including passing a motion on June 18 in favour of finding a site as a “critical priority.”
The new school is proposed to accommodate 1,168 students, and as of 2023, Bradford District High School was listed as having 1,314 students, which put it at 118 per cent of its 1,113-student capacity, according to a report from the school board’s April 3 business and facilities standing committee meeting.
According to McKnight’s report, the school board has already submitted a capital funding request for the school and, if all goes well, construction could begin as early as the summer of 2026.
Heritage designations
Four properties could soon receive heritage designation in Bradford.
Based on reports from Thomas Dysart, senior planner for the town, the town’s heritage committee is recommending council approve proceeding with designation under the Ontario Heritage Act for the properties — all of which have both architectural and historical value from the early settlers who built them.
- The Hughes home at 1641 County Rd. 27 is a Georgian two-storey farmhouse built around 1845.
- The West-Howard house at 4029 Line 6 is a 1.5-storey Ontario vernacular farmhouse built around 1845.
- The Armson-Wood house at 3778 County Rd. 88 is a two-storey Georgian farmhouse built around 1845.
- The Goodfellow/Williams house at 3423 County Rd. 88 is a Gothic Revival/neoclassical 1.5-storey brick farmhouse built around 1865.
Also based on advice from Dysart, the committee is recommending an update to the heritage designation bylaw to ensure proper designation of the Earl Rowe Property at 4304-4306 Line 10.
