Planned Markham Mosque Stirs Debate Between Residents and Council

A few days ago this flyer landed in my mailbox. Evidently, for its creator(s) the issue is that a mosque does not belong in Markham's 'historic' Swan Lake.

I live in the area a mere 4 minutes away from the planned site and while I oppose the mosque at this site, it is not for this reason because there is no 'historic Swan Lake' argument to be made as there is no evident historicity.

At the heart of the issue is a two storey 28,000 square foot mosque to be built about one kilometer east of Markham Rd. and 16th Avenue beside the Brother Andre Catholic High School. News of the impending project came as quite a surprise to area residents who learned of it via Markham's local newspaper, the Economist and Sun. Opposition to its location was immediate with harsh criticism levied at town council for keeping the application to build such an imposing structure low-key. 


A little perspective on the area - Swan Lake is a gated community on the north side of 16th Avenue, adjacent to the proposed site and extending to the north and east. Consisting mainly of condominium row-housing and a few low rise buildings, it is barely 12 years old. **Nothing on the north side of 16th Avenue east of Markham Rd., provides any evidence of historicity such existence lies on the south side west of the site in two buildings** one of which is, a refaced 1907 Edwardian which is home to a Montessori School and the other, an 1899 vernacular once belonging to a reverend which now houses a roofing business. 

**correction Nov.1: It was brought to my attention that there is a 3rd historic property the John L. Reesor House located at 6330 16th. Ave., on the north side and which is also the site for the proposed townhouse development by Stargrande Custom Homes Corp. Stargrande has represented to council that they will conserve and incorporate the JLR house into its dvelopment and convert same into a semi-detached unit.** 

Aside from Markham Rd. itself, one is actually hard pressed to find any visible buildings of an historical nature unless one drives through the immediate side streets off Markham Rd., or visits the Heritage Estates - an enclave northwest of the intersection.


In addition, the high school looks like well - a high school, there are plazas on 3 of the four corners of Markham Rd and 16th Ave., a gas station on the other, a strip mall directly across from the proposed site, and immediately south of 16th., homes ranging in age from 5 to 25 years. The mosque's footprint if equal over two floors will be no more than 167ft by 167ft - approximately 5 lot widths of the homes on the south side. This is hardly monstrous in size nor will its design detract from historical sites given the surrounding buildings.


Using the historical context then as an argument is self-defeating in that it has no legs on which to stand and unfortunately the argument is now blurred by hardliners on both the pro and con sides who accuse each other of religious bias.


I wholeheartedly agree with the opposing side that Markham's council erred by not consulting with the area residents at large, choosing instead to keep it under the radar by inviting only a select 100 or so to attend a pre-approval meeting. Council's responses to residents have been to defend the decision based on the fact that the site was given institutional approval back in 2003, presumably to no one denoimational interest. But that is not the real issue, this is:

 Markham Rd., from Denison Ave. north is heavily trafficked at all times. Complicating matters is that it bottlenecks in two areas where it briefly narrows into one lane each way above the 407 and again between Hwy. #7 and Bullock/Parkway. One block south of 16th. Ave it divides into a left turn, straight and right turn lanes, thereby creating another logjam. Markham's population has grown considerably in no small part due to the heavy development north of 16th. Ave., resulting in increased traffic congestion not just on Markham Rd., but also on the much wider 16th Ave. It now stands to get even worse given the numerous Islamic daily prayer times and holy days especially when considering that as a spokesperson for the Mosque stated it will accommodate the overflow of worshippers from the Mosque at Denison and Markham Rd. At any given time of day, the Markham Rd. and 16th Ave., corridor is already a frustrating exercise when turning left into any lot, plaza or street, it will get worse.

Considering the additional housing with the slated high rises and townhomes, this is not the ideal location for either of these buildings. In fact, from this Google image you can see how heavily populated this area already is and two things are worth mentioning in regard the mosque. The first is that there is a higher concentration of the Muslim population within the communities north of 16th Ave., and extending west to east all the way to boundaries of farmland - the northern quadrant of this Google image. The second is that the north/south street curving west is the wide yet lightly trafficked Donald Cousens Parkway with access from Hwy. 407. You can also see farm land and protected conservation.


Incidentally, the lake below is Swan Lake, the high school is in front of track and the mosque's proposed site is between the two.


There is absolutely no reason when planning the buildout of this area that Town council could not have zoned as institutional a parcel of this land south of the parkway and there is absolutely no reason they shouldn't find a piece of it now and declare it as such given the demographic make up and and the accessibility the parkway provides.