Tourism, Heritage, Healthy Communities and Culture

The Town is currently developing a Parks and Recreation Strategy to guide services, facilities, parks, programs and events over the next 10 years and beyond. As part of this strategy, the need and demand for arenas will be outlined. We are looking forward to the results to guide future planning. 

The Town of Caledon is interested in building relationships with post-secondary institutions to create opportunities to have programs offered in our community.

Within the Town of Caledon Economic Development Strategy 2020-2030 (link provided below) Priority 1. Support and Entrepreneurial and Small Business Economy pgs. 37-38 lists several actions focused on Town of Caledon developing programming and training in association with post-secondary institutions

Town of Caledon Economic Development Strategy 2020-2030 link:

https://pub-caledon.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=9918

The Town of Caledon Business Attraction and Investment Division retained UrbanMetrics to complete a Post-Secondary Needs and Feasibility Study. On June 13, 2023 Planning and Development Committee Meeting – The Study was included in the planning process associated with Staff Report 2023-0320 – Item 8.2

Planning and Development Committee Meeting, June 13 – Link:

https://pub-caledon.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=17dba423-602f-4203-8308-ff659efcc7c4&Agenda=PostAgenda&lang=English&Item=34&Tab=attachments

Economic Development Memo to Council and Study – June 13^th, Council Meeting – Link:

https://pub-caledon.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=32872

As noted within the “Results of the Study” section of the Memo it provided the following information:

The study suggests that instead of exploring a large greenfield development for a post-secondary institution Caledon should explore a post-secondary satellite campus that is well-targeted to specific learning programs to address local gaps. The consultant provided two potential options for a more suitable location in Bolton;

· in proximity to future GO station(s)

· within the “Knowledge and Innovation Corridor” area identified in the Bolton Framework Plan, located between Healey Road and King Street along Humber Station Road.

Although the study indicates the subject lands are not needed at this time or in the foreseeable future for post-secondary learning, the need for post-secondary education in Caledon should still be considered. Through the Official Plan potential locations for post-secondary institutions will be included for future secondary plans with guidance from this study. The Economic Development team will continue to explore opportunities for partnerships with post-secondary institutions and pursue opportunities for satellite programs that fill identified gaps for education and develop programs that are relevant to local businesses.

As Bolton camp is owned by the TRCA, any rejuvenation plans would reside with TRCA. We will share the challenges with access with TRCA for consideration. 

Hi Diane,

Thanks for your comment and interest in the Official Plan Review process.  Yes, we will certainly provide links where available. Some of the headings pertain to provincial or regional policy documents that have not yet been released, or municipal projects that have not yet been completed or funded: in these instances, links will be added as work is completed or available.

All the best,

Sally

Thanks for your question and comments – we appreciate you getting involved in the Town’s Official Plan Review! Your comments touched upon a variety of interrelated topics, but let’s start with growth and your concern with urban sprawl. The Ontario Government and Region of Peel have indeed identified Caledon as a community where further population growth is to occur. The new Official Plan will help to guide where and how that growth will be accommodated to 2041; the intent is to avoid sprawl. As a starting point, growth is already discouraged in Caledon’s ecologically sensitive areas of the Niagara Escarpment, Oak Ridges Moraine, and the Greenbelt. Outside of these areas, we can focus and accommodate growth by encouraging increased density within our existing communities, as well as expanding the settlement boundaries of some of our existing communities. Additional policy directions to be considered in support of new growth areas entail new collaborative concepts such as ‘healthy communities’ and ‘active transportation’. These can be encouraged through urban design, infrastructure, and community initiatives supporting active lifestyles and community well-being. Preserving and maintaining cultural and heritage resources are key components to support ‘healthy communties’.

The Valleywood subdivision is now 35 years old, and as you say is primarily a bedroom community with very limited community facilities. In comparison, Southfields is a much more recent urban development and was designed with a stronger community hub in the form of the recreation centre. Mayfield West is also being planned with strong recreational/community facilities, intended to be complementary to those in Southfield. In many respects, the development of these nodal community facilities reflects the nodal approach the Town is taking to future growth – focusing it primarily on the tri-nodes of Bolton, Caledon East, and Mayfield West.

As you mentioned, Caledon’s natural environment and existing trail systems are key draws for local residents and visitors alike. The Town has also identified areas considered to be Cultural Heritage Landscapes, where a combination of natural and cultural features (i.e. built heritage; farmscapes, historic hamlets...) reflect the unique history of specific areas. Such diverse areas are difficult to protect from change from a strictly heritage perspective, but we will be trying to promote local awareness and appreciation of them through various means such as walking tours, signage etc.

In terms of built heritage conservation, the Town’s current OP policies encourage retention and adaptive re-use of buildings within new developments. One such example in the Southfields area is the conservation of a stone farmhouse that fronts onto Highway 10 – it is being conserved in situ and incorporated on a corner lot within the new subdivision that is being constructed around it. We hope to strengthen heritage conservation policies in the new Official Plan to promote further opportunities for such undertakings. Another example of a form of heritage conservation we hope to encourage is the adaptive re-use of a historic church as a residence for adults at risk. We will be looking to provide heritage conservation policies in the new Official Plan that support and facilitate such collaborative initiatives. The Town has completed inventories of its built heritage resources and is in the process of listing them under the Ontario Heritage Act. This recognition of their value is an important step in protecting them in the face of future change.

In support of expanding arts and culture opportunities in Caledon, the Town now has a Tourism and Culture Officer who is developing partnerships with local arts groups. For instance, the Town is now working with the Headwaters Arts Round Table on developing an Arts Trail Guide. Initiatives like this will enable us to expand our tourism strategy beyond our natural and agricultural features.

You commented on wanting culture/heritage/active spaces that fit in a community rather than heritage and culture being forced into new-built structures within future urban communities.  I wasn’t sure if you felt there was a local example of this that we should avoid in the future. If so, could you let us know?

Again, thanks for your comments. Please let us know if the above is of assistance in answering your questions.

Best regards,

Sally Drummond