MARKHAM, ONT.—The City of Markham, Ont. has purchased the Shouldice Property in Thornhill and plans to use the 22-acre-site as a new public park and open space while conserving the former McCullagh Estate.
Located at 7750 Bayview Ave., the Shouldice Hospital has been specializing in hernia care since 1945. Markham is purchasing the lands from a limited partnership managed by Liberty Development Corporation. There is a current application to develop the site for a mixed-use residential project.
The $188 million purchase price, funded by reserves specific for the purpose of acquiring and creating city parkland, was vetted by two independent land appraisals, states a release. The funding source is money collected through development applications.
The city expects to formally conclude the land transaction by the end of the year after the due diligence currently underway is completed.
“By purchasing this coveted site, Markham is advancing the goals of its Integrated Leisure Master Plan in this part of the city. The natural beauty of the site makes it one of Markham’s crown jewels and we are delighted to bring it into public ownership for use by the entire Markham community,” said Frank Scarpitti, mayor of Markham, in a statement.
“Entering into this agreement helps advance Markham’s strategy to acquire greenspace in anticipation of future growth. With the population of Thornhill and the rest of Markham continuing to increase, especially with additional densities coming to Thornhill, acquiring this additional open space is an important strategic step.”
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