City of Markham takes bold step to purchase Shouldice Site for Public Use

MARKHAM, ON – September 12, 2022 – The City of Markham is pleased to announce that it has successfully pursued and agreed to purchase 7750 Bayview Avenue also known as the Shouldice Property in Thornhill. Markham will use the 9-hectare (22-acre) site for a variety of purposes for the long-term benefit of its residents, including:

• As a new public park and open space
• Conservation of the former McCullagh Estate
• Other Public/Municipal Community uses
• The existing lease with the Shouldice Hospital, specializing in hernia care since 1945

Markham’s Parks and Recreation departments manage over 470-hectares (1161-acres) of parks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our parks saw record levels of use as more residents enjoyed open spaces for recreation and leisure activities.

“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.

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 $188M purchase price will be funded by reserves specific for the purpose of acquiring and creating city parkland. The purchase price of the transaction was thoroughly vetted by two independent land appraisals. Property tax dollars are not being used for this purchase. The funding source is money collected through development applications for the sole purpose to purchase parkland for future and existing residents.

“I am overjoyed that Markham Council accepted a plan put forward by me and Mayor Scarpitti that will see ownership of these lands, in their entirety, transferred to the City of Markham,” said Ward 1 Councillor Keith Irish. “This will protect the property in perpetuity thereby preserving the unique and historic nature of the site while opening it up as additional parkland for generations of residents to enjoy.”

The City expects to formally conclude this land transaction by year’s end once the due diligence currently underway is completed. 

"I want to thank the property owner and its deveopment manager, Liberty Development Corporation, for their willingness to cooperate with the City of Markham in this endevaour. 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," added Mayor Scarpitti.

Image of the current greenspace and trail system.

-30-

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti's Office:
At mayorscarpitti@markham.ca.

All other media inquiries / interview requests for the City of Markham:
Kisha Powell, Media Relations & Communications Specialist at kpowell@markham.ca.

About Markham: Markham, an award-winning municipality with more than 356,000 residents and the largest of nine communities in York Region, is home to over 650 headquarteredcompanies and more than 1,500 high tech and life science companies. Markham is a leader in attracting foreign direct investment with more than 234 foreign companies located in the City. Founded in the 1790s, today Markham is Canada’s most diverse community and enjoys a rich heritage, outstanding community planning and services, and a vibrant local economy.

Stay Connected: Visit our newsroom or search #MarkhamNews and #MarkhamEvents for the latest information on City programs, services and event.