Mulock Property

Contacts

Municipal Office

395 Mulock Drive P.O. Box 328 Station Main, Newmarket, Ontario
L3Y 4X7
905-895-5193

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Aerial photo of the Mulock Property

The Town of Newmarket purchased the Mulock Property in October 2018, to develop a special park building on the natural beauty and heritage of the site.

The property includes welcoming green space and a historic home, all in the centre of urban Newmarket at the northwest corner of Mulock Drive and Yonge Street. 

The residence that exists on the property is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. It will be preserved by the Town and respectfully adapted for uses that will best serve the community. The vision for this property is to create an iconic community park/outdoor green space. 

The Mulock site contains layers of diverse histories, starting with the initial stewards of the land, the Indigenous First Nations.

In the late 1800s, Sir William Mulock, a politician, jurist, educator, agriculturalist and philanthropist made his home on the Newmarket property, hosting influential people from many different fields. The property was owned by the Mulock family for six generations. The new park will build on this legacy, creating a special place to be shared by Newmarket residents and visitors.


 

Imagining My Mulock


Community Engagement

As part of the Town’s community engagement process and one of Council’s Strategic Priorities, Extraordinary Places and Spaces, we spoke with over 3,000 residents from fall 2019 to winter 2020 to gather feedback.

Read more on community engagement

Through early consultation, five guiding principles emerged which will continue to steer us forward in the project.

In fall 2020, three design concepts - Energized, Expressive, Peaceful - were presented to Council and the community for feedback. We received nearly 250 survey responses on the design concepts which the consultant team used to refine the final concept which blends all three themes. 

In Spring 2021 the Final Master Plan was approved by Council. 

The community will continue to be informed and engaged throughout the development. Most recently, the Town hosted a PIC via Facebook Live on December 9, 2021 (watch here)


Stay engaged - sign up for Mulock Property Updates, read the feedback we've received & leave a comment with your thoughts too at HeyNewmarket.ca


Guiding Principles for Design

Five guiding principles emerged which will continue to steer the project through to completion. 

  • Make it a destination: What would make the Mulock Property a significant place in Newmarket? (consider public art, culture, etc.)
  • Keep it natural: What are the opportunities to maintain and enhance the natural features of the landscape?
  • Root it in diverse histories and look forward: How can we integrate multiple layers of history while bringing new uses and activities to the site?
  • Create inclusive and accessible spaces: How can we create an inclusive and accessible site for all residents and visitors?
  • Connection it to our town: How can the site be integrated within the neighbouring areas? How do we get there?
Design Concept

A two-year public consultation process culminated on March 9, 2021 when the final design concept was presented to the public at a Facebook Live event. The final design concept blended the expressive, peaceful and energetic themes that will be expressed through the site and future programming. 

Watch the Facebook Live reveal here and check out the concept teaser video below.

Design & Engagement Consultants

The Town of Newmarket has awarded PLANT Architect Inc. (PLANT) and Process to continue with the visioning consultation exercise and Concept Master Plan development for the Mulock Property. The award-winning firm co-led the revitalization of Toronto's iconic Nathan Philips Square to maintain its cultural status while creating a stimulating public destination.


Building My Mulock

Find out about the Town's Project Management Plan

The final Master Plan was approved by Council in Spring 2021.

Development of the Mulock Property into an iconic park space is a major project, delivered in a phased approach. Now, we are working with our team to develop the Schematic Design, Design Development and Contract Drawings to make the Master Plan vision a reality.

The Schematic Design phase began in mid-2021 and will be complete by the end of the year. Town of Newmarket staff and our consultants have reviewed many different design concepts, ideas about site ecology, building layouts, environmental sustainability, pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle traffic flows, and more! We have also begun the process of seeking necessary approvals and permits for the different project elements.

The Design Development phase will begin after the December 9 Public Information Centre (Facebook Live) and will continue into the middle of 2022. In this phase, the team will develop requirements, reports, designs and approvals to meet the vision built through Master Planning and Schematic Design.

The Contract Documentation phase starts in mid-2022 and will prepare the detailed drawings and specifications, together with obtaining final permits and approvals to tender, all leading to construction beginning in 2023.

Learn how the Mulock Property fits into the Town's broader plans
Developed after extensive community consultation, Newmarket's Urban Centres Secondary Plan, which guides the redevelopment of the Yonge Street and Davis Drive corridors over the next 25+ years and designates the majority of the Mulock property as parks and open space.

The adjacent Younge South character area is designated by the Secondary Plan for a mix of higher-density residential, commercial and employment uses. 

The Mulock Property will provide essential green space to support the residents of these new homes, as well as people throughout Newmarket and beyond.
Learn about our plan to build and fund the project
It is estimated that the property will be open for community use in 2024/2025 and cost approximately 40 million for construction costs and costs for project management, design, contract administration and other supporting studies. There will be no property tax impact for residents because the majority of the funding can be done through development charges. These development charges were collected for the purpose of building parks and recreational spaces for the community and can only be used for these purposes. Other funding sources include, but are not limited to parkland contributions, community benefit charges, dedicated reserves for trails and/or public art and potentially grants and sponsorship.
Public Access to Mulock Property
The Town of Newmarket held a Harvest Picnic Event on the Mulock Property on October 20, 2019. Nearly 1,000 people enjoyed a sneak peek inside Sir William Mulock's storied home built-in 1870. The home/ property is currently closed to the public while we complete design field work and construction. We are eager to open the property to the public when the project is completed. 

History

About Sir William Mulock

Sir William Mulock held many prestigious positions as a lawyer, businessman, educator, farmer, politician, judge, and philanthropist. In academia, Mulock taught Modern Languages at the University of Toronto and later served as the vice-chancellor. From 1882 to 1905, Mulock was elected to the House of Commons as a Member of Parliament. As a Cabinet Minister, Mulock served as the Postmaster-General (1896 to 1905) and later established the Department of Labor (1900).

Born in Bond Head, Mulock's family moved to Newmarket where he spent his childhood, before moving to Toronto for post-secondary education.

History of the Mulock Property

In the late 1800s, Sir William Mulock purchased the 200-acre property in Newmarket, intended to serve as his summer home. However, the property soon became a frequent place for important meetings, special occasions, and social gatherings for notable guests. Some famous guests include Guglielmo Marconi (inventor and electrical engineer of the radiotelegraph), Frederick Banting and Charles Best, who discovered insulin and the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII).

Six generations of the Mulock's have walked the grounds of the property. The historical significance of this property is a great asset to the Town and will allow us to continue to preserve Sir William Mulock's legacy as a Newmarket resident and a "fundamental architect of Canada" – as noted by Prime Minister, Sir William Lyon Mackenzie.


Project News & Reports

Reports

(* If you should find any of the above are not in an acceptable accessible format, please contact the Town of Newmarket at 905-895-5193 or email [email protected]​)​​