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Chronology of Events

Negotiations started in May 2004.

In March 2005, a Heritage Steering Committee was set up.

In December 2005 was the last meeting.  At that time they established a working group of staff from municipalities Markham, Uxbridge, Pickering and from Transport Canada. they also developed criteria and created a report.  That report rated the buildings on a scale and these buildings had a historic significance with 70 to 80%. Transport Canada said they were only Federally Significant if they scored at least 90%.  The Mayor requested that the committee reconvene and that the report be discussed and adopted.

The Government did not response to the recommendations and would not hold any more meetings.

Transport Canada placed an advertisement in the Paper but would not respond to my questions.

In January 2007 Transport Canada was in touch with the Mayor and he replied that work was done and we are waiting for approval of the working group from Transport Canada. We want to get the Heritage Steering Committee up and going again.  He also reiterated that the demolition be deferred so we all the partners could get agreement.

The Town received a letter that demolition was to be Feb. 19th.

We reiterated that we wanted them saved or moved.

Transport Canada offered that we could take pictures and any important pieces, like a door frame.

Feb. 20 Development Services Committee sent the report that we had developed so far and letter to the Federal Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Lawrence Cannon and the Federal Minister of Finance, the Honourable Jim Flaherty.

February 27, Markham Council passed a resolution asking for a deferral of demolitions and for Transport Canada to continue the steering committee.

March 5 Transport Canada applied for a demolition permit which was not granted

March 5 Transport Canada called and asked for it to be expedited.

March 6 Transport Canada had a contractor on site to demolish them.

Our Heritage Staff rushed to the site, but they denied access to stop the demolition and guards on all three houses.

Over the past months, a private citizen was talking with Transport Canada to get permission to move one of the buildings, using their own money.  Transport Canada's response was to bulldoze the buildings.

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