It’s no secret that more and more people are deciding to make the move east from the GTA to the Peterborough region, and the township of Cavan Monaghan is looking like one the more desirable destinations to call home.
At a ceremonial groundbreaking Monday morning, township councillors, employees and other investors and volunteers gathered at the site on County Road 10 and dug their silver shovels into the ground to signal construction was officially beginning on the new $17.5 million Cavan Monaghan Community Centre.
The construction work around the project has already started. In all, it has been four years in the making, said Cavan Monaghan Mayor Scott McFadden, while a bulldozer continued to move earth directly behind him.
The construction is everywhere and just a football field south on Fallis Line, the ongoing development of a housing subdivision is underway in Cavan Monaghan Township. It’s expected the area will see a population spike in the coming years, as these projects signal a time of major change and development.
It would appear the township is capitalizing on a housing shortage and developmental standstill in Peterborough, as opportunities for development and land is just unavailable, and neighbouring communities like Cavan Monaghan and Norwood are seeing housing developments take off.
“In Peterborough alone, we have about 26 serviceable lots to build on and that should be around the 300 or 400 mark,” said Garnet Northey, president of the Peterborough and Kawartha Home Builders Association. “That just illustrates how few homes we have available and that is driving the price up and people talk about what’s driving home prices up and its supply — there’s just not enough houses out there.”
In Millbrook, meanwhile, phase one of a new subdivision south of Fallis Line is taking shape. This housing development project sits adjacent to the new community centre development.
“Phase one is about 352 homes, while phase two studies are currently being completed,” said Scott McFadden, mayor of Cavan Monaghan Township. “Certainly over the course of the next five to 10 years, the community’s population should double.”
There are approximately 650 homes in the village of Millbrook, and it’s anticipated that number will double or even triple in a decade’s time.
The new community centre will be complete by August 2019 and will fill a need in the community for not only recreational space and a new ice surface, but also as a meeting place.
Other features will include and fully-accessible NHL-sized ice surface, upper-level walking and running track, banquet hall, fitness studio and multi-purpose room, a total of eight change rooms, and seating in the rink for more than 200 people.
“This project has been long overdue,” said McFadden. “This community has been in the need for a new community centre for well over a quarter of a century.”
“This community has taken part in every aspect of the detailed design to make sure it meets the requirement and needs of the community,” McFadden added.
The township will look to build a new fire hall to meet the growth targets while stage two of the housing development off Fallis Line is going forward, and will see upwards of 300 more homes being built in all. An additional 600 to 1000 homes could also pop up in the village.