Townhouses For Sale in Glenway Estates, Newmarket

Old Glenway towns and the new ones on the fairways

The neighbourhood took shape in the 1980s, with some earlier streets dating to the 1960s and 1970s. Housing ranges from modest two-storey homes of that earlier period to bungalows on 50-foot lots and two- and three-storey townhouses from the 1980s and later.

The golf course at the centre was sold in 2009, kept operating until 2011, and was then the subject of years of planning disputes before a provincial tribunal sided with the developer, Marianneville. Construction began on the eastern side of the former course, and a western phase of about 190 units won key approvals afterward. The result is a neighbourhood where a 40-year-old condo town and a near-new freehold can be a few hundred metres apart.

That gap makes comparison important. The older units are often larger and come with mature trees and established yards. The newer ones offer modern layouts, energy-efficient windows and warranty coverage, but often smaller lots and more traffic while construction wraps up.

Parks and land given back to the town

As part of the settlement, the developer agreed to give the town roughly 16 acres west of Alex Doner Drive and south of Otton Road for parks and trails. That land helps make up for the loss of the course's open space, which local residents had fought to keep.

The Ray Twinney Recreation Complex, with two ice pads, an indoor pool and outdoor sports fields, is close by. Upper Canada Mall at Yonge and Davis is a short drive or bus ride away.

The fight over the course left a mark on the neighbourhood. Residents of the older streets organized to oppose the redevelopment, and some of that wariness remains around construction traffic and the pace of change. For a buyer, it is worth asking neighbours and the town which roads are still being used for construction access and when the final phases are expected to finish.

A short hop to the bus terminal

Glenway is one of the better-placed Newmarket neighbourhoods for transit. The Newmarket Bus Terminal at 320 Eagle Street, just south of Davis Drive, handles GO buses, York Region Transit and Viva, and it is about a five-minute drive from most of the neighbourhood. Viva Blue runs on Yonge, and Viva Yellow uses the Davis Drive rapidway toward Southlake and the 404.

Drivers have Yonge, Davis and Bathurst close at hand. Highway 404 is a short drive east along Davis or Mulock.

Questions to settle before buying in Glenway

• Is the unit part of the original neighbourhood or the redeveloped course? The answer changes the age, the warranty position and often the tenure.
• For newer units, what is the Tarion start date, and has the town assumed the roads and parks yet?
• For older condo towns, what does the reserve fund study show, and when were roofs and windows last replaced?
• Is there remaining construction nearby that will affect traffic, noise or views?
• Which streets are used for construction access? Residents have raised concerns about this during the later phases.

Families who want to be central with easy transit tend to like Glenway, as do buyers looking for a newer town without moving to the edge of town.