Topic: Langstaff Gateway Project Date: Wednesday, March 25th, 2020 Time: 7:00- 9:00p.m. Location: North Hall, Thornhill Community Centre, 7755 Bayview Ave, Thornhill, ON L3T 4P1 Please join Councillor Irish, city planning staff, and representatives from Condor Properties Ltd. for a discussion of the Langstaff Gateway project.
Please be advised this meeting is cancelled on account of efforts the City of Markham is making to break the chain of transmission of the COVID19 virus. A new date will follow once public gatherings are again feasible.
Thornhill Spring Mom to Mom Sale
Date: Saturday, April 18th, 2020 Time: 9:00a.m.- noon Location: Thornhill United Church, 25 Elgin St., Thornhill, L3T 1W5 The Mom to Mom Sale provides parents with an opportunity to sell their gently used baby and children’s items, and is a perfect way to clean out those closets, dressers and toy boxes and make some extra money at the same time. For further information please visit http://www.momtomomsale.ca/momtomom/
Pomona Mills Park Community Clean-Up
Date: Sunday, April 26th, 2020 Time: 10:00a.m.- noon Location: Pomona Mills Park, 244 Henderson Ave., Thornhill Please join Councillor Irish and members of the Pomona Mills Park Conservationists for a community clean-up this spring! Please meet on the east side of Henderson Ave. at Forest Park Cres. Gloves and garbage bags will be provided. For further information please contact Lauren Patton, Executive Assistant Tel: 905-415-7512 Email: lpatton@markham.ca
Ward 1 Community Information Meeting
Topic: Community Safety Date: Wednesday, April 29th, 2020 Time: 7:00- 9:00p.m. Location: North Hall, Thornhill Community Centre, 7755 Bayview Ave, Thornhill, ON L3T 4P1 Please join Councillor Irish and members of York Regional Police, District #2 for a discussion of crime prevention tips, measures to combat dangerous driving in our neighbourhoods, and crime statistics specific to Thornhill, Markham. For further information please contact Lauren Patton, Executive Assistant Tel: 905-415-7512 Email: lpatton@markham.ca
Ward 1 Community Information Meeting
Topic: Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness Date: Wednesday, May 27th, 2020 Time: 7:00- 9:00p.m. Location: Centre Hall, Thornhill Community Centre, 7755 Bayview Ave, Thornhill, ON L3T 4P1 Please join Councillor Irish and members of Markham's Fire Department and Emergency Preparedness team for a discussion of fire safety and emergency preparedness tips. The meeting will also cover emergency response times specific to Thornhill, how your city has responded to the viral pneumonia known as "COVID-19", and the preparations in place had the January 12— thankfully erroneous— emergency alert regarding the Pickering Nuclear Generating station been real. For further information please contact Lauren Patton, Executive Assistant Tel: 905-415-7512 Email: lpatton@markham.ca
Thornhill Community Centre Open House
Date: Saturday, May 30th, 2020 Time: 11:00a.m.- 1:00p.m. Location: Thornhill Community Centre, 7755 Bayview Ave, Thornhill, ON L3T 4P1 Please join Councillor Irish and city recreation staff for the annual Thornhill Community Centre Open House! Program demos, magic show, face painting, balloon animal creator, and a free bbq! For further information please contact Maria Cardozo, Community Program Co-ordinator Tel: 905-944-3800 ext. 6522 Email: mcardozo@markham.ca
Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment applications have been submitted by Greencapital Limited Partnership c/o Gatzios Planning + Development Consultants Inc. to permit mixed use high rise development on the subject lands known municipally as 10 Royal Orchard Blvd. in Thornhill.
The purpose and effect of the proposed amendments to the Markham Official Plan 2014 and Zoning By-laws 2150 and 177-96, is to facilitate the redevelopment of the subject lands with 4 high rise buildings, ranging in height between 25 to 59 storeys with commercial uses proposed in the podium of the building to be located at the north east corner of Yonge Street and Royal Orchard Boulevard, and a park block.
The City of Markham is in receipt of a complete Zoning By-law Amendment application, submitted by 349-351 John Street Inc., to permit motor vehicle sales, a restaurant, and a recreational establishment (bowling alley) on the subject lands. The applicant is proposing to amend the Zoning By-law to add motor vehicle sales with limited accessory outdoor storage and the display of motor vehicles, a restaurant, and a recreational establishment as permitted uses.
Official Plan and Zoning By-Law Amendment applications have been submitted on behalf of the Ladies Golf Club of Toronto by Tridel.
The proposal is to build a 12 storey residential building, a 14 storey residential building and a public park on 2.46 acres of land, currently comprising the 9th hole of the golf course, located at the southwest corner of Royal Orchard Boulevard and Bayview Avenue.
In 2018, Zoning By-law Amendment and draft plan of subdivision applications were received from Condor Properties Ltd. to build the first development block (Phase 1A) within the west Precinct area of the Langstaff Gateway community. The latter is the 47-hectare (116 acre) area of land bounded by Yonge in the west, Bayview in the east, Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in the south and Highway 407 in the north. For development planning purposes, the area is divided into three precincts: west, central and east.
Applications for Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Subdivision submitted by Condor to permit two residential towers of 50 and 45 storeys connected by a 10-storey podium at what is currently 25, 11, 9 and 5 Langstaff Road East were approved, with conditions, by Markham Council in February.
Zonix - 36 Steeles Avenue East
Applications for an Official Plan amendment (Major) and Zoning By-law amendment (Major) have been received by MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Ltd. c/o David McKay for 36-60 Steeles Avenue East; 37-63 Highland Park Boulevard. The applications are intended to facilitate the development of two 13-storey mixed-use buildings and two 8-storey residential buildings.
New faces change look of Markham city council going forward
October 22, 2018 — The issue: What's next for Markham city council Local impact: How will changes to council impact you? Read the full article on York Region website.
Markham council votes to opt out of allowing cannabis stores within city
December 13, 2018 — Vote on Wednesday was 12-1 to say no to local marijuana shops; Ward 1 Councillor Keith Irish was the lone yes vote. Read the full article on York Region website.
Markham council priorities: transit, seniors issues, housing take the lead
January 3, 2019 — The issue: What are council's top priorities for this term? Local impact: Councillors' priorities determine how they focus their time and energy on the work they do for you. Read the full article on York Region website.
Ward 1 Talk - Ramona’s Kitchen Interview
March 1, 2019 — “Ward 1 Talk” is an opportunity for me to talk about issues important to the residents of Markham’s Ward 1 - Thornhill while promoting local businesses and places of interest. Watch the full interview on YouTube and connect with @ward1talk on Instagram.
Yonge and Steeles is in transition
March 1, 2019
— My first column in the Thornhill Post. Read the full article on Post City website.
‘Wrong to intensify’ Yonge-Steeles ahead of subway, Markham councillor says
March 5, 2019 — Read the full article on York Region website.
Markham committee wants city to eliminate pedestrian, cyclist deaths
April 16, 2019 — Read the full article on York Region website.
Ward 1 Talk - York Farmers Market Interview
May 24, 2019 — “Ward 1 Talk” is an opportunity for me to talk about issues important to the residents of Markham’s Ward 1 - Thornhill while promoting local businesses and places of interest. Watch the full interview on YouTube and connect with @ward1talk on Instagram.
Yonge subway extension to 905 raises questions
June 1, 2019 — Read the full article in the June issue of the Thornhill Post.
Inside The Region with Nirmala Armstrong Interview
June 9, 2019 — Listen to the full recording on 105.9 The Region.
Ward 1 Talk — Hockey Camps International Interview
August 26, 2019 — "Ward 1 Talk" is an opportunity for me to talk about issues important to the residents of Markham's Ward 1, Thornhill while promoting local businesses and places of interest. Watch the full
interview on YouTube and connect with @ward1talk on Instagram and @WardTalk on Twitter.
Yonge North could run above ground? — September 2019
Keith discusses the revelation of a provincial panel that has been tasked with reviewing the Yonge and Scarborough subway extensions as first reported by the Toronto Star, and the panel’s potential impact on the Yonge Street North extension in the September issue of the Thornhill Post. Read more.
Neighbours of Olde Thornhill Village — October 2019
Keith discusses the redevelopment of the Ladies Golf Club of Toronto in the December issue of the Thornhill Post.
Read more.
Ward
1 Talk- An Introduction to the Langstaff Gateway
December 20, 2019 — “Ward 1 Talk” is an opportunity for me to talk about issues important to the residents of Markham’s Ward 1 - Thornhill while promoting local businesses and places of interest. Watch the full interview on YouTube and connect with @ward1talk on Instagram. In this edition, Keith speaks with Regional Councillor and Chair of Markham’s Development Services Committee Jim Jones as well as Sam Morra, Senior Vice President at Condor Properties.
Ban on foreign flags in Markham fails to fly after heated public meeting
February 12, 2020 Read the full article on York Region website
I am a 32-year resident of Markham’s Ward 1 having chosen Thornhill as the place I wanted to live after graduating from university. It’s here that I raised my family, operated a business and volunteered.
Markham is a well-managed city with great services and I am proud to live here, represent our community on Council, and work hard every day to make it better.
My background includes being elected at age 26 as a Public School Trustee on the York Region District School Board where I served for six years. In addition, I have served:
As a Board member and Chair, Planning & Finance Committee of the Markham Theatre
As a member of Markham’s Heritage Committee
As a member of the Parent Advisory Council of Thornhill Secondary School
As a member of the citizen panel responsible for rewriting the Thornhill Heritage District Guidelines
As an executive member of the Ward One South Resident’s Association
As a member, from 2014 to 2019, of Markham’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility
As a member of the Society for the Preservation of Historic Thornhill (SPOHT) since 1988
Since January 2017 I have been a member of The Heintzman House Board of Directors and I am now serving my third year as Chair. I count having coached hockey with the Thornhill Community Hockey League –playing at the Thornhill Community Centre and Clatworthy arenas – for six years, and sponsoring a team, as the highlight of my community involvement.
I began my career with Canadian Pacific Limited where I held a number of progressive management positions culminating in Senior Manager, Public Affairs with Canadian Pacific Railway. Before starting my own business in 1998, I served as Vice President with Canada's largest independently owned public relations firm. Prior to that, I was Director of Corporate Communications in the Canadian office of one of the world's largest public and government relations agencies.
For the past 22 years I have owned and operated my own Thornhill-based corporate communications consultancy, providing strategic communications counsel, advice and writing services to clients across a number of industries including retail, pharmaceuticals, technology, telecommunications, transportation, banking and renewable energy. I have written on a variety of subjects for "Special Editorial Reports" in The Globe & Mail. I am also a guest presenter for the “Introduction to Professional Practice” course at Ryerson University that introduces students to the practice of professional communications.
Keith discusses a motion that came before Markham Council seeking endorsement of a "Declaration for Immediate Action on Single-Use Plastics & Litter" in the March issue of Neighbours of Olde Thornhill Village magazine.
Neighbours of Olde Thornhill Village — January 2020
October 22, 2018 
December 13, 2018 
January 3, 2019 