Alton residents provide input into study
By ALAN LICZYK Staff Reporter

More than 200 Alton and area residents had their say into a report presented to Caledon council recently regarding the community's vision for the village.

The report, called "A Community Vision for the Village of Alton," was presented by Alton Study Group spokesperson Betty Starr.

"In the 30 years I have lived in Alton, involved with community organizations, enterprises, projects and activities, this has been the most exciting and democratic," she told council.

She explained last fall members of the Alton community decided they wanted a community consensus to find out what residents would like Alton to be in the 21st century.

"The people of Alton identified, transcribed, discussed and prioritized the strengths, the weaknesses, the opportunities and the threats to our village," she said.

All the results were taken and formulated into a visual, written report by a highly recommended planner named Maurice Nelischer, the assistant professor and assistant director of landscape architecture at the University of Guelph.

Starr added during the village workshops it became clear the residents believe Alton is unique.

She quoted from the report that: "Alton's natural and cultural heritage and the village character are its most valued attributes."

"Our report reflects both the needs and the desires of the community," she said. "It makes suggestions that help to try and balance future growth while protecting what we hold dear, the environment, the historic and the all important character of the village."

She also noted the Credit River is an important part of Alton esthetically, e c o l o g i c a l l y , environmentally and economically, and their report emphasizes the importance of protecting and enhancing it.

She also pointed out during the workshops residents kept mentioning what an important village amenity.Alton public school is.

"Over the years it has been the binding force helping to hold the community together," Starr said.

The school has been in existence since 1837 and at its current location since 1874, and is the oldest school in Peel.

For the first 170 years Alton maintained a stable population of about 400 to 500 people. In the early 1980s, two subdivisions were built increasing the population to its current number of about 1,000 people.

The study group's report makes suggestions on ways to balance growth and environmental protection while keeping the village's historic character. Suggestions are made on the number of new homes to be built within the existing village boundaries, on historic designations, on village green spaces, river accessibility, traffic control, streetscaping and tourism. It also suggests the Town, Peel region and the provincial government should consider subsidizing necessary sewage development in order to control and limit growth.

Mayor Marolyn Morrison told the residents their the right people to be doing the report. She's looking forward to Town staff dealing with it in a positive way.

Alton is a "wonderful, feisty community," Morrison said.

Councillor Him Wallace agreed Alton is unique in many ways.

"I encourage you to keep working hard," he said. "Good luck."

Councillor Garry Moore said Caledon has many jewels and gems and this is one the Alton community wants to shine.

"My hat's off to the community," he said.

Council received the submission of the Alton Study Group as input into the Alton village study and referred it to the planning and development department. Council also directed the heritage resource officer to share the report with Heritage Caledon.