FIVE FACTS ABOUT BOWMANVILLE'S URBAN CENTRE PLAN

Bowmanville is planning for a significant growth of its urban area in concert with a planned expansion of the GO train.

On March 8 the municipality held a meeting to detail its Bowmanville West Urban Centre and Major Transit Station Area secondary plan. Here's what you need to know:

1. The plan area includes about 126 hectares and encompasses the commercial area Hwy. 2 from Bowmanville Avenue to Green Road, with its borders running roughly along Aspen Springs Drive to the south, Bowmanville Avenue and out along King Street West to the east, back across along Stevens Road and Brookhill Boulevard to the north, and down Boswell Drive, across Highway 2 and down Green Road to the west.

2. The plan aims to achieve a minimum density of 150 jobs and people per hectare, which could be made up of any combination of the two.

3. The goal is to increase density within the area directly surrounding the planned GO train expansion, to encourage ridership and ensure easy access to the service.

"It's important to have really good ridership for transit around stations, so we want more people living and working around stations," said Paddy Kennedy, partner with Dillon Consulting Limited, which is working with Clarington to develop the secondary plan.

4. Under Durham Region's growth plan the area is expected to include up to 7,000 new units, with a mix of heights and densities.

"We need to plan for a broad range of mid and highrise development to support the station," said Kennedy. "Not just residential, but office, commercial and support services."

5. Affordable housing is a priority of the plan.

The meeting was the last public meeting before the draft plan goes before council for approval, which is expected to happen before summer recess. For more information on the plan visit www.clarington.net.