Work on the town’s five-year redevelopment plans of the former hospital site is underway and residents are invited to attend an open house at Town Hall on December 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. to find out more about what’s been done so far and next steps.
In addition to the open house, members of the public are invited to participate in one of two consultation sessions to provide input into the new community centre proposed for the site. The sessions run from 3:30-5:30 p.m. or 7-9 p.m. at Town Hall.
“Council is pleased to see the excellent progress being made towards a new community centre, park and potential future housing on this site,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. “It is gratifying for Council to see our extensive plans begin entering their third and final phase, and to continue exploring the opportunity for a unique community health hub in town.”
Last week, Council received a staff report indicating that public consultation would begin later this year for the new community centre’s amenities and activities. As part of the town’s Parks, Recreation and Library Facilities Master Plan the proposed amenities of the centre include an indoor pool (to replace Centennial Pool), gymnasium, youth space, active living space, multi-purpose space and community rooms. At the December 1, 2016 meeting, the town will be seeking input from the community and user groups to confirm these amenities prior to the start of design in 2017.
Since taking possession in April, a number of in-depth studies of the buildings and the land have been completed to better understand the site. The town has assessed the hospital buildings for hazardous materials and for any potential site contamination and planning for the demolition is underway. The town has completed structural assessments of the parking garage and the former Oakville Trafalgar High School (OTHS) – a designated heritage resource.
Earlier this year the town also undertook public consultation on the on-street parking restrictions in the area and established a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the town and the Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) regarding the potential concept of a community health hub in town.
The overall Former Hospital Site Project is divided into three phases. The town will be entering into Phase 3 (2017-2020), the final phase of this project, which is about reinventing the site. It involves demolishing the building, conducting a community needs assessment, determining the appropriate location for the centre and park, and developing a plan for potential housing on any remaining lands.
Demolition is anticipated to start in 2017 and take 8 to 12 months to complete. The development of the community centre will take three years to complete with an opening scheduled for September 2020.