Caledon East Community Centre expansion project set to break ground in 2021

By Rob Paul

On Tuesday, Council met with Director of Community Services Heather Savage regarding the Caledon East Community Centre (CECC) expansion plan.

Council passed a motion to accept the plan presented by Ms. Savage.

On staff recommendation, the Town will enter into a Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract with Ball Construction Limited for $25,019,347 for the expansion of the CECC—the total addition to the expansion is 57,600 square feet.

The catalyst for the project was the Parks and Recreation Master Plan that was undertaken in 2010 by Caledon Community Service that recognized Caledon East as a growing area with a need for future expansion plans to the CECC to accommodate new residents. 

In 2018, a capital project was approved by Council to expand the CECC, which began with renovation to the Centre—now completed—as its Phase 3 and, after consultation with residents, the final phase of the project was added to the scope in 2020. 

The focus of Phase 3 was adding an active living component (fitness rooms, aerobic space, multi-purpose rooms) with Phase 4 looking at including an indoor aquatic centre.

“We're now at the point where the project is now ready for final Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract Approval,” said Savage. “In the ground floor (plan) you'll see a library, gymnasium, work out room, a pool, change rooms, and prominent Caledon Service counter. On the second floor, there's a warm viewing area into the arena, multi-purpose rooms, and the Sports Hall of Fame will be in the corridor that lines the two arenas. In the lower level, there will be a food service area to support all of the activities that are going on. The building will be built out front of the two arenas that will be behind it. At this point 90 per cent of the design has been completed.”

With feedback from Council, community members, and local stakeholders, the current expansion project was developed with a goal of providing recreational amenities for all ages, abilities, and interest. With the added amenities, the CECC will be able to support a wider range of recreational programs, services, events, and community groups as Caledon East continues to grow and diversify.

To help beautify the outdoor look of the CECC, Savage ensured improved landscaping through defined paths, more trees, and an outdoor reading garden.

“We want to line the entrance with sugar maples to provide a nice view of the landscaping coming into the Town Hall campus,” Savage said. “There will be a pedestrian connection from Old Church Road to the Caledon Trailway and a pedestrian walkway connecting Town Hall to the complex.”

An amendment to the motion regarding the CECC expansion was brought forward by Councillor Nick deBoer asking that there be consideration of adding a permanent rink, which could be used for lacrosse and ball hockey in spring/summer, to the project and the amendment was passed.

The amendment asks staff to determine the feasibility, costs and potential efficiencies associated with constructing an outdoor ice surface. 

Councillors Jennifer Innis and deBoer said they had heard from members of the community about the potential of introducing a permanent rink as part of the expansion after recent successes of temporary rinks.

“Over the pandemic it was quite obvious that the two rinks we brought in on the site were very well used and very well appreciated,” said Innis. “Nick and I have been asked by members of the community to bring forward the option of potentially putting a permanent outdoor rink there.”

Additionally, Mayor Thompson asked about the potential of using the equipment from the two seasonal outdoor rinks that were part of the site for the use of more rural areas in Caledon.

“I think it would be a really cool thing to do,” said Thompson. “I want to make sure we utilize everything.”

“We would take the boards from the two outdoor rinks and travel them around to the rural communities, if they're not located here,” said Savage. “We're looking at a few different options. We could take the boards and synthetic ice and travel them around Caledon.”

With the emphasis being put on supporting local in Caledon, Councillor deBoer asked if as part of the expansion project as many local businesses are utilized as possible and whether a potential program could be put together to ensure it happens.

He used an example of making sure an electrical contractor who lives or works in Caledon knows about the tendering opportunity for electrical work on the project.

“We're currently looking at a social procurement policy that would look at some of those features, making sure that we are using local vendors and supporting Canadian content,” said Town Treasurer Heather Haire. “We're bringing a memo forward this fall and we'll discuss it as part of the procurement process that we'll need more time to investigate and implement those policies. You need the overarching policy and framework in place before implementing it and we can certainly report back on if it's possible with this procurement.”

Taking into account the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, the project is designed in accordance with the new green building standard developed by Energy and Environment. This is something Mayor Thompson said he was glad to hear is being prioritized and added that there needs to be as much natural light use as possible in the facility.

“We're spending a lot of money here and I just want to make sure we're meeting that carbon footprint while we're doing it,” said Thompson. “We're encouraging industry to do it and we've got to lead by example.”

Thompson also wanted to ensure that value added engineering would be included within the contract to help with reducing environmental impacts and cost.

“We will breakdown each of the pieces and determine what is the right fit for the building,” said Savage. “If there's a way to maximize efficiencies or one amenity that will support another amenity—if something within the gymnasium or arena can support in the mechanical efforts in other parts of the building, then we will be looking at that and bringing it forward.”

Seeing a large community project years in the making like the CECC expansion had Council excited for what's to come as Caledon continues to grow and develop.

“I think it's pretty exciting,” said Councillor Christina Early. “I don't even think it's a Ward 3 project, it's a Town of Caledon community centre with everything. It's a campus that's just going to be phenomenal.”

With the approval of the project by Council, building permits will be submitted in July, followed by the construction phase in August with the target of the final project completion in the first quarter of 2024.

“Hopefully by this summer we can have a groundbreaking ceremony, provided we can gather safely,” said Savage.

Currently the CECC is being used as a mass vaccination clinic which will still be in use upon the start of construction for the project. The construction will be managed in a way that doesn't disrupt the use of the clinic or other recreational services that are open.