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ISSUE 9: The community centre, library and hospital

I have been involved with the negotiations between the Town, the Library Board and the Hospital, to bring enhanced community services to the public. By combining the three facilities on one campus, we’ve expanded services while lowering costs. The hospital keeps more cash to supply health care. The Town runs the recreation centre, which we do rather well. Town staff will implement the programs that the physicians and physiotherapists prescribe. The facility will be better used. Fitness centres and therapeutic pools in community centre are typically under used during the daytime. That’s when they will be most used by the hospital. The reverse happens in the evening. This makes better use of your taxpayer’s dollars.

The same holds true for the Library. By adding an extra 5,000 square feet to the library, the hospital can use that for their medical reference, while using the systems and staff of the Markham Public Library system. This medical resource will be open to the public.

June 14 2005 - Council endorsed the concept of the Markham Stouffville Hospital and the Town developing an integrated facility incorporating the Town's future East Markham Community Centre and Library complex with the Hospital's proposed Health and Wellness Facility.

June 12 2006 - Council authorized the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hospital and Markham District Energy Inc., with respect to the evaluation of the technical and commercial benefits of the supply of district heating and cooling to the Markham Stouffville hospital campus, including the proposed East markham Community Centre and Library.

January 15, 2007 - The Town and the Hospital have established a Steering Committee which meets regularly and which has developed a series of principles which guide each of the Town and the Hospital in their pursuit of an integrated complex comprising a Community Centre, Library and Wellness Centre. While the Town's timelines for delivery of the East Markham Community Centre and the Library is well in advance of the Hospital's timelines, staff of the Town and the Hospital are proceeding together to acquire the necessary lands to deliver the 'Site' where all of the facilities will be located.  The intentions are to be formalized through a memorandum of understanding, although the parties acknowledge that it may require amendment as the plans proceed further.

Update: Unfortunately, the Councillors present at the General Committee moved to defer this until late February.

March 25, 2008

That Council approves the recommended programs and associated space requirements contained in this report save and except the following:

                 Gymnasium – space requirements to be revised to include a third gymnasium;

Library – to be increased by up to 2,000 square feet subject to design and programming restrictions and further consultation with Markham Public Libraries Board and the public; and,

 

That Council authorizes staff to proceed with schematic design having a Building Program of up to 130,000 square feet and consisting of the following components:

 

Aquatics	41,668	sq. ft.
Gymnasium (see Clause 3 above)		sq. ft.
Fitness	17,370	sq. ft.
Library (See Clause 3 above)		sq. ft.
Medical Library	3,000	sq. ft.
Multi-Use/Rehearsal Space	7,700	sq. ft.
Older Adults	2,970	sq. ft.
Youth	2,670	sq. ft.
Dedicated Children's Indoor Playground	2,530	sq. ft.
Special Needs Room	500	sq. ft.
Common Areas	12,900	sq. ft.

 

That staff be directed to report back to Council the various schematic design options; and,

 

That staff further review the physical link between the Community Centre and the Markham Stouffville Hospital in order to maximize synergies; and,

 

That staff consider ways to enhance the integration of the proposed public plaza into the site plan; and,

 

That staff review and report back to Council on the underground parking proposal to determine whether it might be more cost effective to accommodate all parking requirements as surface parking until the proposed shared-cost parking structure is completed, with cost savings being used to fund additional programming space; and,

 

That staff be directed to pursue LEED Gold certification level subject to technical and financial considerations; and,

 

That staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution; and further,

 

That staff review and report back on whether there should be a viewing gallery for the swimming pool and, if so, how to incorporate same into the plans.

 

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