Report to: General Committee Date of Meeting: June 12, 2006

SUBJECT: Thornhill Community Centre Renovations and Addition

PREPARED BY: Glen Taylor, Manager, Facilities ext. 3180

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the presentation / report entitled “Thornhill Community Centre Renovations and Addition” be received.

Oleson Worland_Taylor Smyth Architects were retained in 2005 to prepare a feasibility study for the re-use of the lower level of the Thornhill Community Centre and renovations to the Library.

The lower level of the Thornhill Community Centre has been recently vacated by the Fitness Centre. This provides the opportunity to create a new multi-purpose program spaces for a number of different user groups. Barrier free accessibility issues must also be addressed. In addition, the Library requires renovations in order to provide improved circulation desk service, a larger computer lab and more rooms for meeting and quiet study.

On October 20, 2005, a public meeting was held at the Centre to elicit feedback from staff and community users regarding potential uses. The meeting was attended by about 25 people, including staff and members of the Thornhill Seniors Centre, the Literacy Council, the Special Needs Program, the Chess Academy and Jazzercise.

On December 7, 2005, the architects presented preliminary designs for the lower level space. They determined that the following issues needed to be addressed:

§ Barrier free accessibility

§ Lack of natural light

§ Eliminate the “basement-like” feeling

§ A difficult space to find due to location of existing stairways

An addition was proposed by the architects that would accommodate a new entrance from the southeast parking lot, new barrier free elevator, a new staircase down and a new opening between the ground floor and the lower level with a skylight to bring natural light down to the lower level.

On April 11, 2006, the architects met with Town of Markham staff and Councilors Daurio and Shapero to present the design and preliminary budget. Staff and councilor input was incorporated into the design.

Spaces are proposed for the following uses:

§ Seniors Centre – billiards room and multi-purpose room

§ Youth area

§ Toddlers multi-purpose room and indoor playground

§ Spinning room

§ Two additional multi-purpose rooms

§ Office

§ New barrier free washrooms

§ The two existing squash courts are to remain.

On April 21, 2006, the architects presented the design and budget to the Building and Parks Committee. At this meeting it was recommended that the proposed project be presented to Council.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Based on a tender date of June 2007, the construction budget is as follows:

· A range of between $2,250,000 and $2,850,000 for the renovations and addition to the lower level. (This depends on the extent of changes required to the existing mechanical systems - to be determined).

· A budget of $650,000 for the library renovations.

Note: the above costs include construction contingencies and escalation to June 2007 but do not include professional fees, FF&E, fees, disbursements and internal costs.

Additional costs for other items including professional fees, construction contingencies and FF&E, range from $1,087,500 to $1,312,500. Total projected costs range from $3,987,500 to $4,812,500.

The 2007 Capital Budget process has just commenced; however, it is anticipated that there will be competing interests for available funding. Funding for projects such as the Ward Building ($1.7M), the Ekhardt-McKay House ($127K) and Fire pumper ($800k) have already been pre-approved or committed from the 2007 Capital Budget by Council. The magnitude of tax funding for the non-growth portion of major 2007 Engineering and Urban Design projects is not currently known, but may exceed the 2006 tax funding of $1.7M.

ACCESSIBILITY CONSIDERATIONS:

Currently, the Lower Level is served by an elevator that is not barrier free accessible. It also contains a portion of the floor area, originally constructed as a rifle range, that is elevated by two feet from the rest of the floor and is not barrier free accessible. The proposed renovations and additions provide a barrier free elevator, a ramp to the elevated portion of the floor area, and barrier free washrooms.

RECOMMENDED

BY: ________________________ ________________________

Barbara Roth Jim Sales

Director, Recreation & Commissioner, Community

Culture Services & Fire Services