Toronto Wabash Community Centre | ?m | 4s | City of Toronto | Diamond Schmitt

[smably]

There was some discussion during the public meeting about the budget. A standard new-build community centre would get a budget of around $40m, but here they're working with a heritage building that requires restoration on a site within 30 metres of a rail corridor, requiring crash mitigation measures, as well as new requirements that all community centres be net-zero. I'm not sure whether all those requirements will eat up the extra ~$20m -- maybe they expect to have a bit more wiggle room for architectural flourishes? Or maybe these are just rough massing models and the cantilever will disappear once this gets value engineered during the detailed design.

 

[concrete_and_light]

I don't understand why demolishing the field house in some of these options would be at all desirable??

 

[smably]

I don't understand why demolishing the field house in some of these options would be at all desirable??

100% agree, and those options didn't receive a particularly warm reception in the meeting or survey. (There's a mistake in the images I screenshotted above -- the slip & stack option should show the field house in its current position.) The explanation offered at the meeting was a desire to avoid impacts on the existing dogs off leash area and improve accessibility by reducing the number of storeys. There's limited space to the east because of the rail corridor buffer zone and to the north because of the DOLA, so two of the designs involved moving the town square and demolishing the field house so an addition could be built on the west side of the heritage building.

 

[DavidCapizzano]

I am very pro the sidebar scheme here - I know it takes the biggest chunk out of the park, but it seems to offer the best layout for rec facilities while leaving the heritage property pretty much alone

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

I like the angular one myself, as it looks most dynamic and interesting of the lot. Can't vouch for its practicality though.

 

[Towered]

They could always add a storey if they want to shrink the footprint.

 

[Jacob Lisgar]

I wonder how much it will cost to save that old building and how much it impacts the design options. They should just save a few bricks or one facade and focus on building a great community centre that will not be overbearing on the park.
Is this building really that significant and worth the added cost.??

 

[interchange42]

I wonder how much it will cost to save that old building and how much it impacts the design options. They should just save a few bricks or one facade and focus on building a great community centre that will not be overbearing on the park.
Is this building really that significant and worth the added cost.??

It's worth saving, should look great all fixed up.

Source: @AlbertC

42

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Goodness, I remember this place...went to a few EDM based guerilla parties here back in the day! Why didn't I connect the address to this until now?

 

[Towered]

 

[AlbertC]

I'm on board with that concept; it maintains the field house building, has least impact on the current recreational space, and is structurally interesting.

 

[Patch]

The "Angler" Design has been selected!

Angler Site Design Confirmed​

Based on spring and summer consultation with local community members, Indigenous representatives, and the City’s operational staff, the Angler has been selected as the site design option that will be further refined through continued community consultation. The next phase of consultation will begin in fall 2021. The images and description of the Angler site design option displayed here were presented during the spring and summer 2021 community consultations. The design will be further refined based on continued community consultation.

Angler – Building Massing and Placement​

• Building massing is expected to be 4-storeys in height.
• Aquatic building components to be located at grade and located north of the historical building.
• Multipurpose and Administrative components to be in the historical building occupying the first storey adjacent the Town Square and on and second storey.
• Gymnasium and Running Track to be located on the third and fourth storey and will extend from the historical building to the north over the Aquatic building component.
• Lobby / Atrium areas will connect the historical and new building addition and serve as a link between the new parking area and the Town Square.

Angler – Relationship with Park​

• Town Square will remain in its current location and will be integrated into the overall development through new hardscaping and park connections.
• The building mass creates an eastern edge to the Town Square and a transition landscape to the park following the railway corridor.
• Dogs off-leash area will remain in its current location with a 20 per cent reduction in size.
• Fieldhouse structure is not impacted by the proposed building option.

 

[ADRM]

The right choice, but this is an excellent illustration of the sort of needlessly and harmfully drawn-out consultation process the City has come to be obsessed with.

 

[ADRM]

Early rendering?

 

[Northern Light]

New is bulky and completely oppresses the heritage.