COMMUNITY ACT ION

THE NEED FOR

A COMMUNITY CENTRE

FOR THE HUMBER BAY SHORES' COMMUNITY

BY DON HENDER SON

I POSITION

APPROVED BY HBSCA

BACKGROUND

cu rrent and future residents was sorely

needed. It is expected by 2017 once cur-

In the Winter 2014 issue of Humber

Happenings, residents may recall that

11 ~8ER BAY
E
CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION

rent co ndo constr uction is completed,

the Humber Bay Shores Condominium

there wi ll be in excess of28,ooo residents

Association announced that Empire Com-

living in 30 plus hi-rise condominiums

munities Development had donated their

within a small community footprint des-

6,ooo square foot Presentation Centre to

ignated as Humber Bay Shores .

HBSCA. Once decommissioned as a sales

looking at principles that wou ld support

In

centre, the building would be re-designed

the need for a commu nity centre, a 2005

to function as a community centre. Coun-

study concluded that the following

cillor Mark Grimes and then President jim

essential e lements sho uld exist; popula-

Reekie made this announcement in

tion base and reso urces support, a

Humber Happenings though further meet-

community image or identity, area attrac-

ings were necessary to work out structural

tions or events and location availability

and functional details in orderto make this

as a ce ntral 'hub' of residential , business

conversion happen. It was hoped that as a

non-profit organization, the building's
operatio nal and maintenance costs cou ld

and recreational activity.

Presen tation Centre Announcement,
Humber Happenings, Winter 2014

What is lacking is a st ru ctural fac ili ty or

gathering place for commu ni ty stake-

be negotiated in the same manner as other

Mimico Centennial Library. This public

hold ers (pub li c meetings, police stop,

non-profit, city-owned properties are sub-

co ns ultati o n meeting was ca ll ed to dis-

indoor events, and spec ial -interest func-

sidized (e.g. leasing for $r per ann um for an

cuss the Humber Bay Parks Project as part

tions, etc.); in essence a formal commun ity

X-term lease).

of a construction master plan of a parks

managemen t centre. With many public

cen tres, the muni cipality provides essen-

Subsequent to these di scussio ns with

pavilion or Com munity facility near the

Empire Communities and Counci llor

ponds at Humber Bay Park East targeted

tial funding assistance in the way of

Grimes, city staff raised a number of co n-

to open in 2018. Projected cost of th is

operational subsidies. Additionally other

ce rn s that wo uld create obstacles to

project would be about $7 million.

permanent use of the building by the

HBSCA in meetings with Counci ll or

community; notwithstanding th e builder

Grimes and Empire Com munities had

local non-profit organizations pay th e City

$r/year for facility use with lease ass urance
of long-te rm 'proprietorship'.

agreeing to a number of st ructural re-fit

hoped to direct funds to th e re-purposed

modifications (lowering the building

Presentation Centre renovation s given

PURPOSE OF A COMMUNITY CENTRE

onto a new foundation

and other

that a building opportunity was alread y

A community Ce ntre is a public location

interior alterations). City engineering staff

available in a central locatio n, albeit wit h

where members of a comm unity gather

appeared to be adama nt that future use of

the need for recommended alterations/ re-

for group activities, social support, public

Empire's Presentation Centre as a Humber

positioning. Funding for the renovations

information or other soc io-rec reational

Bay Community Ce ntre would not be pos-

cou ld be, in part from the benefactor, and

events.

sible with out renovation expenditures

the City (Section 37 funds).

a community ce ntre serves the local pop-

REQUISITES FOR CONSIDERATION

recreational and social resource.

ulation's

amounting to over $4.4 million.

Discussions culmi nated at the Ward 6

Not unlike a
need

for

an

public

park,

educational,

Announcement of a Public Information

The HBSCA has maintained that an acces-

TheCommunityCentre could be com-

Meeting he ld on February r6, 2016 at the

sible and local co mmunity centre for its

munity-ow ned in partn e rship with the

to be ceremoniously returned to the community. A subsid ized HBS Community

Centre wou ld be an appreciated start.
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Previously Proposed Location of

The City's Pavilion in Humber Bay Park
East (HBPE):

Humber Bay Parks Project

Publk: tnformaUon MHitng
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c:ons&r\ll:llonollhepwt.s' PtWion.tl'ltW~11dity~Jrt~Nd1001*'1 ... 2018.

The HBSCA is not in favour of the natu

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Olscul1CO'I'III'IO""r-nWdodMs..tnd

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ra lized HBPE site and wou ld prefer the

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{E~) wiltbObe .. _ . _.

Date:

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

rwne:

6tolp.m.

-Fot-. irol-

cu rrent Empire Presentation Centre loca-

E_.,antii~IO~

tion for use as a Community Centre. The

--

Presentatio n Centre structure had been

'gifted' to the commu nity Association in

iofl - . . thil projla.

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20!4.

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Public Information Meeting Notice

on Proposed Pavilion

community group

This site is of modest size, has a small

parking lot and is close to larger public
parking lots with in the Humber Park. If
this site is deemed to be unsuitable as a

municipality and operated by a designated

This bu ild ing is central and within

wa lking distance to the Condom iniums.

(vo lunteer

ratepayers, resident-business associa-

Community Centre, there are other locations that could be considered as

alternatives

the

to

City-proposed

tion). Funding for centres often come

HBPE site; inc lud ing Humber Bay Park

from donations or benefactors (bui lders),

West and the e m p loyment-desig nated

Development Charges for infrastructure

Christies' parcel (negotiated with future

and Section 37 funds for community ben-

purchaser by City).

efit, event-renta l and City fund ing (or

waiv ing of rent and maintenance costs .).
In

other

jurisdictions

re-purposed

schools, churches or other large faci Iities

In consideration of the foregoing,

Be It Resolved that:
In conclusion, with the Empire Commu-

are often acquired by the City to subs i-

nities gifting of a m u lti-mi ll ion dollar

dize a community centre.

(presentatio n) centre to the non-profit

In the planning rationa le over many

Hu mber Bay Shores Condominium Asso-

years that crafted Humber Bay Shores,

ciation and the availability of a small park

Both options would result in the

there can be no d isp ute that the City,

to ho use s uch a fac il ity, it is the HBSCA's

esta bli s h ment of a com m u nity cent re

sim ilar to other commu nity-based cen-

builders and Ontario Municipal Board are

position that the City commit to fu nding

the architects of our urban intens ifica-

the renovation / re-posi tioning and m ain-

tres in Toronto and cons istent with the

tio n ; the good or bad effects of th is

te na nce of the presentation centre as

City of Toronto Parks and Facilities

planning thrust upon our residents and

publicly announced in the winter of

Master Plan.

businesses. Consistent with the 2005

20r4.

Alternatively, if both the Humber

'Places to Grow Act of Ontario' customary

Bay Shores co m mun ity and m u nicipali ty

tax-based services provided in urban

find that this is not a viable optio n, that

Don Henderson is

sprawl are withdrawn in areas of intense

the needs of the Humber Bay Shores com-

HBSCA President,

co ndom in iu m

thi s

m u nity be identified a nd accommodated

having formerly

unique populous to double-down o n

within a HBS Pavilion, through an open

served as the board's

growth,

leaving

m u nicipal service fees. This mu n icipal

process coordi nated in coll aborat ion

Vice President. He has

tax gain, as we ll as taki ng into account

with the municipa lity and representa-

been actively involved

Development Charges and Sectio n 37/45

tives

contributions passed on to buyers, oug ht

co m mu nity.

of

the

Humber

Bay

Shores

in the community for

almost two decades.