GTA Construction News staff writer
Toronto City Council is set to consider a proposal next week that would move the long-planned Bridletowne Neighbourhood Centre closer to construction, advancing a project that has been in development for more than a decade.
Council will consider staff recommendations to support the community hub at 1355 Bridletowne Cir. in northeast Scarborough by transferring 5.2 acres of city-owned land to the YMCA of Greater Toronto. Recommendations also direct city staff to explore additional development opportunities on the property, including seniors’ services and long-term care.
“The Bridletowne Neighbourhood Centre has been a community priority for many years,” said Mayor Olivia Chow. “Moving this project forward will help bring recreation, community programs and vital services closer to home for residents in northeast Scarborough while advancing Council’s vision for this important City-owned site.”
The proposed facility would serve the Finch-Warden, Steeles-L’Amoreaux and Bridletowne neighbourhoods.
The City of Toronto acquired the property in 2011 and has since worked with the YMCA of Greater Toronto, United Way Greater Toronto and other community partners to develop plans for a multi-service community hub on the site.
If approved, the updated vision for the Bridletowne Neighbourhood Centre would include YMCA health and fitness facilities, aquatics programs, summer day camps, and youth, family and seniors programming. The building would also feature shared community gathering spaces and office space for community agencies and support services coordinated by United Way Greater Toronto and local partners.
According to the United Way Greater Toronto, the neighbourhood centre grew out of years of advocacy by local residents seeking a single location where families could access programs and services close to home. The organization said the project would strengthen both the area’s social infrastructure and residents’ sense of community.
If approved next week, planning will resume for the next phase of the project, while allowing the city to assess additional public uses for the remainder of the site.
