Ontario Construction News staff writer
A long-planned Tamil Community Centre in northeast Scarborough has moved a step closer to construction.
Scarborough Community Council unanimously approved the project’s Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment and Toronto City Council approved the plan at a July 29 meeting.
Construction is expected to begin next year following completion of the planning approvals process and final site plan approval.
Approvals extend the Tamil Community Centre’s lease for the city-owned property at 251 Staines Rd. from 30 years to 50 years and waive the centre’s site plan approval application fees when they are submitted later this year. Council earlier voted to waive about $88,000 in Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment application fees.
“The Tamil Community Centre will be a welcoming space where residents can come together to build connections, celebrate the rich culture of the Tamil community and recognize its many contributions to our city,” Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement. “Today’s commitments are focused on removing barriers and helping this community-led project move forward.”
The proposed multi-purpose community hub includes a gymnasium, indoor walking track, auditorium, library, museum and archival space, multipurpose programming rooms, outdoor sports facilities, and space for social, educational, cultural and mental health programming.
“The Tamil Community Centre is the result of years of determination, advocacy and partnership,” said Federal Public Safety Minister and Scarborough-Guildwood-Rouge Park MP Gary Anandasangaree. “Today’s milestone brings us another step closer to delivering a lasting legacy for the Tamil community and for future generations.”
In 2021, the federal and provincial governments announced more than $26 million for construction through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, while the City of Toronto contributed the land through a long-term lease at a nominal annual cost.
