HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-06-075 - Chandler Mowat Community Resource Centre Update
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Community Services
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Report To:
Date of Meeting:
Submitted By:
Prepared By:
Ward(s) Involved:
Date of Report:
Report No.:
Subject:
Community Services Committee
June 12, 2006
Mark Hildebrand, Interim Director of Community Programs
and Services, ext. 2687
Bonnie Snyder, District Facilitator, ext. 2703
Ward 4
May 30,2006
CSD-06-075
CHANDLER MOWAT COMMUNITY
RESOURCE CENTRE UPDATE
RECOMMENDATION:
For information only.
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the Chandler Mowat Community Resource
Centre project.
At the January 20, 2003 Council meeting, following a Chandler Mowat community delegation,
Council did not accept staff's recommendation to delay the Chandler Mowat Community
Resource Centre project until 2008/2009, and decided to reinstate the original date to the years
2005/2006 capital budget forecast.
In January 2006, Council approved to proceed with the construction of the Chandler Mowat
Resource Centre supporting recommendation 19B of the Leisure Facilities Master Plan "That a
new Chandler-Mowat Community Centre be undertaken in 2006 as per the current planning
model" (CSD-05-161).
REPORT:
Staff have been working very closely with both Teeple Architects and MJ Dixon Construction
Limited on Phase One of the Chandler Mowat Community Resource Centre project. Staff are
meeting regularly with the architect and general contractor and feel that the project is
progressing exceptionally well. Currently, the project is ahead of schedule by approximately two
months with a projected completion at the end of September, 2006.
Report No. CSD-06-075
Page 2
As part of the 2006 budget deliberations, Council approved an eight week operational budget for
the new facility using the original completion target date of 2006 year end. Due to the expected
early completion, staff is looking at ways of possibly funding additional weeks of operations and,
if needed, will bring back a recommendation in August, 2006 for Council's consideration.
As outlined in previous reports CSD-04-142 and CSD-05-138, the facility partners: Chandler
Mowat Neighbourhood Association, House of Friendship, and City of Kitchener staff continue to
seek additional opportunities that will further support and strengthen this diverse and growing
community. Project sub-groups have been formed to review operational issues and to also
actively seek out fundraising sponsors for the project.
In August, staff will be bringing forward a Partnership Agreement/Letter of Understanding
outlining the terms and conditions of the operational relationship between the Neighbourhood
Association, House of Friendship, and the City of Kitchener.
With the construction of the new Community Resource Centre well underway, the next step of
the project is for the existing portables on site to be removed. There are some Chandler Mowat
programs, very important to the community, which will be continued during construction and will
be relocated temporarily into portables that were placed on the City of Kitchener's Parks
Operations site at 82 Chandler Drive. Programs will be moved to the new site by the end of
June, 2006 until the new facility is ready for occupancy. The existing project budget will absorb
the costs of relocating to and from the Parks Operations site.
As noted in CSD-05-138 report, November 15/05, Phase Two of the project will focus on the
spraypad, playground equipment, basketball court and community gardens and will be overseen
by the City of Kitchener's Park Planning, Development and Operations team. The anticipated
completion for this phase still carries a spring 2007 timeframe and will be covered in the
construction budget.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
None as a result of this update.
Mark Hildebrand,
Interim Director, Community Programs and Services
KB