New Multi-Pad Ice Rink to Replace the Don Mills Civitan Arena

City Narrows Search to Three Possible Locations

　

Progress is being made to find a home for a new multi-pad arena to accommodate the recreational needs of our community once the Don Mills Civitan Arena closes in 2020. The Don Mills Civitan Arena needs to be replaced because the City will convey the land upon which the arena is located to Cadillac Fairview as part of the redevelopment agreement between the City and Cadillac Fairview for the residential development of the Don Mills Centre.

Since 2008, Parks Forestry and Recreation (PF&R) have been assessing a multitude of possible sites based on their ability to accommodate a multi-pad facility with two or three ice pads, their size, shape, and topography and their ability to accommodate sufficient parking to satisfy the zoning by-law requirements. In addition, the land had to be available for acquisition and suitably priced.

The site that met the criteria the best was the closed on-ramp at the northwest corner of York Mills Road and the Don Valley Parkway. This site was the subject matter of a public meeting convened by my office at George S. Henry High School in January. The site that scored second in the evaluation was the Ontario Science Centre parking lot at the southwest corner of Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue. The report is available on my website

ward34.com under Notices and Information.

At the present time, the Ontario Science Centre parking lot is scheduled to be turned over to Build Toronto for development. Build Toronto is the city’s real estate and development corporation which is tasked with maximizing the value and economic development potential of properties owned by the City. Fruitful discussion has been ongoing between my office, PF&R and Build Toronto about the possibility of incorporating a multi-pad arena into the future development of the site or a transfer of the property back to the city to facilitate the construction of an arena.

The Don Mills Residents Incorporated (DMRI) recently suggested a third option. This proposal could see the multi-pad arena constructed within the playing field between Norman Ingram Public School and Covenant United Church on Duncairn Road which runs off The Donway West in Ward 25. In partnership with Cadillac Fairview, the arena could be part of a larger project that includes the new community centre secured from Cadillac Fairview in the Don Mills Centre agreement. The city secured a minimum of $4.5 million from Cadillac Fairview towards the construction of a replacement arena as well in the same agreement.

In this arrangement, Cadillac Fairview would acquire the necessary property from the school board and church and construct the multi-pad arena and community centre. In return, Cadillac Fairview would retain the site at the Don Mills Centre, originally slated to accommodate the community centre, as additional developable land. What Cadillac Fairview would want to do with the land is unknown at this time, however I expect they would request permissions for more condos.

In March, North York Community Council deferred the item to its June 2012 meeting, to allow more time for the DMRI and Cadillac Fairview to formalize their proposal for consideration. When the item is before us again in June, we’ll be considering three remaining options: the closed York Mills ramp, the Ontario Science Centre parking lot and the Norman Ingram playing field.

This is an important piece of community infrastructure and we’ll be sure to get it right
source :.Denzil Minnan-Wong