Twin-Pad Arena and Library Project

What Beach Bum said (hotels) makes sense; this criteria leaves only 544 River Rd. W. as a site that might attract hotel developers (In our grandchildrens' lifetimes, if ever)

The arena needs to be near hotels so Wasaga Beach can start hosting some hockey tournaments to keep the tourists coming through the winter months.

It would be great to have a walking track above the new arena. Since it would benefit all the citizens in the area.

Has the seldom (if ever) used bmx/skateboard park on north side of Mosley St. been considered for a stand-alone library? Is essentially a vacant site with PLENTY of adjacent parking. Doggie park gets used & wd remain. Benefits include high traffic counts, popular nearby Rec Plex to east and retail incl. restaurants to west

Milhous

The new library is an opportunity for Wasaga Beach to provide the residents of this growing city a first-class cultural service.The library should be located where it can best serve the needs of library users, not the commercial or economic interests of the community. Of the five sites proposed, I believe the library should be located at the Stonebridge site which offers property that is affordable, accessible and is closely linked to a greenspace. The Glenwood site would be fraught with problems like parking, traffic conflicts with visitors in the summer and ongoing security concerns given its proximity to the Beach’s after-dark population. It’s also misleading to suggest the Glenwood site offers taxpayers some cost saving because the city already owns the property. The city’s cost to procure that property, albeit several years ago, or its current value should it be sold back to commercial interests (its best purpose) should be included in the Glenwood site’s total cost. That site seems ideally suited to be sold to a commercial developer.
The proposed joint arena/library site is my second choice because it offers the community a multipurpose facility and numerous operating synergies.
That said, I believe the arena should be located at Klondike Park which is already the city’s major recreational hub. Therefore it makes sense to group those facilities together and in this case the property has no other value and isn’t suited for any other purpose.

I am in favour of stand alone sites. The Sports Park is best for the twin rinks and has the room for expansion for a multi-use facility. The Rec Plex is outdated and too small for our town needs now let alone in the near future. The Stonebridge site would be good for the library since it will be close to our downtown vision. The above 2 sites are less expensive than the other two options. With all that been said, the 544 River Rd. W. site is a good 2nd. option for the library since it would have room for expansion for a theatre & arts building.

I would prefer the 45th St. or Stonebridge sites

Thank you to Town Council and staff for outlining the possible locations and advantages for each site.
My first choice would be a twin pad at 544 River Rd. W. In spite of the high cost of land purchase,,
municipal services are nearby, the location is on a highway -easy to find, visible to visitors and users,would be more accessible during winter weather when driving conditions can be hazardous. Most hockey games and tournaments take place during the winter. This location requires less driving, making it amenable to out of town teams. The Wasaga Stars Arena, hockey and skating school facilities, the Mess Hall and childrens’ park are within walking distance. Accommodation, shopping and food are close by, a bonus during winter months.This location should be more environmentally friendly with people able to have shorter commutes, and is on an existing bus route. Since every child in a family does not play hockey, but must come with the family to the arena, having the library as part of the component would allow these children to visit the library to do homework, work on a computer or join in the programmes offered..These facilities would be close to several thousand residents as the south end continues to expand, while taking into consideration our residents who live near Tiny Beaches Rd. To the east and Fairgrounds Rd. To the west.
Marijo

I did a tour of the sites to help me decide. I like the Library on its own at 45th and Robinson. Lots of space to add on with a possible Theatre or Arts space. I also like the community feel, lots of homes within walking distance and the traffic during peak times would be more manageable. Great visibility as well. I think for the arena that it should be at the Sports Park. It would be bold move as some see it as being so far out of "Downtown" I see it as an amazing space, a town gem that I think is under used. The possibilities are endless for events and possibly concert type venues.Parking, better traffic flow. I like the idea of keeping the two buildings separate and book ending the town. Wherever these two buildings go, I will be very happy to just have them in our great town.

I like the idea of a combination area. I also like the idea if a libray nearest to the beach area. I really hate the idea of having an arena at the sports park. it is in the middle of nowhere requiring driving there, no where to eat or do anything else, also we use the upper floor at the current arena for meetings I would not want to drive out there in the middle of winter.

I will dissent on the combination proposal. Having had user significant experience with combined facilities, the compromises made to have a properly functioning twin-rink which by their very nature are used at limited times and very seasonally, along with the multiple variations of virtually constant usage of a library-focussed Community Centre are vast.
Incompatible HVAC, parking, and totally different staffing needs, experience, and expertise, amongst other serious operational, and safety, differences would virtually dictate a combination with, essentially, a shared wall.
Twelve years as a citizen has also shown that in the “eye of the people”, ANY and all compromises demanded in the design and construction phases WOULD come from the vastly longer-term requirements of the Library....

I FAVOUR STAND ALONE SITES. The library serves completely different purposes than the arena. I feel as a west ender that it is about time that some of our tax dollars go to serve this end. If expansion continues it will be come more centrally located. The sports complex would be truly enhanced with a new arena close by!

I am completely in favour of it being a multi use building however why is that not an option at the Sports park? Is there just not enough available space?

I am in favour of the combined approach, however, I do think that we must plan for future expansion so if that is not possible for the combination site then I would prefer option b for the twin pad and option c for the library. I am definitely not in favour of the Stonebridge site I find it upsetting enough that this eyesore of a community is being dubbed as a downtown,traffic issues in Summer must be taken into account also. I live within walking distance of 45th st and Robinson rd but I think that public buildings must be centrally placed and this site would be somewhat inconvenient for folks who live in Allenwood.

I like the combined approach, and the site at 544 River Road West. Wisest choices would consider how much "growing space" is available for future add ons. The Stonebridge or Glenwood site would be my preference for a stand alone library. Any good choice should consider infrastructure (services) upgrades required and if the site tends to promote or curb urban sprawl.

The combination seems to be the best option, however I am disappointed that there is no mention of a theatre.
A Theatre or community centre with theatre or even a Library with a theatre combined would allow us as a community to have professional productions throughout the summer season and even occasionally through the winter months as well as our community theatre group performances. The current facilities for this are not suitable for any professional group. 544 River Road West would be ideal for such a project.

I feel we have one of the best sports park in simcoe county but we should improve it by building a dual pad complex similar to innisfil new complex. We should also include a walking/jog track around one pad. Can also house new library as well. We need to have an indoor facility for year round soccer, basketball etc. Need to build for future growth for all ages in community. Unfortunately the recplex was built too small. We should also have an Olympic size pool in our new sports complex.

The best option for an arena is to utilize the land at the sportspark that the town owns. It is central to the town and offers optional routes other than driving through town to access. Why would we pay 5 million for a river rd property when we own the parcel of land at the sportspark.

If library and arena combine together at one location, we may have parking space issue. Bear in mind, library offers lots of programs for all ages to attend. We also do not want to create traffic gridlock along the route to Beach 1, specially in Summer time

Veterans Way provides the town with a key location to utilize an area of land for events all year around. The cost of providing services to that area are far less than the purchasing of 544 River Road West. It’s centrally located for the entire town. Providing town water and sewage to this area also enhances outdoor usage during summer months. It becomes a prime spot for other events (all year) while keeping the tourist area separate but still close. Accessible for outside of town is easier too. This will make traffic flow throughout the town much better and safer. The possibility of a splash pad away from the tourist area of town creates a more town friendly environment.

The 45th Street location for the library is more centralized than any other location. Usage will definitely increase with visibility and accessibility. 45th is already well developed for traffic flow and is near the core of busing from the county and town needs. Although, the cost of land is the highest (an area of land speculation that I don’t agree with) it is an investment in the town’s future. I would definitely like to see a cultural centre also. Whether it is with the library or not will bring our town to a new level of appreciation for expectant buyers. The 45th Street location would be ideal in proximity to the new Casino and might bring additional revenue to the town for overnight stays.

The spreading of locations of the Library, Double-pad arena, tourist (Beach 1) and Casino creates a usable quadrant and traffic flow for the entire town. Property values will increase in all areas of the town. This becomes a win-win for maintenance of traffic and the potential development of all areas of Wasaga Beach. Business will see an upsurge in business from one end to the other. Putting all your eggs in one basket just doesn’t make sense and will cost the town more money in road improvements. If people can easily access it then they won’t come.