By Staff
April 5th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Orchard Community Hub has been awarded the Best Park or Facility Design by Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO).
This award is presented for completed projects that demonstrate excellence in design of recreation and/or park facilities intended for public use. The park or facility must showcase uniqueness, innovation, and creativity for recreation use.
The Orchard Hub, located at 2400 Sutton Dr., in St Christopher’s Catholic Elementary School is a collaboration between the City of Burlington and the Orchard community in Burlington. It is a space for community groups to provide free activities, programs or events to Burlington residents.
The activities or events can be on-going or a one-time opportunity that build community connections. To qualify for free use, programs and activities must be at no cost to participants. This could include training, community meetings, support groups, clubs, gatherings, cultural activities or other neighbourhood programs.
The Official opening of the Orchard Community Hub – the obligatory photo op.
The Hub was officially opened in February 2023 and has held a winter holiday community gathering, a book share program, youth movie nights, crafting groups, fundraisers, line dancing and more.
About Community Hubs
There are now two community hubs in operation.
The Haber Centre was a collaboration between the city, the Halton District School Board and the Library that came in on budget.
Haber Community Hub
3040 Tim Dobbie Dr., in the Haber Community Centre
• Capacity 15-20 people
• 280 square feet
• Two sinks and large amount of cabinet space
• Tables and chairs
Orchard Community Hub
2400 Sutton Dr., Burlington in St Christopher’s Catholic Elementary School
• Capacity: 40 people
• Casual seating, kitchenette, fridge, microwave, washroom with adult change table, projector and screen
• There will be no staff on site, and renters are required to set up and clean up the room
• During school hours, parking is south side of building adjacent to park.
Interested residents are encouraged to submit their request through the application form with a short summary of the details for intended use. Groups looking to learn more about the space can arrange a tour and chat about ideas for the space should email communityconnects@burlington.ca
Community hubs, a new name being given to places where people gather, is of interest to the public – with the focus for many being the conversion of what was once the Bateman High School into a very large hub that will be shared with a Brock University faculty and the school board that once owned the property.
One of the largest property acquisitions and the most expensive so far has yet to be part of a full community engagement event.
The development has cost the city a bundle of money and hours of staff time working through two major issues – parking and the asbestos in the building.
What has yet to happen is any significant public engagement. People want to know how much of the space is going to be available to the people who live in the immediate area.
It appears that the city can create community hubs – the one in the Orchard and the facility in the Alton Village community make that evident – but on the Bateman situation – there has been next to nothing in the way of opportunities for the public to ask questions and for the city administration to answer them
