By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON April 2, 2012 It was eight years in the making, but Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor sat at a Community Services Committee meeting beaming with pride as he watched a presentation on the revitalization of the Mountainside Arena and Pool. Then he said – twice – for emphasis – that the site was not being closed. It would Taylor explained be closed for a season while the construction and upgrade work was done – which will be in the summer of 2014 – oops, that’s an election year isn’t it? Taylor has such a high following that he can withstand some community dissatisfaction while an important community recreational site is closed to be upgraded.
Ward 3 Councillor John Taylor
As is Taylor’s way – the Committee went with the least expensive of the three possible approaches to the significant upgrade planned for the site. Council will meet on April 10th and put a stamp of approval on the project.
The next step will be the issuing of a purchasing order for the detailed design phase of the project which lets the architects begin the detailed drawings.
The entrance to the complex will now be at the top of the site with a large parking lot that Parks and Recreation people expect will hold most of the cars that pull up.
An aerial view of the Mountainside recreational complex that will undergo revitalization in 2013
The buildings will now have a much more presentable entrance with a small pull into lane for those that want to drop off kids with those massive bags that hold their hockey equipment.
There will be better change rooms, a concession area as well as two community meeting rooms. Expect Councillor Taylor to make considerable use of these.
The splash pool that was paid for with federal/provincial government Stimulus money will remain with very minor modifications.
An architectural rendering of the site with the view from the north looking south. Parking and entrance have been re-oriented making it a much easier site to move in and out of - also has much better facilities inside.
The architects commented that it was a challenging site with homes on the west side that objected to headlights from cars parking in the lower lot so they moved the orientation of that lot to face east. The long, thin site the architects had to work with was hedged in by a woodlot on the east and an incline to get to the upper level parking lot. Someone should have explained to the architect that there is a reason for calling the place “Mountainside”.
A look at the detail once revitalization has been completed.
With the entrance now moved to the northern end of the site it might be a little difficult to figure out where you’re supposed to go the first time you visit but after that – it will make a lot of sense and be a lot easier to get in and out of the building. Burlington is currently on a bit of a sign blitz – so expect there to be good signage at the entrance to the site.
It is going to be a very significant improvement to a site that is heavily used by the community. Good on John Taylor for steering the development of this project for his ward.
Burlington has seven arenas with two that are older than Mountainside: Nelson is 47 years old and Central is 44 years old. The newest is the arena on Appleby.
The Mountainside site was first opened forty two years ago. The pool was opened in 1962 and an arena added in 1969.
ZAS Architects have done some very innovative work on the lower Don River part of Toronto and based on their presentation they have brought the same innovation and quality to the Mountainside site.
