WATCH ABOVE: A proposal from PortsToronto to build a 75,000 sq. ft two-pad ice rink would have to overcome planning issues with the city before breaking ground. Mark McAllister reports.
TORONTO – PortsToronto has announced it is reserving a portion of the Toronto Port Lands for the construction of an indoor ice rink.
The federal agency is currently seeking interested developers.
In a statement released Thursday, PortsToronto said the land at the base of Cherry Street will provide space for “the construction of a new building with approximately 75,000 square feet to accommodate an indoor, two-pad ice rink.”
“For a city covered in ice and snow for so many months of the year, indoor ice rinks are in surprisingly short supply in Toronto, particularly for girls hoping to play organized hockey,” said PortsToronto Chairman Mark McQueen in a media release.
“By providing PortsToronto-owned land, and spearheading this initiative, we will ensure the development of a new state-of-the-art hockey complex for a growing population of downtowners.”
PortsToronto states it has identified the tract of land and will provide the land to a developer under a long-term lease.
The project was welcome news for the area’s city councillor.
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“We need rink space,” said Counc. Paula Fletcher, who cautioned it won’t be an easy feat.
“There’s no storm sewer, there’s no sanitary sewer, there’s no electricity grid down here,” said Fletcher, of the infrastructure lacking at the proposed site.
Fletcher insisted the project won’t work if the bridge linking the area remains one lane. She said that projects like this have been proposed, and shot down before.
“There is always something that jumps out, that makes things more difficult when you’re down here in the Port Lands.”
She said she also wary of possible ulterior motives of PortsToronto, which has been working hard to expand its footprint at Billy Bishop Airport.
“I sincerely hope that their interest is building a two-pad arena, and it’s not a PR campaign for expanding the airport,” said Fletcher. “That would be hard to take.”
She said the area’s greenspace should be protected, and the proposed design should be carefully tailored to the area.
READ MORE: Heated meeting on Toronto Island airport expansion
“We have hundreds of acres of property down there, much of which is used for industrial purposes,” said Deborah Wilson from PortsToronto. “There’s an opportunity to develop it for something more community-minded.”
Wilson said the lack of ice rinks in Toronto seems bizarre in a hockey-mad city.
“Anyone who has kids that play hockey know that trying to get space in a hockey arena for your kids’ hockey team, or even just to go for a family skate, can be really, really difficult.”
She pointed out there has not been a new arena built south of St. Clair Avenue in the last 50 years.
Wilson acknowledged there will be struggles ahead to get the project underway. She said PortsToronto will be working with the city to ensure all formailties are followed and requirements met. She said they’ve also met with Waterfront Toronto to discuss a shared vision for the area.
Waterfront Toronto’s CEO called the proposed project “a good addition.”
“It fits in with Cherry Beach, and the sports fields are down there,” said John Campbell, president and CEO of Waterfront Toronto. “This is land that’s adjacent to, or at the end of, a future Lake Ontario park. So it’s actually a perfect fit.”
The site is adjacent to the Cherry Beach off-leash dog park. On Friday, pet owners at the park told Global News they support new projects, as long as the park is not affected.
“Well, as long as they don’t touch the dog park. The dog park is so important,” said Francesca DaVino. “I know of people that drive all the way from the west end to come here, to bring their dog here, because it’s so special.”
“It is very important, as a dog walker, as a professional dog walker, there are very few parks that are large enough for us to be able to use legally and safely,” said Maggie Burtt. She said she supports new sports facilities being built, but is concerned about traffic in the area.”We don’t really have a good road to use here, and the parking would be much limited.”
“But if they touch the dog park the city is going to be at war with all the dog people,” said Burtt.
Wilson said the arena will be careful to work well with its neighbouring properties. She said the area will be a mixed-recreational space where a family can drop off kids for a hockey game, and take the dog for a walk at Cherry Beach while the kids are on the ice.
“No public lands will be impacted,” said Wilson.
PortsToronto is looking for a development partner to get the project moving, and didn’t give a timeline for the the rink.
A Request For Expression of Interest (RFEI) is being issued prior to a Request for Proposal with a submission deadline set for May 12.
With files from Mark McAllister
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