Celebrating the reopening of Garnet A. Williams Community Centre!
Today, the City of Vaughan held an event to celebrate the official reopening of the new and improved Garnet A. Williams Community Centre!
After being closed for extensive renovations, the Ward 5 community centre has been completely transformed. The facility now includes:
- a new main entrance
- a new arena entrance
- a new lobby
- a new customer service desk
- new activity and program rooms
- renovated pool change rooms and a new family change room
- renovated fitness centre change rooms
- direct access to the new exterior sun deck and York Hill Park
- a new outdoor splashpad at York Hill Park
- enhanced accessibility features
- a refreshed pool and exterior pool patio *opening in 2024*
The total project budget for renovating and improving the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre is $19 million, with approximately $3.9 million partly funded by the Canada Community-Building Fund, a permanent source of federal infrastructure funding delivered to municipalities twice a year. In Ontario, the Fund is administered by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to 443 municipalities.
The centre is also fully operational for its fitness members (view classes at vaughan.ca/fitness), recreational drop-in sports and swim programs (view schedules at vaughan.ca/sports), and registered recreation programming (view programs at vaughan.ca/recreation). Registration for all drop-in activities can be done online at vaughan.perfectmind.com.
Today’s reopening celebration included refreshments, on-site activities such as an interactive DJ, a colouring mural, a photobooth and a balloon artist, formal remarks and a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
About the renovations
The Garnet A. Williams Community Centre is deeply rooted in the city of Vaughan’s history as its oldest multi-use community centre. Since 1984, the community centre has provided residents of Thornhill with quality leisure programs and activities. Other than regular ongoing maintenance and repair work, the facility had not been significantly altered since it was expanded in 2005.
Through previous public engagements, the City reached out to facility users to understand what types of facility and programming improvements were most desired – you spoke and we listened! Based on the feedback collected, as well as sustainability planning and a review of design best practices, the community centre was redeveloped to improve functionality and design. Extensive renovations began in May 2021.
The new facility reinforces a culture of design excellence through functionality, accessibility, sustainable design, urban design, architectural design and citizen experience. The improved centre now further connects the community, all while enhancing and enriching the quality of life for those who live, play and retire in the surrounding neighbourhood.
To learn more about the renovations, visit vaughan.ca/GAWCC.
QUOTES
"I am pleased that the long-awaited renovations at the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre are now complete. The facility plays a vital role for residents: it connects people, provides quality programs and services, and enhances our overall quality of life. The renovations are reflective of the community’s feedback on areas in need of improvement. The revitalized community centre is now more welcoming, more accessible and more sustainable. It is also better connected to the beautiful York Hill Park. After undergoing this remarkable transformation, the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre is now a facility of which we can all be proud."
- Mayor Steven Del Duca
"Today was an exciting day for residents of Ward 5, as we finally came together to celebrate the official reopening of our beloved community centre! The Garnet A. Williams Community Centre is a “central hive of activity” in Thornhill. I want to thank everyone for their patience while the centre underwent vital renovations. Now, we have a new and improved community gathering place for families, friends and neighbours to come together. Residents can resume working out in the fitness facility, hosting milestone celebrations there and participating in recreational programming offered year-round. I encourage you to explore the “new and improved facility, today!”
- Ward 5 Councillor, Gila Martow
“From roads to fire halls to broadband and community centres, the Canada Community-Building Fund provides permanent and stable funding for communities to build the resources they need to maintain a high quality of life for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. The re-opening of the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre demonstrates the commitment of our government and our partners to building a stronger city and country now and for the future.”
- Francesco Sorbara, Member of Parliament for Vaughan—Woodbridge, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
“Investments in community buildings such as the Garnet A. Williams Community Centre are investments in a strong and healthy York Region. Our federal government’s commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation within our neighborhoods and communities is unwavering and this is just one more example. This newly renovated and reopened centre provides a space to socialize, play and connect with one another for generations to come.”
- The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development and Member of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill
QUICK FACTS
- The Garnet A. Williams Community Centre is deeply rooted in the city of Vaughan’s history as its oldest multi-use community centre. The facility had not been significantly altered since it was expanded in 2005.
- Based on the feedback collected, as well as sustainability planning and a review of design best practices, the community centre was redeveloped to improve functionality and design.
- The City of Vaughan officially reopened the facility with a community event on Sunday. Dec. 10.
LEARN MORE
- City of Vaughan’s Garnet A. Williams Community Centre webpage
