Item - 2021.EC21.5

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1.  Received the report (April 9, 2021) from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation for information.

This report responds to the request from City Council, at its meeting of December 16, 17 and 18, 2020, for the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PFR) to review the capacity of recreation space in the Scarborough Village and Woburn communities within the ward of Scarborough-Guildwood.

This report includes a review of demographic data for the Woburn and Scarborough Village communities, a summary of existing parks and recreation facilities and programs, and an overview of the planned facilities that will increase recreation capacity in both communities.

Parks, Forestry and Recreation provides a range of programs for participants of all ages, optimizing the recreational infrastructure available to ensure the availability of affordable and responsive programming. In Scarborough-Guildwood, free recreational programs for all ages are offered at Scarborough Centennial Recreation Centre, Cedarbrook Community Centre and Scarborough Village Recreation Centre.

In addition, PFR leverages local area schools, including Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute (C.I.), Laurier C.I., and Woburn C.I., for the delivery of drop-in sports programs, summer camps and youth programming using classrooms and the school gymnasiums.

The Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan (FMP), adopted by City Council in 2017, identified gaps in recreation facility provision in Scarborough-Guildwood - in keeping with the deficit of gymnasium space identified in the December 2020 City Council request. In response, the FMP and Parks, Forestry and Recreation's 2021 10-Year Capital Budget and Plan includes planned projects to increase recreation capacity in the area, including the addition of a gymnasium at Scarborough Centennial Recreation Centre as part of a planned revitalization targeted for 2025-2029 and a new Community Recreation Centre (CRC) in southwest Scarborough targeted for 2025-2028, including a gymnasium and pool, which is also planned to address the identified geographic gap in the Scarborough Village, Eglinton East and Cliffcrest neighbourhoods. Staff will be initiating an evaluation of location options for the new CRC and will provide an update through the 2023 Capital Budget process. The timing for all projects in the Capital Plan are dependent on available funds and the ability to proceed.