Item - 2021.EC24.12

The Economic and Community Development Committee:  

1.  Received the report (September 8, 2021) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration and the City Librarian, Toronto Public Library for information.

The Dawes Road Library and Community Hub capital project was initiated as response to the locally identified need for more community spaces to address service gaps and to support a consolidation of service and program investments into the community. The Dawes Road branch is located within the Taylor Massey neighbourhood, one of 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas identified in the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020 approved by City Council in 2014. As part of this Strategy, City Council also approved a one-time investment of $12 million for the Partnership Opportunities Legacy Fund to increase and enhance City assets for community use. $1.2 million of the Partnership Opportunities Legacy funding was allocated to build a 2,000 square foot Community Hub in the Toronto Public Library's Dawes Road capital project.

This report provides an update to City Council direction in Item EX21.2 to Toronto Public Library and Social Development, Finance and Administration to advance the public consultation and design of the Dawes Road Library and Community Hub for an expanded hub space of approximately 5,500 square feet. The approved Dawes Road capital project includes funding for the acquisition of the current and adjacent sites and to rebuild a new and expanded 20,000 square foot library and the 2,000 square foot Community Hub on an upper floor. The Community Hub will be operated by Social Development, Finance and Administration.

Extensive community consultation conducted jointly with Toronto Public Library and Social Development, Finance and Administration for an expanded space began in May 2021 building on previous engagement, and is now 80 percent completed; schematic design will be complete by the fall of 2021. Indigenous place-making features, community space welcoming children, youth and families and community meeting space are among the priorities that can be better accommodated through an expanded Community Hub and library.