Councillors Shaheen Butt, Linda Cook, Mayor Kevin Ashe, Councillor Mara Nagy, Pickering-Uxbridge MP Jennifer O’Connell, Councillors Lisa Robinson, Dave Pickles, Maurice Brenner
The $65 million City of Pickering Heritage & Community Centre was launched in a ground breaking ceremony on Thursday, Apr. 4, 2024.
The City’s Heritage & Community Centre is planned as a new, 44,000 sq. ft. facility celebrating the city’s rich heritage by bringing together Museum, Library and Community Centre into one dynamic space.
The Facility’s Amenities
- Exhibit gallery
- Program room
- Multipurpose Hall with a stage
- Kitchen suitable for public programs
- Collections storage for the museum artifact collections, City’s archives
- Public library’s local History collection
- Gift shop
- Coffee bar
- Outdoor program spaces including art garden and patio
Projected opening and location
This facility opening is slated for 2026 at its prospective location on the upper site of the Pickering Museum Village.
The facility will serve as a new Visitor’s Centre for the Pickering Museum Village replacing the current, aging administrative building. The existing Museum Administration Building, known as the Robert A. Miller Building, is a hybrid structure built in post and beam style in 1867 with a wood frame addition built in 1967 wood frame addition.
The facility will preserve local history in a much-needed storage space for over 11,000 artifacts. The collections, artifacts and records of the Library, Pickering Museum Village, and City Hall will be highlighted in a climate controlled environmental and custom design lighting controls.
It will replace the aging Greenwood Community Centre, and provide a modern and accessible space for community groups, programs and services, and be a centre for staging events and showcasing exhibitions.
Additionally it will include the first public exhibit/art gallery showcasing travelling exhibitions, and local artists’ art.
Much larger than the current facility, the new one will serve more guests and likely host up to 300 guests at any one time.
Enviornmentally green, with zero-carbon design, the facility will be highly energy-efficient minimizing any greenhouse gas emissions from its building materials to its operations, support ing Pickering goal of becoming one of the most sustainable cities in Canada!
Replacing Aging Infrastructure
The City is committed to maintaining safe and accessible infrastructures, and therefore is replacing the aging Greenwood Community Centre built in 1970. The aged centre was small, 8,400 square foot, two-storey building made of concrete block and steel framing, without wall insulation. The aged building style make the building expensive to heat and cool. The City has concluded the building has reached its end of life. The new building will be environmentally green, cost less to maintain and operate and potentially serve Pickering residents and visitors for a very long time.
Space benefits
The Pickering Public Library benefits with two valuable spaces within this new facility: our Local History Resource Centre and an Express Library Kiosk.
The Local History Resource Centre will be a destination for a variety of visitors, offering them access to collections, staff assistance, and innovative programming. Students, researchers, and family historians will be able to comb through documents and photographs that bring the people, places, and events of Pickering’s history, stories and journeys to life.
As well, the library services will be available through the Express Library Kiosk which will offer innovative service prototypes and feature holds, pick-up, freshly, curated collections, comfortable spaces and access to essential technology.
