Vaughan gets more than $12M in infrastructure cash to upgrade 59 public facilities

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua says city experiencing 'renaissance'

Thestar.com
June 17, 2021
Dina Al-Shibeeb

Vaughan officials announced June 11 that Canada and Ontario are investing more than $12 million in the city’s infrastructure, at a time when communities attempt to recover from the pandemic.

So far, the federal government is investing more than $10.2 million through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and Ontario is contributing more than $2.5 million.

Deb Schulte, MP for King--Vaughan and minister of seniors, said this short term investment is intended to get things done quickly.

The funding will back upgrading and renovating 59 public facilities in Vaughan, including 18 heritage buildings, 15 community centres, 10 fire stations, nine libraries, and eight sport facilities, including five skating rinks.

Part of the renovation is improving these facilities' air quality by installing ultra violet systems, which are 99 per cent effective at eliminating the coronavirus. These new HVAC units will be installed at the Al Palladini, Chancellor, Father Ermanno Bulfon and Maple community centres, and HVACs will be retrofitted at the other facilities.

Buildings will also be revamped to make them environmentally friendly. For instance, fire hall 7-1 will be overhauled to make it a zero-carbon building.

The Maple Library and Community Centre will be revitalized and will receive a new multi-purpose space. Roofs will be replaced at the Dufferin Clark and Rosemount community centres, as well as the Bathurst Clark and Dufferin Clark libraries.

Five city skating rinks -- Chancellor, Garnet, Maple and Rosemount Community Centres, as well as the Sports Village Skating Trail -- will have their refrigeration and equipment replaced and upgraded.

Schulte said the funding is coming to Vaughan due to growth and expansion pressures locally.

“We have a lot of aging facilities,” she said.

“It's a great place to help our economy spring back and put the emphasis where it's needed. And so there's three MPs here that have been fighting to make sure Vaughan gets its fair share.”

The funding was announced by Schulte, Vaughan--Woodbridge MP Francesco Sorbara on behalf of Catherine McKenna, minister of infrastructure and communities, Stephen Lecce, MPP for King--Vaughan and Ontario’s minister of education, and Vaughan--Woodbridge MPP Michael Tibollo on behalf of Laurie Scott, Ontario’s minister of infrastructure.

Lecce said Vaughan received $8.3 million in March, which was part of a broader $500 million provincial injection to support municipalities.

“That's entirely provincial dollars, all tax dollars out, which is going to help improve the state of our city and our fight against COVID-19,” he said.

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said the city is receiving this new $10 million because of local economic growth.

“We have witnessed a real renaissance in our city, that is exceptional. So these investments are a reflection of that,” Bevilacqua added.

“People want to live in an area where economic growth exceeds four per cent, where over the past 10 years, over 60,000 jobs have been created, where we have had public investment, major ones like the subway, and now the $1.8 billion hospital, the Vaughan Cortellucci Hospital.”