Construction begins on East Gwillimbury $76M active living plaza

Health and Active Living Plaza will offer the town’s first aquatics centre, a library, recreational programs, health services, arts and culture, community services, continuous learning

Newmarkettoday.ca
Oct. 5, 2022

The Town of East Gwillimbury officially broke ground on the Health and Active Living Plaza, today. Town council, with staff and partners gathered at the facility site, just north of the town’s municipal office on Leslie Street, to mark the official start of construction.

Once complete, the 85,000-square-feet Health and Active Living Plaza will offer the town’s first aquatics centre, a new library, recreational programs and activities, health services, arts and culture, community services, and continuous learning. Facility construction is scheduled to take place over the next 26 months and the facility is anticipated to open in 2025.

“It’s an exciting day for East Gwillimbury as we officially break ground on the Health and Active Living Plaza. This project has been a council priority for many years, and I applaud staff and community partners for reaching this important milestone.” said Mayor Virginia Hackson. “The cost to build the facility is $76,537,000, which will be funded entirely through development charges and at no cost to the taxpayer. I look forward to the day the doors open, and the community can enjoy the many amenities the facility will offer.”

On Sept. 7, 2022, East Gwillimbury council approved the construction tender to build the facility. The contract was awarded to Aquicon Construction Co. Ltd., which has extensive experience building community centres across the GTA.

Earlier this year, East Gwillimbury was recognized as Canada’s fastest-growing municipality according to the 2021 Census. As the population grows, so does the need for amenities that residents use each day, including, parks, trails, roads, and facilities. Many of those amenities are funded through development charges, which the town collects as new homes and businesses are constructed.