Community hubs: Georgina learns from The Link

NRU
Sept. 2, 2015
By Leah Wong

While the province has just released guidelines for the creation of community hubs, the Town of Georgina is already learning how hubs can change the way its residents access programs and services.

Construction on the town’s newest community facility, known as The Link, is wrapping up and programming will start in the fall. Though its tenants have yet to move in, staff already know that the centre will add much needed social infrastructure.

“For municipalities, large or small, there’s an opportunity to rethink the kinds of services we provide,” Georgina cultural services manager Phil Rose-Donahoe told NRU. “It’s redefining the core services municipalities can get involved in.”

Earlier this month the province released a report from community hubs special advisor Karen Pitre, which identifies the provincial barriers that hinder the operation of community hubs. By releasing the guidelines the province seeks to remove these barriers so that municipalities and community organizations can work together to better provide services.

While municipalities have traditionally provided services such as libraries and arenas, Rose-Donahoe said by working with the non-profit community there is an opportunity to make a bigger impact on improving residents’ lives.

“The lesson for us is about finding collaborations and partners that can help us to do things that municipalities don’t do well,” said Rose-Donahoe. “And it provides resources to the non-profits to help them do their jobs better.”

Programs in The Link are expected to start in the fall as renovations on the former Sutton Public School wrap up.

Town staff has been instructed to finalize agreements with hub tenants, Hospice Georgina, Georgina Community Food Pantry and Georgina Trades Training.

“[The centre] is going to provide access to programs and services closer to home,” said Rose-Donahoe.

As Georgina has a large geographic footprint, many organizations do not have local office space or provide their full range of programs and services in the town. For example, the town is lacking alternative training programs for youth that aren’t pursuing post-secondary education - something staff hope to address with this new facility.

In addition to space for the food pantry and hospice, The Link’s floorplan also includes a commercial kitchen, event space, classrooms and studio space. In the commercial kitchen Georgina Trades Training will be providing restaurant training to youth. In the future the town also plans to use the kitchen for its own recreation and culture programs. The centre also comprises event spaces, classrooms and studio spaces.

The town is processing applications for other non-profit groups that hope to be part of The Link at a later date. One of the groups the town is working with is Routes, an organization that seeks to provide rides to local services for Georgina residents.

“It will be a centralized access point for resident in Georgina, and across the region, to get access to services they don’t currently have,” said Rose-Donahoe. “On the flipside, for organizations that are accessing space here, it allows them to collaborate to find efficiencies and hopefully save a few dollars along the way.”

The town is still working out a plan for the east wing of the hub, which is currently vacant. Staff anticipates it will have some direction, and funding, from council by the end of the year.

The original intention was to have the Georgina Arts Centre & Gallery occupy the wing, but the centre has had some reservations about leaving its current space. However, the centre’s existing location, a municipal building at 149 High Street, is in need of repairs as the roof is badly damaged.

At the August council meeting staff proposed three options for the future of the center: relocate it to The Link, keep it at its existing location and a hybrid-option which would maintain its current location and utilize The Link for extra programming space. Council also authorized staff to repair the roof at the arts centre location and get a quote from The Link’s contractor on the cost of bringing the east wing up to base building conditions. A decision on the future of the arts centre will be made at a later date.

Meanwhile, there is still construction planned for The Link, including the addition of a 90-foot accessibility ramp. But programs at the hub can start running while the work is underway. The town anticipates it will hold a grand opening for the centre in October, once this work is complete. Prior to this staff will be presenting The Link’s business plan to council at its next meeting September 9.