Health and Active Living Plaza

Our vision for the Health and Active Living Plaza

The Health and Active Living Plaza will be a destination point in our community, offering recreational, health and arts and culture programs and community services through partnerships with local community groups. Our vision for the Health and Active Living Plaza is to provide East Gwillimbury (EG) with expanded and enhanced Parks, Recreation and Culture service delivery through one door, under one roof, and at one location.

Construction Updates

View construction updates and progress on the Health and Active Living Plaza or follow along with us on our social channels. Facebook   |   Twitter   |   LinkedIn     November 1, 2023 Over the past 12 months the Health and Active Living Plaza is fully out of the ground and concrete foundation walls, site servicing and site grading is complete. All internal plumbing and electrical rough-ins are complete and ready for concrete flooring to be poured in the spring of 2024. Structural steel assembly has been ongoing since August and will continue over the winter months. The plumbing rough-ins, rebar and concrete work within the aquatics centre is nearing completion with a focus to have steel assembled and the north half of the building closed in over the winter.    November 29, 2022 On November 29, 2022, excavation and construction on the foundation was well under way. Pouring concrete for the foundation footings and walls for the south perimeter of the facility, which houses the library, program rooms and children's play space, began. The plan is to continue this over the winter and early spring for the north portion of the facility which houses the gym and aquatics centre.     October 4, 2022 - Groundbreaking Event On October 4, 2022, EG officially broke ground on the Health and Active Living Plaza. Town Council, staff and partners gathered at the facility site on Jim Mortson Drive off of Leslie Street, to mark the official start of construction. For more information on the event, please visit the news post.

What the Health and Active Living Plaza will feature

The Health and Active Living Plaza facility will feature over 80,000 sq. ft. of space including:

• EG's first-ever Aquatics Centre
• Library
• Maker Space and Sound Studio
• Gymnasium with track and potential fitness amenities (weights and cardio)
• Program Spaces with a teaching kitchen
• Interior Boardwalk space with public art and an interactive nature themed play space

The park space will embrace placemaking and feature recreational areas connected by cycle paths and trails. The park space will also include:

• Teaching and reading gardens
• Outdoor cooking space
• A playground, splash pad, skate park and pump track
• Events space (event street and pavilion)
• Multi-use sports courts (pickleball, etc.), shuffleboard and sports field space
• Outdoor program areas and game tables
• Basketball and beach volleyball court

Design of the Health and Active Living Plaza

The project includes industry-leading net zero design initiatives and EG's Thinking Green standards, highlighting several green and environmentally friendly features including:

• Smart building AI

• Electric Vehicle charging stations

• Rain-water harvesting and phosphorus removal

• Building design maximizes daylight and uses control sensors

• Utilize high efficiency appliances, LED lighting and energy recovery systems

Find more information on the design process with MJMA and their past projects.

View site plans, maps and layouts

Health and Active Living Plaza timeline

The Health and Active Living Plaza is planning to open once the population of the Town reaches 40,000 residents. The project is funded by development funding with no cost to the taxpayer for the design and construction of the facility.

What would you like to see in the Health and Active Living Plaza?

Please fill out and submit the Health and Active Living Plaza Program Survey to let us know what programs you would like to see run out of the new recreation facility! If you have any questions please send us an email. Take the Survey

Resources

Review reports and presentations on the Health and Active Living Plaza process. Health and Active Living Master Plan Health & Active Living Plaza Context Map Town and YMCA moving forward with potential Health & Active Living Plaza partnership (September 7, 2016) April 4, 2018 CWC report April 5, 2018 - Town moves forward with partnerships for the Health & Active Living Plaza December 18, 2018 - Design & Contract Administration HALP Presentation May 12, 2020 HALP Report - June 23, 2020 HALP Council Presentation - December 15, 2020 Media Release - See the Vision of EG’s new Health & Active Living Plaza - December 21, 2020 HALP Council Presentation Update - June 15, 2021 HALP Presentation - Sustainability Options - July 27, 2021 HALP Report - Additional Sustainability Options - November 24, 2021 HALP Report - Construction Tender

Questions?

Email Chris Catania, Manager of Facilities or call 905-478-3815. Email Rhonda Pogue, Manager of Recreation, Community Engagement and Events or call 905-478-4283 ext. 1409