TOWN OF WHITBY REPORT RECOMMENDATION REPORT

Transcription

1 TOWN OF WHITBY REPORT RECOMMENDATION REPORT REPORT TO: Operations Committee REPORT NO: CMS DATE OF MEETING: 24 October 2011 PREPARED BY: Community and Marketing Services FILE NO(S): LOCATION: REPORT TITLE/SUBJECT: Naming the 'Arena Complex' at Iroquois Park Sports Centre and a future Street in West Whitby after former Mayor Desmond Newman 1.0 RECOMMENDATION: 1. That Council approve the naming of the arena complex located within Iroquois Park Sports Centre and a future arterial road to be located within the West Whitby development area after former Mayor Desmond Newman; 2. That the area within Iroquois Park Sports Centre that houses all six arenas and the municipal offices be designated and named the Des Newman Arena Complex ; 3. That subject to Council approval on the naming at Iroquois Park Sports Centre, that signage within the main entrance of the arena complex and on the pylon signs located on Henry Street and Victoria Street, be installed to recognize the Des Newman Arena Complex ; 4. That the future north/south arterial road to be built in the West Whitby development area between Taunton Road and Dundas Street (referred to as the realigned Coronation Road in the Highway 407 East Extension Class Environmental Assessment and West Whitby Secondary Plan) be named Desmond Newman Drive ; and, 5. That the Planning Department secure the street name, Desmond Newman Drive within the future plans of subdivision in West Whitby. 2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Mr. Desmond (Des) Newman was the Mayor of the Town of Whitby from 1966 to During his tenure as Mayor, Mr. Newman was instrumental in spearheading the

2 Report No.: CMS Page 2 of 7 development of the Iroquois Park Sports Centre. The first phase of that recreation complex opened during his term of office. To recognize former Mayor Newman s contributions to the establishment of the Town s premier recreation complex, it is recommended that the arena complex located within Iroquois Park Sports Centre be named and formally recognized as the Des Newman Arena Complex. The name of the entire 47 acre sports and recreation site, Iroquois Park Sports Centre, and the name of the pool, Anne Ottenbrite Pool, should both carry forward. The Town of Whitby has adopted a practice of naming a street after Whitby Mayors when they retire from municipal politics. Former Mayor Des Newman has not had a street named after him to-date. The Town currently has a Newman Crescent, but that street is not named in recognition of the former Mayor. There is an opportunity to name a new street in West Whitby when development occurs in the future. It is recommended that the proposed new arterial road that will eventually be constructed from Dundas Street to Taunton Road, and currently referred to as the realigned Coronation Road, be named Desmond Newman Drive. The Regional Municipality of Durham exercises jurisdiction over all streets naming within the area municipalities. The street name of Desmond Newman Drive has been secured for use in Whitby by the Planning Department and it is being proposed to be assigned to the noted arterial road. 3.0 ORIGIN: This report originates with the Community and Marketing Services Department. 4.0 BACKGROUND: Council adopted a property/ facility naming policy in Under the policy, Council in it sole discretion can consider naming a property/facility or property/facility feature in recognition of an individual, organization, group, or family, in situations where the entity: Has a historical connection to the site Has made a significant contribution to the quality of life and well being of the community through: o service as an elected representative of government o service as a member of a public board or commission o significant, long serving volunteerism in the community o recognized environmental, historical and conservation efforts o artistic, cultural, scientific or athletic achievement o national or international recognition for contributions to society Once established, the name shall be used to reference the property/facility or property/facility feature. Unless specifically stated, the name will carry forward in

3 Report No.: CMS Page 3 of 7 perpetuity for the life cycle of the facility or property/facility feature, or until the property or feature is significantly altered, or Council chooses to rename the property or feature. Staff is required to prepare a report for Council s consideration when naming a property/facility or property/facility feature in recognition of a person, group, organization or family. The Town of Whitby has an existing practice that a street be named after each former Whitby Mayor when they retire from municipal politics. In more recent times, streets have been named after former Whitby Mayors Jim Gartshore, Bob Attersley, and Tom Edwards. A street is currently not named after former Mayor Des Newman. 5.0 DISCUSSION/OPTIONS: Iroquois Park Sports Centre (IPSC) Iroquois Park Sports Centre is situated on a 47 acre site dedicated to sports and recreation. Boasting just over 2 million visitations annually, Iroquois Park Sports Centre spans over 250,000 square feet, and houses 6 arenas including one arena that seats 1,500 people, two fully accessible pool tanks, 4 baseball diamonds, soccer pitch, 6 court tennis complex, skateboard park, playground, restaurant, food court, meeting rooms, pro shop, and offices of Whitby s largest minor sport organizations. IPSC is one of Canada s largest municipal sports complexes and is the largest destination for minor hockey and lacrosse events in Canada. Under construction, and to be located on the lands at IPSC, is the 130,000 square foot Abilities Centre, which will open to the public in the spring of Also located at IPSC is the Whitby Sports Hall of Fame, founded in 1997 to recognize and honour the individuals and teams whose contributions to local Whitby sports has brought significant fame and recognition to themselves and the community. The development of IPSC has evolved over the past 40 years. First opened in 1974, Iroquois Park has grown from a one arena and pool facility to its present day indoor and outdoor multi-sport, multi-arena, multi-amenities facility. In the summer of 2011, the most recent expansion and renovation projects were completed consisting of a full renovation and facility expansion to the Anne Ottenbrite Pool; accessibility enhancements to the Scotiabank Arena #1; renovations and accessibility improvements to the mezzanine space located between arenas 3 and 4; accessibility improvements and renovations in Whitney Hall, including enhanced viewing into arena #1; and, a facility expansion to Scotiabank Arena #1 to accommodate improved dressing rooms, and a new training area and offices for the Town s elite hockey and lacrosse teams.

4 Report No.: CMS Page 4 of 7 Mr. Newman during his tenure as Mayor was instrumental in leading the development of Iroquois Park Sports Centre back in the early 1970s. The following information has been provided by Brian Winter, the Town s Archivist. In July 1971, Mayor Newman conducted a press conference at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto with a proposal to build a $70 million dollar sports complex in Whitby, to be known as Iroquois Park. This ambitious project included a large stadium, race track, arena, swimming pool and Disneyland type amusement area. The project was conceived over an eight-month period of time by a committee, but Mayor Newman was the chief spokesperson and architect of the concept. During the preparations for Iroquois Park, Mayor Newman conducted fact finding missions to Louisville Kentucky and had discussions with major league sports officials on the possibility of locating their teams in Whitby. In Mayor Newman s inaugural speech in 1968, he made comment regarding a major sports stadium with a capacity of seating 5 10 thousand people for winter sports, and seating up to 25 thousand people during the summer months. The Iroquois Park proposal for lands north of the Whitby Psychiatric Hospital owned by the Province began in 1971, when Mayor Newman coordinated a committee to plan an indoor swimming pool and long term plan for a total sports complex. His vision was to serve not only Whitby, but the new Region. As stated by the Town s Archivist, Brian Winter, in a book on Mr. Newman s political career in Whitby; The creation of a recreational complex in Whitby was part of Mayor Newman s basic philosophy to create a balanced cultural, economic and recreational opportunity within the urban system around Metropolitan Toronto. He saw it as one of the corner stones of the new region east of Metro; along with his earlier proposals for an international airport and a university. They would strengthen the economic base of the area. Mr. Newman proposed that the recreation complex be funded through a lottery, and submitted his idea to the Province. The Province did not grant approval in 1971, yet in 1975 the Province launched Wintario to benefit sports and recreation projects across Ontario. Iroquois Park was scaled back from what former Mayor Newman proposed, and in 1974, the 1,500 stadium arena was completed and one year later the indoor swimming pool opened. Based on Mr. Newman s vision for Iroquois Park Sports Centre, it is recommended that the arena complex within the facility be named after former Mayor Newman in recognition of his contribution. The proposed name and one that is preferred by Mr. Newman is the Des Newman Arena Complex. It is not recommended that Iroquois Park Sports Centre be renamed, since that name is associated with the entire 47 acre sports and recreation site. It is further recommended that the signage located at the entrance into the facility be redone to reflect the proposed Des Newman Arena Complex, as well as the site signage located on Henry and Victoria Streets.

5 Report No.: CMS Page 5 of 7 Within Iroquois Park Sports Centre, the pool complex is named after Anne Ottenbrite, a former Whitby resident, and a Canadian Olympic medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. At the 1984 Olympic Games, Anne Ottenbrite won a Gold medal in the 200m breaststroke, Silver medal in the 100m breaststroke and Bronze medal in the 400m medley relay. To recognize Anne s outstanding Olympic achievement, the Town of Whitby in 1984 named the pool at Iroquois Park after her. The pool which has been closed for the past 15 months because of $3.5 million in renovations, re-opened on September 24, This project was one of many in Whitby approved under the Infrastructure Stimulus Program of the Federal and Provincial Governments. The recently renovated and expanded pool facility at Iroquois Park Sports Centre should continue to be named after Anne Ottenbrite. It is recommended that if Council approves the staff report, that the signage at the Henry and Victoria Street entrances be adjusted to include the Anne Ottenbrite Pool name and the Des Newman Arena Complex name. Realigned Coronation Road in West Whitby It is recommended that the future arterial road referred to as the realigned Coronation Road in the Council adopted West Whitby Secondary Plan be named in recognition of former Mayor Des Newman. The West Whitby Secondary Plan is one component of the Town s comprehensive Official Plan (OP) review designed to bring the Town s OP in line with Regional Official Plan Amendment (ROPA) No. 128 as adopted by Regional Council. Within West Whitby, a realigned Coronation Road from Dundas Street to Taunton Road was included in the Highway 407 East Environmental Assessment. While the present Town of Whitby Official Plan notes both Halls Road and Coronation Road linkages between Dundas Street and Taunton Road, the construction of the Highway West Durham Link will result in only one road, i.e., realigned Coronation Road, with the Halls Road section being eliminated. As a result, Coronation Road when re-aligned will serve as the primary north-south spine in West Whitby. This new road will have restricted access, but will feed the local street system that will eventually serve the residential and mixed use commercial opportunities located primarily adjacent to and east of the new road, and the prestige industrial opportunities to the west. The Director of Public Works has described this road in terms of its design and controlled access similar to Manning Road in Whitby, and while the detailed design of this new road has not been finalized, the Director has indicated that it would most likely have a landscaped median and be a four lane road. It has not been determined when this new road would be built in the future, due to the delay to have the Region s ROPA 128 approved by the Province, and when the West Whitby land owners would be prepared to proceed with their proposed development(s) once the lands are approved for development to proceed.

6 Report No.: CMS Page 6 of 7 Because this is a new road that has yet to be built, there is the opportunity to name it through Council direction. West Whitby is expected to accommodate just over 26,000 persons living and working in the area once it is fully built out. The Regional Municipality of Durham which has jurisdiction over the naming of streets in area municipalities and at the request of the Whitby Planning Department approved the use of the name Desmond Newman Drive in Whitby. There currently exists a Newman Crescent in Whitby, but not named after the former Mayor. Since the new arterial road has yet to be built, no new addressing would be required affecting property owners. Coronation Road as it exists would remain and not be affected by this new road to be built in the future. Ultimately it is planned this new road will directly connect into Coronation Road north of Taunton Road, but that would not affect the naming of the road between Dundas Street and Taunton Road as Desmond Newman Drive. If this new arterial road extends south of Dundas Street in the future, and depending on the status of the westerly extension of Burns Street, consideration may be given to naming that section also Desmond Newman Drive. 6.0 PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS/PLAN: If Council approves the naming of the arena complex within Iroquois Park Sports Centre to the Des Newman Arena Complex, then all future parks and recreation publications would refer to this name; information would be sent to all local user groups; and signage would be adjusted to reflect the new name. It is further recommended that a framed photo and storey board recognizing the accomplishments of each of Des Newman and Anne Ottenbrite be prepared and displayed in the respective areas of the facility. 7.0 CONSIDERATIONS: A. PUBLIC As per noted above. B. FINANCIAL The cost to revise and replace the signage at Iroquois Park Sports Centre recognizing former Mayor Newman would be approximately $10,000 and would be funded from one time reserves. Street signs would be installed by the developers in accordance with municipal practices.

7 Report No.: CMS Page 7 of 7 C. IMPACT ON & INPUT FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS/SOURCES The Public Works and Planning Departments have provided information and advice regarding the street naming component of the staff recommendation. D. CORPORATE AND/OR DEPARTMENT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES The recommendations within the staff report are consistent with the Whitby Community Strategic Plan as follows: Preserve and advance Whitby s heritage, culture and natural environment. Celebrate and promote the unique events and accomplishments of our citizens. 8.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION That Council approve the staff recommendations contained within Report CMS naming the arena complex located within Iroquois Park Sports Centre and a future road to be located within the West Whitby development area after former Mayor Desmond Newman. 9.0 ATTACHMENTS n/a For further information contact: Peter LeBel, Ext Peter LeBel, Director of Community and Marketing Services, Ext Robert Petrie, Chief Administrative Officer, Ext. 2211