Survey says: Pickering looking for feedback on programs at new Heritage & Community Centre

The City of Pickering wants to hear from residents on what programs and services they want to see at the new Pickering Heritage & Community Centre.

Construction is underway on this 44,000 square-foot facility, located on the upper site of the Pickering Museum Village. The centre will bring the Pickering Public Library, Pickering Museum Village and a community centre together.

A survey is available on the new heritage and community centre, complete with project details, at LetsTalkPickering.ca/PHCC. The deadline to complete the survey is December 8.

The new facility will offer an array of amenities, including an exhibit gallery, a multi-purpose hall (with stage), a local history experience centre, a kitchen suitable for public programs, a library express kiosk, a gift shop, outdoor program spaces and museum and heritage collections storage space.

Public Open Houses for those who wish to learn more are being held Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Chestnut Hill Recreation Complex, November 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Greenwood Community Centre and the following day from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Dr. Nelson F. Tomlinson Community Centre.

(City staff will also be in attendance this day to revisit the Claremont Memorial Park Master Plan.)

The open houses will also feature an opportunity for residents to learn about the redevelopment of Greenwood Park, a space designed 54 years ago and “in need of revitalization.” Once the Pickering Heritage & Community Centre facility is complete, the existing community centre in Greenwood will be decommissioned and staff have launched a survey to see what residents want to see happen in the space.

To learn more about this project or to complete the survey, visit LetsTalkPickering.ca/Greenwood.

“The Pickering Heritage & Community Centre will be our first new community centre in decades, offering year-round access to diverse programs and experiences designed to meet the needs of the growing community,” said Mayor Kevin Ashe. “I encourage everyone to complete the survey and share their input on the programs and services they’d like to see offered, as this feedback will be crucial in ensuring the facility meets the needs and expectations of our residents and visitors.”

The $65 million Pickering Heritage & Community Centre is set to open on the Pickering Museum Village grounds in the spring of 2026.

An ongoing dream from a design perspective since 2018, the city had already spent almost $2 million before any shovel hit the ground when COVID hit and delayed the project. Subsequent supply chain issues that plagued projects all around the world then conspired to drive the price up.

The community centre will feature enhanced insulation, triple glazed windows, solar panels, air source heat pumps and other similar features that in combination will meet the net zero design targets for the project.