In 2021, the City merged Public Works, Facilities Capital Projects, and Energy Management into a new Operations Department. 

Operations Services consists of:

  • Facilities Capital Projects – responsible for managing capital lifecycle replacements for all City facilities, renovations and new construction projects.
  • Energy Management – responsible for the City’s Corporate Energy Management Plan that is the City’s policy for energy efficiency and savings across all City facilities and operations.

Public Works is responsible for the repair, maintenance and construction of roads, winter control operations, the installation and maintenance of playgrounds, boulevard and parkland grass cutting, looking after green space, and managing the City's municipal fleet.

The Operations Centre is located at 1955 Clements Road, next to the Pickering Soccer Centre.

Tillings Road FAQ

The City-owned property located at 2570 Tillings Road (former Pickering Operations Centre) has been identified as a potential site for a future school by the Durham District School Board (DDSB).

In order to construct a school at that site, DDSB requires a formal Record of Site Condition (RSC) from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to:

1)    Ensure that the environmental condition of the site has been assessed for safe and responsible redevelopment, and

2)    Proceed with its application to the Ministry of Education to secure Provincial funding for the new school. 

To date, City Staff have completed all remediation work and soils testing of the City-owned site, have submitted an application to the MECP for an RSC, and are currently awaiting approval from MECP, which is anticipated to be received by the end of 2024.

While DDSB has decided to pursue a new school location in Ajax to meet its September 2025 opening date, it continues to work closely with City staff to bring a future school to this location. In fact, DDSB’s building and site designs are well underway, and the City has approved zoning to allow for school use on the site. The Site Plan Agreement submission and Building Permit Application are currently with City staff for review.

What is the status of the City’s former Operations Centre site, located on Tillings Road?

The site currently remains vacant while staff work with the appropriate agencies to ensure it meets the required conditions for redevelopment.

The City officially closed the site in July 2019 and shifted operations to its new centre, located at 1955 Clements Road. While efforts to address contamination began right away, full remediation required the complete demolition of existing buildings, which occurred early 2020.

Does the site still have hazardous materials?

The entire site underwent extensive testing to identify contaminated soils and all was removed by 2023, except for residual salt contamination which remains at a depth that cannot be reached and removed.

The site served as a works yard for almost 50 years and included salt storage domes for winter maintenance. 

What is being done about the remaining salt in the ground?

The City has been monitoring the soil salt content for over a decade and has observed a steady decrease, especially since halting new salt deposits. While the remaining salt can't be completely removed, provincial environmental regulations do permit this salt to remain on site and be managed in place. 

Will the site be a safe location for a future school?

Yes. Future detailed site management plans, as part of the environmental approval, will ensure compliance with provincial standards for safe redevelopment, including its use as a school.

What is the construction timeline? 

The process for school construction involves obtaining approval from the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), and the Durham District School Board, who is acquiring the land.

These steps usually take two to three years, making it unlikely for construction to begin by spring 2024, to open a school by September 2025.

When can a school be built at this location?

The Durham District School Board remains interested in this location as a future school site to serve the growing community of Seaton, however, a specific completion timeline is currently unavailable.

 

DDSB’s building and site designs are well underway, and the City has approved zoning to allow for school use on the site. The Site Plan Agreement submission and Building Permit Application are currently with City staff for review.

DDSB requires a Record of Site Condition from the Ministry in order to complete the purchase of the land, and proceed with its application to the Ministry of Education for Provincial funding for the new school.

 

DDSB is responsible for analyzing enrolment and development data to identify accommodation challenges, which guides projects submitted for Ministry of Education approval. At this time, it has decided to move forward with building a new site in Ajax in order to meet its September 2025 opening timeline. 

New school site in Ajax

Please contact Durham District School Board with any questions or comments pertaining to the new school site in Ajax: Facilities.Services@ddsb.ca.

The new site will be located at Stannardville Drive and Hurst Drive in Ajax, and will consist of a two-story, 59,500 sq ft, 536-pupil place school, with a four room, 73-pupil place childcare attached.  

New Neighbourhood Park 

Along with the school, staff have identified these lands as the future site of a new neighbourhood park.

 

Taking up approximately 3 acres of the available 10 acre site, the park will include elements such as play equipment, sports field, benches and more.

 

Staff will begin design activities this year and will be engaging with local residents to learn what park features matter most to them.

 

Construction is expected to begin in 2025.