City Centre

Pickering’s City Centre is undergoing a significant transformation to create a vibrant, connected, and walkable downtown core - where municipal services, arts and culture, green space, and residential living come together in the heart of our city. Stay tuned at LetsTalkPickering.ca/CityCentre for the latest updates and engagement opportunities.

Pickering City Centre concept images

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Help shape the future of City Centre Park

The City is working with MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects Ltd. to design a vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming urban park where residents can gather, celebrate, and connect year-round.

Located on the west side of Glenanna Road, directly across from the Pickering Civic Complex, the park will be created on 1.42 acres of repurposed surface parking - laying the foundation for a more connected and iconic downtown.

This new destination will offer dynamic, multi-season experiences for people of all ages - winter skating, spring flowers, summer concerts, and autumn fairs - offering shared experiences that turn into abundant opportunities for community connection.

The below features are being considered as part of the park’s design, ensuring it becomes a true hub of activity, recreation, and enjoyment. Stay tuned for opportunities to provide feedback.

Park Features Under Consideration

Community engagement, along with input from Council and staff, has helped shape a foundational vision for this space.

Proposed features include:

outdoor skating rink (winter use)
public event space (summer use)
public washroom and maintenance facilities
water features
public art installations
shade structure and stage area
trees and soft landscaping
public seating and gathering areas

The project aspires to be a welcoming space for everyone, lead in sustainability, be a year-round destination, be built to last, and serve as a cultural hub. Read more about the project goals.

This project was identified as Council’s second highest Capital Budget priority during the Special Meeting of Council on January 18, 2024 (Resolution #379/24). The estimated total project cost, including design, construction, furniture, and fixtures, is $15 million.

Read Report ENG 16-24 to learn more.

Location of the Park - Land Dedication

As part of the broader mall redevelopment, CentreCourt is conveying 0.5753 hectares (1.42 acres) of parkland to the City to support the construction of City Centre Park. The park will be built on the existing parking lot directly across from Glenanna Road and the Pickering Civic Complex.

Through the development application process, the City successfully negotiated a 10% land conveyance for parkland - double the minimum required under the Planning Act (5%).

About CentreCourt

CentreCourt is leading the redevelopment of the Pickering Town Centre lands, delivering a 55-acre mixed-use community. This transformative development will include residential towers, retail, commercial spaces, and renewed public areas - anchored by a revitalized shopping destination now known as The Shops at Pickering City Centre.

With thousands of new residents expected to call City Centre home, this redevelopment will unlock exciting opportunities for dining, shopping, and entertainment. Lululemon has already opened its doors, and Sephora is among the newest confirmed tenants.

This evolution supports a more diverse, inclusive, and resilient downtown - fueling economic vitality and enhancing quality of life for the entire community.

View CentreCourt media release for project details.

The importance of downtowns for cities

Downtowns play a vital role in economic and social development in cities around the world. Such an investment requires a multi-year process of significant site and infrastructure preparation that may result in delays and inconvenience for residents and visitors to the City Centre. The staff project team will work with development partners to ensure clear and timely communications related to all service and route impacts due to construction, which is anticipated to start later this year. The City appreciates that revitalization efforts can bring short-term challenges, but is confident that the stakeholders will do everything in their power to mitigate disruption as much as possible. The long-term value of a thriving downtown will be a source of pride and joy for generations to come.

Project Background & Timeline

City Centre Planning (2017-Present)

The City began planning the revitalization of the City Centre in 2017. Initial concepts were based on a joint development model, which is no longer feasible. The City is now focused on building out the vision using lands it already owns, while reusing as much previously completed work as possible to avoid starting from scratch. View a timeline of the project here.

Phase One - City Centre Park

At the Special Council Meeting on January 18, 2024 (Report FIN 01-24), Council confirmed Pickering City Centre Project Phase One (which is the City Centre Park) as the second capital budget priority. Furthermore, Council recommended that the Mayor be requested to include this project in the 2024 Capital Budget ($1.5 million for design) and 2025-2033 Capital forecast ($13.5 million dollars for construction and related costs).

Phase Two - Future Facilities

At the Special Council Meeting on January 18, 2024 (Report FIN 01- 24), Council deferred Pickering City Centre Phase Two (Scenario 6) to 2028, pending completion of the Seaton Recreation Complex & Library.

The City’s most recent vision introduces the concept of relocating Esplanade South slightly southward to allow new facilities to front onto the Esplanade Park green space, creating a scenic, connected downtown campus.

The proposed facilities and amenities for City Centre include:

new Central Library
new Community Centre with dedicated seniors & youth spaces
new Performing Arts Centre
expanded City Hall administration space
new Public Square
new connected green spaces to create a ‘campus’ concept – one on the west side of Glenanna Road (description below) to offer year-round activities and one south of the current Central Library which will offer gathering opportunities and possible event space
residential development – to be located above the Library and Community Centre

This vision reflects Pickering’s ambition to build an inclusive, forward-thinking downtown - where civic life, culture, and community flourish.

Location

One The Esplanade
Pickering, Ontario
Ward 3

Timeline

June and July 2025 - Review and Feedback on City Centre Park Concept Designs. The City is working with MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller Architects Ltd. on the design of a new urban park. This phase will be open for public feedback.
January 18, 2024 - Council confirmed Pickering City Centre Project Phase One (which is the City Centre Park) as the second capital budget priority. Council recommended that the Mayor be requested to include this project in the 2024 Capital Budget ($1.5 million for design) and 2025-2033 Capital forecast ($13.5 million dollars for construction and related costs).
January 18, 2024 - Council deferred Pickering City Centre Phase Two (Scenario 6) to 2028, upon the completion of the Seaton Recreation Complex & Library.
September and October 2023 - KPMG, informed by input from the community, will develop a business case with updated designs, financial model, and recommendations on preferred partnership and governance structures for the City Centre concept.
July and August, 2023 - Community engagement. Members of the public are invited to review Council’s preferred concept and provide input on the proposed features and amenities.
March 2023 - Pickering Council is presented with three different options for a new project design and transaction structure, and selects its preferred concept.
September 2022 - The City retains KPMG and Hariri Pontarini Architects to complete a review of the project and present new options for consideration based on cost estimates and financial implications.
March 2022 - Pickering Council receives a significant update related to the long-term financial and economic impacts of the project and decides to defer all work pending further review. Factors include high-inflation environment – costs for routine service delivery and construction/building activity has increased significantly.
June 2020 - The project is paused due to COVID-19 restrictions and economic uncertainty.
January 2017 - The City of Pickering starts planning for a new City Centre.