City Centre

Contacts

Pickering City Centre concept images

About this project

The City is undertaking a detailed review of the potential features and amenities for a new mixed-use City Centre.

Thank you to everybody who shared their feedback through the community survey. Input received will help inform a business case with updated designs, financial model, and recommendations on preferred partnership and governance structures for the City Centre concept, which will be presented to Council in 2024.

This is an important step forward in realizing a bold vision for a vibrant, connected, and walkable downtown, where municipal service and program delivery, arts and culture, and residential intensification come together as the heart of the City.

The City Centre planning started in 2017, however previous designs were based on a joint development model which is no longer feasible. The City is currently exploring options to develop the City Centre by focusing on lands it already owns and deliberately reusing as much of the previously completed work as possible to avoid starting from scratch.

Location

One The Esplanade
Pickering, Ontario
Ward 3

Project Highlights

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

New parkland dedication on the west side of Glenanna Road

CentreCourt, a private developer, has recently announced a 55-acre mixed use community slated for the existing Pickering Town Centre Mall and surrounding lands.

As part of the development application process, the City negotiated that CentreCourt will convey ten percent of their land to the City for parkland (Developers are required to convey five per cent of their development or redevelopment land to the City for parkland or other public recreation purposes).

This new park, and amenities within, will be located on the west side of Glenanna Road, adjacent to the private development and across from the Pickering Civic Complex, and will be owned and operated by the City of Pickering. Precise timing for design and construction have yet to be determined, and remains subject to Council approval as part of future capital budgets. A rigorous public and stakeholder consultation process is anticipated to ensure that community feedback is incorporated into the park design. View the CentreCourt media release for project details.

Latest Updates/Next Steps

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.
Council will be presented with the opportunity to approve the recommendation for preferred concept and approve proceeding to procurement and finding the right development partner.

Community Consultation

Visit LetsTalkPickering.ca/CityCentre for the latest opportunities.

Timeline

January 2017 - The City of Pickering starts planning for a new City Centre.
June 2020 - The project is paused due to COVID-19 restrictions and economic uncertainty.
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.
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 2023 - Pickering Council is presented with three different options for a new project design and transaction structure, and selects its preferred concept.
July - 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.
September 1 - October 31, 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.
February 2024 - Council will be presented with the opportunity to approve the recommendation for preferred concept and approve proceeding to procurement and finding the right development partner.