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	WABASH COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTRE   THE WABASH WATCH "The Newsletter of the Wabash Community Recreation Centre" Vol. 1, No. 1 December 2000     In this issue: "It's Going to Happen": Korwin-Kuczynski Rink or Pool? Residents Question Local Needs Vote to Save and Redevelop the Linseed Factory Fundraising Account Established Get Involved! Contact Numbers and Information   "It's Going to Happen": Korwin-Kuczynski Councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski has told North Parkdale residents that the proposed Wabash Community Recreation Centre is “going to happen.” The Councillor was speaking at an Oct. 24 public meeting held at Parkdale CRC and organized by the Wabash CRC Working Group, a local citizens’ group devoted to ensuring the long-promised centre gets built. The City now owns the site, on the north side of Wabash Avenue, adjacent to Sorauren Park. The current tenant, a scrap dealer, is expected to vacate the property by the end of the year under an agreement with the City. Then the City will spend $2 million cleaning up the old industrial grounds. By 2003, the Councillor said, the plan calls for the first phase to begin, at a cost of $8 million. The second phase, worth $4 million, would begin in 2004. “But it still has to go through the budget process every year,” he said. Though the construction money still has to be approved, the Councillor told the audience he didn’t expect any problems. Community support and fundraising will help the cause, he said. The City of Toronto estimates the new centre will cost $12 million, though the Councillor said he thinks it will cost more to build a state-of-the-art facility. He said corporate sponsorships will help play a role in raising the extra funds. Councillor Korwin-Kuczynski told the audience that a study had been completed a few years ago outlining the needs for the new facility. He cautioned the audience that any changes to this plan could cause delays. Specifically, if the plan for the facility is not ready by 2002, the project might be delayed, he said. A resident at the meeting asked about the environmental status of the site. The Councillor noted that a study had been done and although the results are not public, he said he was told the site’s environmental state was not as serious as he thought it would have been. Wabash Working Group members informed the audience that a formal freedom of information request has been launched with the City to get a copy of the environmental report, which will be made public once it is obtained. BACK TO TOP  SITE MAP | THE WABASH WATCH | SITE PHOTOS | ARTIST'S CONCEPTION Copyright ©2002 Chander Chaddah. All rights reserved.