Robert Bateman Community Centre

Several key themes appeared that are important to residents. Respondents emphasized the value of open greenspaces, noting the need for lots of areas where families and individuals can relax or play. There was strong support for enhancing connections between neighborhoods and the community center, making the park more accessible and linking surrounding areas.

Residents also prioritized the addition of more seating and shaded areas to create comfortable gathering spots throughout the park. An environmental focus was clear, with many asking for the preservation and planting of trees, reinforcing the park's role in supporting local biodiversity and providing natural beauty.

Design staff will be working on the designs concepts this fall and will come back to the community in late Fall to vote on preferred concept.

Starting on May 9, the contractor for the Robert Bateman Community Centre will begin extending the fence around the track in preparation to remove it. There will be no public access to the track area. The fencing is in place to ensure public safety.

The City of Burlington has begun phase 1 of the outdoor engagement on the greenspace at Robert Bateman Community Centre. The outdoor engagement includes a redesign of Frontenac Park.

An online survey is open now until the end of April.

Residents can also join an in-person visioning session at Tansley Woods Community Centre (1996 Itabashi Way) on April 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. or an online visioning session on April 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. To register for a session, visit getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman.

The primary question participants will be asked is, “How would you like to use the greenspace?”

Participants will be able to provide feedback on the redevelopment of this outdoor greenspace including essential paved pathway connections throughout the site to the adjacent school and new Community Centre Entrance.

The information collected will be reviewed by staff to help determine what can and cannot be done in the space and create concepts. Factors that will also determine concepts will be popularity, cost, noise/disruption to neighbours, regulations and technical feasibility.

Park features that cannot go into the greenspace include full-sized sport fields, sport field lighting, pickleball courts, basketball courts, splash pad and an outdoor pool.

UPDATE April 19 - Thanks to our technical staff and voices from the community, we are now able to expand the scope of greenspace amenities for consideration. Sports fields, sport field lighting and basketball courts can now be considered.

We have added two neighbourhood drop-in sessions at Fortinos Burlington New Street location (5111 New St.).

Stop by the food court area to speak with staff to tell them how you envision using the greenspace.

• Tuesday, April 23 from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 4, 9 a.m. to noon

No registration necessary.

The City of Burlington’s newest community centre, the Robert Bateman Community Centre, is progressing on time and on budget towards an opening in 2025.

Progress and milestones achieved to date:

• The name for the Robert Bateman Community Centre was chosen with support of resident feedback, Mr. Bateman and approved by City Council.
• Three in-person visioning engagement sessions and one virtual visioning engagement session was held for the use of the indoor space.
• Residents also had the opportunity to provide visioning feedback at the Appleby Line Street Festival and the Food for Feedback event. Each event was very well attended.
• Demolition and asbestos removal work is approximately 95 per cent completed.
• Structural foundations and backfill completed at the south end and structural steel framing at south facade nearly complete.
• Interior second floor renovation progressing well with steel framing, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, drywall and insulation being installed.

Parking and track update

The City of Burlington’s application for a reduction of 41 parking spaces at Robert Bateman Community Centre, based on a parking justification review accounting for increased transit and active transportation options such as cycling, was approved by the Committee of Adjustment on Dec. 6, 2023.

Although this is a reduction in parking spaces, there will still be 94 new parking spaces built as part of Phase 1 and the track must be removed. There is no option to retain the track, however, a paved pathway will be put in throughout the greenspace. Building an above or below-ground parking garage is too expensive and would not be ready in time.

The good news is that the reduction in parking spaces overall means more greenspace can be saved.

It is anticipated that Phase 2 will require an additional 100 parking spaces, but this will be reviewed in more detail once Phase 2 uses of the building are finalized and data on actual parking demand for Phase 1 is available.

It is important to note that the City is bound by the same rules that developers must follow and must provide enough parking to meet the needs of the building’s users.

When the parking lot was used only by the high school, there was enough parking. Now that there are five community partners using the building, there will be many more visitors and a much higher need for parking.

Upcoming Engagement Opportunities:

Greenspace and outdoor use planning and engagement

City staff are preparing to engage with local residents on the use and design of the outdoor greenspace directly behind the community centre and Frontenac Park. City staff have heard the importance of the track from the community. Although it still must be removed, a paved pathway will be put throughout the greenspace. Residents will be able to influence the pathway’s flow and connectivity, and benches and tree placements as well as suggest for the overall uses of the greenspace.

City staff are in discussions with the Halton District Catholic School Board for use of the greenspace and playground at Ascension Catholic Elementary School. Details are being finalized but an agreement would see the school’s greenspace redone and accessible to both students and the community.

This will add to the total usable greenspace and connectivity of the Robert Bateman Community Centre.

More information will be posted at getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool once available. Residents can subscribe to this page to have updates delivered to their email.

Indoor use engagement

Staff will be using the feedback received from both residents and the business community along with the feedback from council to present some indoor use themes for phase 2. Residents will have the opportunity to share some additional feedback on the themes. The themed spaces can be used by various community groups.

More information about this engagement opportunity will be posted at getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool once available. Residents can subscribe to this page to have updates delivered to their email.

On Feb. 5, there will be two reports on the Robert Bateman Community Centre going to the Committee of the Whole.

City staff will be presenting a report on the community centre’s engagement sessions and next steps. This report will also go to City Council on Feb. 13.

You can read the full report online

This report will share feedback and submissions from the visioning sessions and expression of interest space submissions and seek approval for next steps. It will also outline engagement on the greenspace and walking path throughout the area.

Staff will also be submitting an update on the construction and site design to the Committee of the Whole.

You can read the full report online

Key updates from this report include construction and site design progress, parking update, track removal and open space.

The City of Burlington’s application for a reduction of 41 parking spaces at Robert Bateman Community Centre was approved by the Committee of Adjustment on Dec. 6.

Although this is a reduction in parking spaces, it still means that 94 new parking spaces need to be constructed as part of Phase 1 and the track must be removed. There is no option to save it as building an above or below-ground parking garage is significantly too expensive and would not be ready in time.

In addition, it is anticipated that Phase 2 will require an additional 100 spaces but this will be reviewed in more detail once Phase 2 uses are finalized. The good news is that the reduction in parking spaces means more greenspace can be saved and a paved walking path or trail can be put throughout the greenspace.

When the parking lot was used only by the high school, there was enough parking. Now that there are five community partners using the building, there will be many more visitors and a much higher need for parking.

Residents will have an opportunity to provide ideas and feedback on what should go into the greenspace.

It’s official. Our newest community centre will be named the Robert Bateman Community Centre. Thank you to all residents who submitted names and a special thank you to Mr. Bateman himself, who is delighted to have this honour. Stay informed of updates on the construction and future public engagements by subscribing to getinvolvedburlington.ca/bateman-highschool.

With the support of the Robert Bateman Naming Shortlist committee, the City is recommending to the Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services Committee (EICS) on Dec. 7 the name of Burlington’s newest community centre be “Robert Bateman Community Centre.”

Thank you to everyone who provided input through the online survey and at Food for Feedback to find a name for the location.

When the submission deadline passed, a committee was formed to review the submissions and create a shortlist of names that aligned to the City’s naming policy and represented the community voice. This committee included representatives from the Advisory Committees of Heritage and Inclusion, City Council, the Indigenous Talking Circle, and City staff.

Survey results

• 221 names were received.
• 44 per cent were for Robert Bateman Community Centre (or a close variation).
• Pinedale was the second-place name with three per cent of the submissions.

The consensus of the committee was that the community has already overwhelmingly chosen the name Robert Bateman Community Centre and it would be disingenuous to poll the community again or put a short list to a vote.

Next Steps

Staff will submit a report with the name recommendation and rationale to the Environment, Infrastructure, and Community Services Committee meeting Dec. 7 and to City Council on Dec. 12, 2023.

Thank you everyone who took the time to provide feedback on the new community centre’s indoor visioning or expressed interest in exclusive use of space.

Over the past three months, City staff have been busy collecting input through online surveys, in-person engagements and virtual engagement sessions.

• We received dozens of expressions of interest for the exclusive use of the indoor space.
• Three in-person visioning sessions and one virtual engagement sessions were held. 85 people attended the four sessions.
• Residents also had the opportunity to provide visioning feedback at the Appleby Line Street Festival and the Food for Feedback event. Each event was very well attended.

Indoor visioning is still accepting submissions through the “ideas” tab until Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

Staff have started reviewing the submissions, ideas, worksheets and comments.

The next step in this process is to create staff reports that will go to Committee in January 2024. These reports will outline the community vision and the themes of the expression of interest.

Another update on the indoor programming will be posted here early in the new year.