Garnet A. Williams Community Centre Renovation

The Garnet A. Williams Community Centre (GAWCC) is located in Thornhill, Vaughan and was constructed between 1982-84 with a subsequent fitness centre addition and comprises 125,000 square feet of program space including a pool, arena, gymnasium fitness centre, and activity/program rooms.

The facility was in need of a significant refresh as well as improvements to address major accessibly challenges. The split-level nature of the circulation created barriers for many users.

+VG Architects developed a design that proposed two new entrances: one for the community centre at the west end of the complex and a separate arena entrance at the east of the complex providing direct access to ice level. The project fully renovated the change room areas to provide gender neutral/family change room spaces, designed new glass enclosed program rooms that animated the circulations spaces of the building and a new system of gently sloping ramps to facilitate barrier-free access throughout the facility.

The project also involved a complete refresh of the pool deck, fitness room change rooms and a new splashpad in the adjacent York Hill Park integrated with the exterior pool deck and a new exterior ramp providing access from GAWCC to the park.

New change rooms were provided to serve the existing outdoor skating rink and the new splashpad. A new public elevator was introduced between the ice level of the arena and the viewing areas which also connected to the rest of the community centre.

Much of the original mechanical equipment was replaced including the cooling tower which was craned into place in the rooftop mechanical penthouse.

The completed project resulted in a “like new” experience for the community and a fully accessible and refreshed community asset.