Community Vision Takes Shape at Burlington’s Robert Bateman High School Site

If the new vision for the Robert Bateman High School site proceeds, it will be the largest community centre in the City of Burlington that would include a pool, gym, library, Brock University and more.

Earlier this month, the public was provided an early look at the community vision that is taking shape at the Robert Bateman High School site as a space for learning and active living. During the Nov. 15 Environment, Infrastructure & Community Services (EICS) Committee, Council was presented with proposed uses for the site. You can view the staff presentation and report here:

• Staff Report: CM-26-21 Robert Bateman High School Surplus School Site Update(1)
• Staff Presentation: Robert Bateman Site Staff Presentation to CM-26-21

You can also watch a recording of the discussion at the committee meeting here.

The potential uses currently under study include (also see screen captures below):

• retaining the city pool;
• moving and expanding the Appleby branch of the Burlington Public Library; and
• creating a new triple gym for community use.

These uses alone would occupy a 79,000-square-foot space of the total property that would make it the largest community centre in the city. Tansley Woods is currently the city’s largest community centre at 69,000 sq. ft., and also houses a pool, gyms, community meeting rooms and a library.

Given the significant size of the school at 212,000 sq. ft., additional community users can be accommodated including:

• Brock University’s Faculty of Education — this partnership had previously been announced in October 2020;
• Techplace, Burlington’s business and technology innovator; and
• Halton District School Board’s adult education program, moving from General Brock location on New Street, and retaining use of the shops.

There would still be space left for additional community uses, or for partners to occupy.

This will be a significant achievement benefitting the community and people across the city, with access to new community space, and with additional community uses that will also benefit residents through the partner organizations that are looking to take space on the site.

Council is also aware that not proceeding with this opportunity to acquire and this vision for an enhanced use of this site could mean foregoing an opportunity to create and improve an exciting community hub that might not be available for such uses in the future — at a time when our City and the Greater Toronto Area is growing and these kinds of community assets are already in demand and will be needed even more by Burlington residents in the coming years.

The former high school closed in June 2020 and was declared surplus by the Halton District School Board (HDSB). The City of Burlington declared an interest in purchasing the site for a range of uses beneficial to the community and is the only bidder. The City expects to finalize details of the purchase and the users over the next few months. (See ‘Next Steps’ timeline below).

This matter represents a major land purchase for the City. On Dec. 6, 2021, Burlington Council will receive an update staff report in closed session along with a recommend offer to purchase that must be submitted to the HDSB by mid-December. We will continue to provide updates and consult with Burlington residents and adjacent communities as planning concepts are developed.

Next Steps:

• Reports
  • Dec. 6 – Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk & Accountability (CSSRA) Committee Closed Session
  • Q1 2022 – Final Business Plan
• Offers to be submitted mid-December
• Due Diligence
  • Completion of due diligence/additional due diligence studies
  • Community engagement – process/timing subject to confirmation