TORONTO, April 30, 2007 -- An official groundbreaking ceremony took place today to mark the start of construction for the new home of the Archives of Ontario at York University.
“Today’s ceremony takes us a step closer to providing a first-class home for the Archives of Ontario within the heart of an expanding GTA,” said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Lorna R. Marsden. “This new ‘green’ building is a perfect complement to York’s academic mission through the addition of much-needed research and academic space.”
The new building on York’s Keele campus is a part of a larger project that will link two significant provincial infrastructure investments—the other being the extension of the York-Spadina subway line—into a single project, as well as expanding and connecting to the existing York Lanes building.
The new Archives of Ontario will be an integrated, multi-use three-storey podium building picking up on the scale of York’s inner core buildings. It will contain the archives and an expansion of existing retail, as well as incorporate access to the new subway. A six-storey “research tower” will be set back on the podium, that will be designated as academic and research space.
The archives themselves require secure and environmentally sensitive vaults to keep them in their optimum state. As such, the archives design will meet LEED Silver Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System™) specifications, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance ‘green’ buildings.
“This entire project is unique and forward-thinking in both its design and sustainability,” said York University’s Vice-President of Finance and Administration Gary Brewer. “Having secured an independent consortium through an independent procurement process ensures a no-risk financial option for York to build the Archives facility. At the same time, York is demonstrating an ahead-of-the-curve vision when it comes to future development of public transit and expanded academic possibilities for our University.”
The estimated cost of the entire project will be $100 million. The new Archives of Ontario project is scheduled to be completed in March 2009, which coincides with York’s 50th anniversary.
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 190,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
Contact:
Keith Marnoch
Media Relations
York University
(416) 736-2100 ext. 22091
