THIS is what the new Humber Hub will look like. Courtesy photos.
One of the questions being asked by residents these days concerns a large paved lot recently completed at 170 Birmingham Street in New Toronto.
It is not a new company moving into the community, but a parking lot for Humber College students.
Students will be paying more than $200 to park there for a semester. From the lot they will be shuttled to the college. There are about 344 parking spots, according to information from Humber College.
The new Humber Hub is expected to be the centre of activities.
The additional students are expected as the college transforms its Lakeshore Campus ‘into a destination for arts and culture through the development of the Humber Cultural Hub.’
The Hub will include music and performing arts venues, including a 500-seat performance hall, a 130-seat recital hall and an amphitheatre.
THE PARKING lot as it was being constructed by work crews.
It “will create an exciting new destination for arts and entertainment in west Toronto,’ according to college officials. It provides “much-needed capacity to meet the growing demand for skilled talent and delivering important benefits to culturally underserviced local communities.”
The Hub is expected to attract businesses, create jobs, enrich the economy and cultivate new audiences for the arts, according to a college website.
The building will create residence space for 300 students, new retail spaces, a cafeteria and community athletic spaces, including a practice gymnasium, which will contribute to a more vibrant campus life.
There will also be a new campus entrance, courtyard and shared spaces to provide new opportunities for students, partners and community members to connect.
“The new facility will provide an educational environment that is second to none and will welcome the public to enjoy and participate in a wide variety of artistic, cultural and heritage experiences,” college officials promise.
Also planned is an Indigenous classroom that is near the outdoors and designed with natural lighting, rounded corners and culturally appropriate furnishings, along with Indigenous cultural markers and artwork throughout the Cultural Hub.
The college said their student population has more than doubled in the last 10 years and they have outgrown its existing facilities.
The first phase will include the construction of a 250,200 sq. ft. building featuring a 130-seat recital hall used primarily for academic purposes and specialty teaching spaces for arts and cultural programs.
It is expected to be complete by May 2025.