Plans are underway to move the ailing Etobicoke Civic Centre to the newly-developed and up-and-coming Westwood Theatre Lands.

The move of the historic centre came up at an Etobicoke York Community Council meeting on September 9. A motion was adopted without any amendments. A photo of the new Civic Centre is opposite.

Councillor Mark Grimes had requested that City Planning officials ‘initiate and bring forward a zoning by-law amendment for the new Etobicoke Civic Centre to facilitate the development that is emerging on the former Six Points lands.’

“The establishment of this new civic centre will provide much-needed services for a growing West District and act as a catalyst for revitalization of the Etobicoke City Centre,” community council was told.

The social, economic and financial benefits of the move includes: a new civic and community infrastructure; including a recreation centre, library, childcare and public square.

The “existing old, functionally obsolete and costly Etobicoke Civic Centre will be replaced,’ the positioning of municipal services at a transit hub will improve access for residents, staff and visitors.

The move will support ModernTO with efficient municipal office spaces and redistribution of jobs in Etobicoke; support TransformTO by building a Net-Zero community and incorporation of district energy systems and mean prudent financial gain with funding contributed from unlocking underutilized City-owned land in the West District.

The Civic Centre was built in 1958 to replace the single storey brick Township of Etobicoke Municipal Hall at 4946 Dundas St. W.  The original building also features a clock tower with a non-numeric clock face.

Its history contains the Etobicoke Municipal Centre War Memorial, which was constructed in 1968 in memory of those who gave their lives in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

Next to the Cenotaph is a provincial plaque commemorating Corporal Frederick George Topham, V.C., an Etobicoke war hero that was erected in 1980.