Pages in this Folder:
Related Folders:
See also Department Site Map
This website was developed in 2001 thanks to a grant from the Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation.
Notice: This web site is an information post and a forum for the community that uses the park, and to some degree for the surrounding neighbourhood. The editor of the web site reserves the right to post parts or all of any letters sent to the web site. If you do not want your letter posted, please let us know when you e-mail us, and we won't post it.
Comments?
For the basics, see
- Website & Privacy Policies
- How To Get Involved
- The Role of the Park
Search options:
Department Site Map
Custodians:
Printer friendly version
Post from Lura, March 25, 2019:
Lura sent this note to CRG members the day before the March 26 CRG meeting:
We published the first of 3 new blog posts today. Together, these posts are meant to provide community members with a solid understanding of the project (even if they have not heard of the project before). The first blog post is, What is happening in Dufferin Grove?. You can read the new blog post here.
The next 2 blog posts will be published over the next 2 weeks. We ask that you please share the link to the blog posts amongst your networks to help spread information about this project with the community.
Response and list from CELOS
What Lura wrote in the March 25 blog: Cooking food and lending skates alongside a refueling Zamboni, and dozens of pedestrians crossing paths with vehicles and Zambonis are key issues that we hope to address, while also replacing aging and failing infrastructure.
-- No food is now or was ever cooked “alongside a refueling zamboni.” The garage kitchen always had its own room with a glass door. Both clubhouse kitchens have been inspected and passed by Public Health for 14 years, twice a year. Is Capital Projects claiming that Public Health is incompetent to judge food safety?
-- “Dozens of pedestrians crossing paths with vehicles and Zambonis” -- The zamboni has to cross through pedestrian traffic (i.e. skaters) during the rink season (12 - 15 weeks a year). That's the same at most rinks – and not different from dozens of pedestrians crossing at intersections, taking turns with cars and trucks, instead of zambonis.
“replacing aging and failing infrastructure” – the rink house is 26 years old. Cars can be declared as “aging” at 26, but not buildings. The city's 2014 engineers’ report says that the concrete foundation and structural concrete and steel of the building are expected to last another 76 years.
What Lura wrote in the March 25 blog: In 2014 the City commissioned a report on the equipment that operates the artificial ice rinks and found that the facilities were at the end of their 25-year life cycle and there was realistic chance of equipment failure. In order to maintain the facility in a state of good condition, the ice surface and equipment would require imminent replacement.
This engineering report (by CCI) did not warn of equipment failure, nor did it recommend “imminent replacement.” Its summary was:
Minor work is proposed. "Proposed short term work includes refurbishment of exterior doors, replacement of dasherboards, and interior flooring. Immediate repairs recommended: Caulking at the windows, doors and control joints, and replacement of one stainless steel sink....The rink slab shows mild to moderate hairline cracking and the repair cost is estimated at $8000."
The 2014 engineering report did not raise any alarms, and rated almost everything at the rink as being in “fair” condition.
A problem: Since the Parks department does not keep a maintenance log, it appears that city staff must have told the engineers that almost all equipment was from 1993. Much of the engineering report is just a list of which equipment is older than 25 years, an estimated "best before" date.
List of errors in the CCI engineers’ report, i.e. equipment dated as 1993, but actually more recent: windows (some added in 1997, one in 2003), security gates (one replaced in 1998, one in 2012, a new gate added in 2007) , flooring (replaced twice since 1993), kitchen fixtures (half installed in 1996, half in 2003) power panels and energy-saving fluorescent lights (2006 and ongoing), dasherboards (replaced often), header-trench pipes (2007), condenser motor (2014), brine pump, garage door – unknown, but within the past 15 years.
What Lura wrote in the March 25 blog: The estimated budget for improvements to the Clubhouse and ice rink is approximately $3.5 million.
From page 6 of the city’s Dufferin Grove contract award:
The City’s range in budget for this project is between $4,000,000.00 and $4,500,000.00
Why the difference?
There's lots to talk about -- but first, we need specifics.
City staff have not referenced any specific bylaw or code number for any health and safety standards not being met.
Last fall DTAH, the design firm that got the Dufferin Grove contract, hired an engineer to do a third engineering inspection.
Could DTAH post the details found in the third engineering report on the Lura website -- regarding bylaws and code violations that apply specifically to the current rink and rink house?
Then there would be something to talk about, at last.
-- what really does need to be replaced soon -- the mechanical plant?
-- what is fine as it is -- does the kitchen need expanding -- or should those food programs that are losing attendance, be smaller in winter?
-- can the kitchens just be fixed without making them bigger?
-- should there be a separate hallway for skate changing -- or is it better to keep wintertime warm-up in one friendly room?
-- do the rink pads need to be demolished? -- or can they last another decade or two and spare the environment?
Back to page three