Kingston Memorial Centre
Opened in 1951, the Kingston Community Memorial Health and Recreation Centre was designed as a community sports and entertainment centre that would become a "living memorial" in remembrance of Kingstonians who gave their life in both world wars and the Korean War (Planning Partnership-Hughes Downey Architects 2007, p. 5).
The Memorial Centre lands and facilities include a war memorial, a large ice pad in the arena building, a new outdoor aquatic centre, agricultural barns, softball diamonds, a cinder track, off leash dog park and a linear park at the east, north and west perimeter of the property.
Its cultural significance reflects local Kingston agricultural, military and recreational history (Planning Partnership-Hughes Downey Architects 2007, p. 4).
[12] On July 12, 1825, the Upper Canada Herald contained an advertisement for the Frontenac Agricultural Society Fair to be held near Kingston.
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario confirmed the expenditure in Bill 9, "An Act respecting the City of Kingston" which received Third Reading on March 22, 1945.
The pamphlet includes reference to "the grounds enclosed by the already established half-mile race track… will be used for softball and baseball diamonds, tennis courts etc".
There had been a number of studies and attempts in the past two decades to address the issues by either renovating the Memorial Centre or building a new facility.
Mayor Rosen had committed during his campaign to appoint a citizen task force to explore the problem and present a solution including funding suggestions within 100 days.
The committee and then city council verified the general validity of the report in particular the recommendation to build a 5,500 seat venue in downtown Kingston and constituted a steering committee of public and city council members to make its own implementation recommendations to see a LVEC become a reality, including develop a funding solution, as the funding suggestions in the Mayor's Task Force Report were far from complete, it being implicit that a full funding solution would have to be presented to council for approval.
Though the sale of Memorial Centre was never more than a funding idea presented by a citizen’s task force, and although there was never an indication that it was going to be adopted by the steering committee, Council didn't remove it from the business plan for a year and a half and deferred a motion to do so in November, 2004.
[source: Council minutes] At the November, 2004 Council meeting delegations were made before Council including that by a local architect who presented her research showing Williamsville District has by far the least park, recreational and cultural space per capita (less than 2/3 of the next lowest District (Kingscourt Strathcona) and pointed out the Official Plan designation of Memorial Centre, singled out as a significant element in the recreational land use system, as Open Area Space and Recreational Space.
This delegation also noted that the Ontario Provincial Policy Statement promoted the equitable distribution of publicly accessible built and natural settings for recreation.
Petitions presented to Council between March 30, 2005 and November 20, 2005 totaling 7,380 signatures opposed the sale of the property, the destruction of the building, and the loss of much-needed public park and recreational lands.
[Source: Council minutes; see also letters to Friends of the Memorial Centre from City Clerk dated March 30, 2005, April 20, 2005, May 4, 2005, May 20, 2005, and November 10, 2005 when the majority of signatures were presented] In November, 2005, Kingston City Council unanimously passed the November, 2004 motion to save the Memorial Centre with some amendments: - voted unanimously to endorse the use of the site as public community facilities - to strike a revitalization committee - to hold a public meeting before a report on revitalization was brought back to the City The Memorial Centre Revitalization Committee has a mandate to prepare and recommend to City Council a development concept plan and detailed multi-year implementation strategy for revitalization and rejuvenation of the entire 23 acre Memorial Centre site as a public community recreational facility or facilities that will also serve as a fitting living memorial to the men and women of Kingston who lost their lives in the two world wars, the Korean war and subsequent military commitments.
It identifies the Kingston District Agricultural Society (KDAS) as an important stakeholder and the need to respond to physical requirements of the annual fall fair.
In May 2009, Kingston City Council approved the building of a linear park on the east, west and north side of the Centre.
Fencing was designed to meet the needs of the Kingston District Agricultural Society during the Fall Fair in September.
In February 2010, a linear park was developed in part through discussions by the City with the Agricultural Society to ensure there was no negative impact on the Fall Fair.
[27][28] On June 4, 2013 Kingston City Council adopted a motion to not sell any of the land at the Memorial Centre or the Cook's Brothers Arena for a new school building.
On February 3, 2015, the newly elected Kingston City Council, featuring seven (of thirteen) first-time Councillors, voted 9-3 not to consider the property for a school.
