Baker District Redevelopment

About This Project

We are transforming a former municipal parking lot into a compact district nestled in Guelph’s historic core that will create a renewed area of activity, commerce and civic space for the local community and city.

The Baker District redevelopment project is a multi-year, multi-faceted project that will include a new library, parking garage and public squares in the Downtown core along Baker Street, Chapel and Park Lanes. The project phasing includes developing the site from the former status of a surface parking lot, through site preparation activities which include archaeological clearance, then construction of private development towers including commercial and residential spaces, along with the new parking garage, library and public squares.

As a landmark city-building initiative, the Baker District redevelopment further revitalizes our downtown and—by extension—improves our entire city’s economic and social prosperity.

This means:

• more people living downtown and contributing to the City’s tax base to fund municipal programs and services
• more jobs due to an increase in demand for retail and commercial services
• an increase in retail spending for current and new businesses
• more people visiting and learning downtown; contributing to a vibrant and healthy downtown.

The project also contributes to Guelph’s growth target: a population of 203,000 people and an employment base of 116,000 jobs by 2051. The City’s Official Plan earmarks Guelph’s downtown to achieve a density target of 150 people and jobs combined per hectare by 2031, and to be a focus for high density employment, residential development, public infrastructure and services, and multimodal transportation.

The Baker District redevelopment project is being developed as a One Planet Living community. One Planet Living is a planning and sustainability framework based on a desire to reduce the impact of the way we live, build, and consume. The Central Library and parking garage will also support the City’s Race to Zero goals, and becoming net carbon neutral by 2050, by meeting the Canadian Green Building Council Net Zero Carbon Design standard.

The new central library is the first stand-alone library in Canada to achieve Canada Green Building Council^®‘s Zero Carbon Building – Design Standard™ certification.

Timelines

• Project Design and Tender Documents Q2 2021 to Q4 2022
• Tender and Award Q1 to Q2 2023
• Construction completion targeted for the end of 2026
• Library opening scheduled for spring 2027 due to the required commissioning, transition and move-in period

Project Status and Last Quarter Update

Central Library Project Status

Baker Parkade Project Status

Public Squares Project Status

• Final interior finishes, building systems commissioning, elevator start-up, and HVAC operational testing are underway for the Library and Parkade. The contractor is in the final stages of construction.
• Exterior envelope work is nearing completion, with remaining exterior finishing activities and removal of temporary construction elements continuing.
• Construction of the Library and Parkade is targeted for completion by the end of 2026. Following construction completion, the Library will undergo a transition, commissioning, collection move, and occupancy preparation period before opening to the public in spring 2027.       
• Chapel and Park Lane ROW works started in Q2 2026 around the library, with the East and South sides of Park and Chapel Lanes to be completed in tandem with St. Georges Square works at a later date.
• Right of Way Works along Baker Street are substantially complete.
• Public squares will be finalized in conjunction with the private development which will support housing within the Downtown.

Community Engagement

Get involved! Stay informed! Have your say! Sign up at haveyoursay.guelph.ca to receive information about engagement opportunities. You can also review information about engagement we’ve done in the past.

Resources

• Guelph Public Library
• Baker District Redevelopment Urban Design Master Plan, May 2021
• Baker District archaeological, environmental and geotechnical investigations
• Downtown Community Improvement Plan

Additional Project Details

• Executive sponsor: Terry Gayman, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Infrastructure, Development and Environment
• Project manager: Stephen Gazzola, Project Manager, Facility Design and Construction
• Approved budget: Central Library: $62,070,000; Baker Parkade: $15,900,000; public squares: $2,600,000
• Funding sources: Central Library: 21 per cent grant, 26 per cent development charges, 53 per cent tax; Baker Parkade: 100 per cent rate; public squares: 100 per cent development charges
• Target completion: Construction Q4 2026; Library opening Spring 2027

For More Information

Stephen Gazzola, Project Manager
Facilities and Energy Management
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3886
[email protected]