Hamilton’s Valley Park rec centre and library to re-open this weekend after $14M renovation
Published July 5, 2022 at 1:46 pm
Three years and $14 million later, Hamilton’s Valley Park Community Centre and Valley Park library will celebrate their grand re-opening Saturday with a public ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Paramount Dr. in Stoney Creek.
Valley Park closed its doors in the summer of 2019 to undergo renovations for the first time in 29 years when the city added an area and aquatics complex.
The latest renos include:
- Expanded recreation programming space
- New reception desk and common areas
- Roofing replacement
- Exterior cladding and block repair
- Pool boiler, pumps and water heater
- Barrier-free washrooms
- Painting of pool area ceiling
- Arena dehumidifier
- HVAC replacement
- Building automation and security systems
- Parking lot resurfacing
The Valley Park Branch received $9.7 million of the overall funding to build an 11,300-square-foot addition to the existing library facility.
New features to the space include:
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- Reading tables, community living rooms and reading lounges
- Study rooms and meeting spaces
- Creative hubs and makerspaces, including a sound studio, green room, 3D printers, vinyl cutters and sewing machines
- Cozy children’s area with comfortable family seating, low shelving, children’s computers and play tables
- Public computers, laptop bars, USB charging outlets, robust Wi-Fi and public printer access
- New collections of library materials containing books, DVDs, CDs, graphic novels, book kits, magazines, and paperbacks
- Sustainability features include an open-to-above interior courtyard, solar panels, drought-resistant plantings, energy-efficient mechanical and electrical systems
Meanwhile, two large multipurpose rooms have been added to the library. Funded by Heritage Green Community Trust for $1.25 million, each room is 1,500-square-feet with a total capacity of 120 people. Both spaces have access to the interior open-air courtyard.
Features of the spaces include:
- Hearing assist loop with acoustic sound mitigation and noise cancellation
- Speaking podiums in each room with audio-visual controls
- Wi-Fi connections enabled for portable devices in each room
- Projector and audio-visual system: professional modern audio-visual system with projection screens with ceiling-mounted speakers and microphones
- Monitors, screens and panels: confidence monitors with pan-tilt-zoom cameras, digital signage, room booking software and touch panel screens
- Acoustically treated and automated powered room divider
- Tables and chairs with complete with storage in each room
- Kitchenettes in each room with sinks and storage
The library also has a new exterior mural, created by Vivian Rosas, which celebrates the local geographic environment. The mural was selected as part of a competition in which the library received 28 artist submissions.
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