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New $100 Million Facility for Archives of Ontario Column published: 19 December 2006 By: Rick Roberts, Biography & Archived Articles A new facility for the Archives of Ontario has finally been announced. It's about time! The good news is that provision of a new Archives of Ontario building is within sight. The bad news is that it took so long. A consultant's report has defined the present building at 77 Grenville Street in Toronto as a mould-infested firetrap with sagging floors and no sprinkler system, that is causing the value of the archives collection to deteriorate at a rate of $36,000.00 per day. Prior to the last provincial election, the previous Progressive Conservative government had negotiated a deal with Canada Life, to move the archives into a new home on Simcoe Street, north of Queen Street West. Politics being politics, the new Liberal government put the brakes on the move when they came into power, beginning a search for a different facility in 2004. Using the math provided by the consultant referenced above, that five year delay has diminishment the value of the collection by about $65 million. That takes into account only the financial loss. We cannot help but be saddened by the realization of how much documentary evidence of the province's history is gone forever. Yesterday's announcement by Government Services Minister Gerry Phillips finally puts a target date in place when Ontarioans will see their historical documents moved to a safe, modern and purpose-built facility that is easily accessible by roads, and by the soon to be expanded Spadina subway line.  Under the terms of the agreement, York University will pay for building the new Archives of Ontario facility and is responsible for operating it. The province will sign a thirty five year lease that specifies payment six million dollars per year by the province. There are two, ten year options for renewal. The new lease represents a significant increase in cost from the four million per year paid for the current sub-standard building. However, that difference is a small sum when considering the benefits of the new facility. Ministry of Government Services press release of 18 December 2006:
TORONTO – The Ontario government is partnering with York University to create a new home for the Archives of Ontario, Minister of Government Services Gerry Phillips announced on 18 December, 2006. A new and modern facility for the Archives will be built on the main York University campus, at 4700 Keele Street, in Toronto. Over the next two years the Ontario government, in partnership with York University, will oversee the construction of a new archival facility that will provide better public services and enhance access to the province’s history. “Partnering with an educational institution of international renown such as York University to build a new archival facility is an innovative and cost-effective way of protecting our province’s information legacy,” said Phillips. “Our government recognizes the importance of protecting Ontario’s documentary heritage and the need to provide easier access to the province’s largest information asset.” The new building, about 98,000 square feet in the heart of the York University main campus, will more than double the size of the current public reference area. The new, self-contained facility will meet international archival standards and make it easier to showcase some of the Archives’ most valuable collections by serving a broader clientele, including school groups and delegations. As part of the government’s commitment to creating and promoting a culture of conservation in Ontario, the new archives building will meet the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) silver certification, a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. “I am looking forward to working with York University to create a new home for the Archives of Ontario. This partnership will go a long way to ensure our collections are properly preserved so we can leave a more secure and prosperous legacy for future generations,” said Archivist of Ontario Miriam McTiernan. The Archives of Ontario, which entered a long-term lease agreement with York University, is the largest provincial archives in Canada, with a collection valued at more than $400 million. It is responsible for preserving the documentary history of the province and is an important source of research for the police, courts, historians and genealogists. “We are very excited to be able to work with the Ontario government to create a Refer to comment in Minister Philip’s Speaking Points building custom-designed building that will protect important public assets and have opportunities for collaboration on educational, research and related activities,” said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Lorna Marsden. The project has been proceeding under ReNew Ontario, the government’s five-year, $30-billion infrastructure renewal plan to build strong and prosperous communities. It was implemented according to the principles of the Building a Better Tomorrow Framework for planning, financing and procuring public infrastructure, which protect the public interest and ensure that processes are fair, transparent and efficient. The new Archives facility is expected to open in 2009.
TORONTO, December 18, 2006 -- York University President and Vice-Chancellor Lorna R. Marsden enthusiastically welcomed today’s decision by the Ontario government and the Ontario Realty Corporation to locate its new Archives of Ontario building at York University’s Keele campus. This move is a part of a larger project that will bring together two significant provincial infrastructure investments – the other being the extension of the York-Spadina subway line – into a single project, as well as expanding and connecting to the existing York Lanes building. “We are absolutely delighted by the decision which will provide a first-class home for the Archives at the heart of an expanding GTA,” said Marsden. “The addition of the new subway line through the University to York Region will make this location even more convenient for Ontarians. This new ‘green’ building is also a perfect complement to our academic mission and adds much-needed research and academic space.” The new Archives of Ontario is an integrated, multi-use three-storey 290,000-square-foot podium building picking up on the scale of York’s inner core buildings. It will contain the archives and an expansion of existing retail, as well as incorporate access to the new subway. A seven-storey “research tower” will be set back on the podium, containing an additional 120,000 square feet of academic and research space. The archives themselves require secure and environmentally sensitive vaults to keep them in their optimum state. As such, the archives design will meet LEED Silver Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System TM) specifications, the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings. “This project is unique and forward-thinking in both its design and sustainability,” said York University’s Vice-President of Finance and Administration Gary Brewer. “Having secured an independent consortium through an independent procurement process ensures a no-risk financial option for York to build the Archives facility. At the same time, York is demonstrating an ahead-of-the-curve vision when it comes to future development of public transit and expanded academic possibilities for our University.” The estimated cost of the entire project will be $100 million. The new Archives of Ontario is scheduled to be completed in March 2009, which coincides with the University’s 50th anniversary. York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 190,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 23 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation. Shopping Cart & Order Desk Global Genealogy & History Shoppe 1-800-361-5168 ( 9-5 Monday to Friday )
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