As the Malmo housing stock ages, and the new apartment development comes on stream, rental units will approach 75% of all residences in the neighbourhood. Our goal as a community league is to create a sense of belonging, involvement, and community with everyone--renters and home-owners alike. Key to achieving this goal will be the renovated and expanded Malmo Plains Community Hall.
History of the Malmo Hall
The Malmo community hall building was constructed in 1965 and renovated in 1980 and in 1995. A 2010 assessment of the building by Stantec Engineering revealed that the building, while structurally sound, has interior and exterior fixtures and finishes that require updating. This assessment has been confirmed independently by professional architects.
The Concept of the New Hall
The objective of the project is to create a community hall that, for the foreseeable future, serves the needs of an evolving, diverse urban neighbourhood. Driving this project is the desire to engage neighbourhood families, and especially youth, throughout the year. We envision a community hall that is a four-season venue for all manner of (a) outdoor sports and activities and (b) indoor community events and programs. We support the City’s goals for walkable communities, so we see the majority of hall users walk or ride their bicycles to and from the facility. Lastly, we see a hall that incorporates modern standards and technology for electricity and natural gas usage efficiency.
The project will see the renewal of the existing building, along with a new-construction expansion of the overall footprint. Key directions given to the architect include:
• A main hall that is significantly larger than our current hall and is rectangular in shape.
• The ability to hold multiple events simultaneously, without them disturbing each other.
• A north-facing elevation that fits into the neighborhood, when combined with landscaping.
• A south-facing elevation that allows engagement with the sand volleyball courts, skating rinks, and sports fields–perhaps with a courtyard or deck.
• A design that supports the four-season, indoor and outdoor vision for the venue.
The concept drawings (PDF: Site Plan, Main Floor Plan, High Quality Rendering, Perspective) are intended to show general size and layout of the design, to be evaluated against the instructions given to the architect. The construction design is subject to change.
Project Funding
The budget is driven by the funds we can reasonably expect to assemble. Below is the budget for the project.
