City staff is urging council to move forward with plans for a $186 million to $236 million centralized operations campus for municipal services, calling it the “most cost effective” option with the “greatest social benefit.”
The facility, proposed for city-owned lands on Dunlop Drive beside the Waste Resource Innovation Centre, near the intersection of Stone Road East and Watson Parkway South, would house fleet services, public works, Guelph Transit, corporate building maintenance, solid waste collections and the parks department.
“Overall, the existing facilities are aging, at or near end-of-life, space constrained and do not meet industry standards,” a staff report heading to council’s May 3 committee of the whole meeting explains of the need.
“Further, when the right-sized functional space requirements were compared to the existing facilities, it was concluded that all the existing buildings and sites were significantly undersized to accommodate future growth.
“As such, significant modifications to the existing infrastructure and facility layouts, as well as additional land are required to create efficient functional work environments.”
In late 2019, city council directed staff to develop a business case for the proposed centralized campus, which is what will be presented on May 3. At that time, staff is seeking approval to begin planning and design of the campus.
“A centralized operations campus will positively influence the City of Guelph’s position as an employer of choice in our sector and strengthen the organization’s ability to retain and attract high-performing employees and teams,” notes the staff report. “This enhances the public service value chain whereby engaged staff deliver better public service.”
In making the case for a centralized operations campus, staff explain there would be operational efficiencies regarding energy use and environmental impacts; new facilities could be designed to meet current and future needs, as well as maximize efficiencies between each site; locating the solid waste fleet close to both the innovation centre and maintenance/fuelling facilities would enhance operational logistics; and the electrical supply at the site can be upgraded to accommodate electrifying transit and general fleet vehicles.
In addition, it would allow for the Watson Road facility to be repurposed for park operations, reducing the need for additional land.
Alternative options that have been considered include using the existing facility sites, lands within the planned Guelph Innovation District and locating a campus in the Hanlon Creek Business Park, as well as the former IMICo site.
If council approves a Dunlop Drive campus, the staff report notes it will take two to three years to prepare the site, with facilities planned, designed and developed over the next 10 to 15 years.
