City Manager's Message
The City of Oshawa is the largest urban centre in Durham Region (one of the fastest growing regions in Canada) and part of the Greater Golden Horseshoe (one of the largest urban regions in North America).
Located just 45 minutes east of Toronto, residents enjoy a rich quality of life in a thriving urban city while also enjoying the benefits of rural living. Oshawa’s Hamlets of Columbus and Raglan are home to agricultural lands and the distinct natural features of the Oak Ridges Moraine. In Oshawa, you don’t have to leave the city to enjoy picturesque conservation areas, U-Pick farms and farmers’ markets.
When venturing to other destinations, there are plenty of options, including numerous GO Train, GO Bus and VIA Rail trips directly from Oshawa west to Toronto, east to Ottawa and to a multitude of other destinations. In addition to the city’s four Hwy 401 interchanges, work has begun on the Hwy 407 East Extension that will extend the highway to Harmony Road in Oshawa by 2015 and to Hwy 35/115 in Clarington by 2020. Oshawa also offers a full-service airport, as well as a deep water port.
Oshawa is an academic destination. We are home to three highly acclaimed post-secondary institutions – Durham College, Trent University and UOIT. In addition, Queen’s University School of Family Medicine has established a training site for several of its programs at Lakeridge Health Oshawa.
According to the Conference Board of Canada’s Winter 2013 Metropolitan Outlook, the Oshawa area is one of Canada’s fastest growing economies and is expected to grow by 2.6% this year.
Setting new residential construction records early in 2013, the City issued the highest residential construction value in both January and February. January had the highest number of permits (141) and the highest residential construction value ($26 million) for that month. $18 million in residential construction set a new record for the month of February. In March, we reported that our residential, industrial, governmental/institutional and total construction values are ahead when compared to the 2012 by a total of $35.6 million.
In other residential news:
- Council approved the $30-million Grand Vista development in north Oshawa on Glenbourne Drive consisting of two eight-storey apartment buildings totaling 144 units.
- Metrus and Minto Kingmeadow are planning new residential subdivisions in the area east of Simcoe Street North and north of Britannia Avenue. The plans include a total of 1,300 homes, two elementary schools and one secondary school, as well as parks, trails and open space.
- Tribute Communities is focusing its development of a concept for a mixed-use village in the area north of Britannia Avenue extended and west of Simcoe Street North.
Ongoing investments continue in the commercial sector. A new Investors Group office is under construction at the southeast corner of Grandview Street and Taunton Road (beside the Cineplex Odeon Theatre). At the Oshawa Municipal Airport, the Optech, Corporate Aircraft Restoration and six new Hangarminium buildings are complete. RioCan has applied to build a major commercial development that could include up to 2 million square feet of commercial floorspace on both the east and west sides of Simcoe Street North, south of Winchester Road.
Downtown Oshawa will soon be home to a Holiday Inn Express hotel and conference centre located on the corner of Simcoe Street North and Richmond Street East. Construction could begin as early as fall 2013 and is expected to be completed by December 2014.
Located in the heart of downtown is the General Motors Centre. Ranked one of the top venues of its size in the world, the GM Centre hosts the latest in top performers, including Elton John, Selena Gomez, Cirque du Soleil, Hedley, Riverdance and Johnny Reid. The venue is also home to the Oshawa Generals OHL Hockey Club and the Durham TurfDogs of the Canadian Lacrosse League.
Oshawa has a thriving arts and culture scene and is home to Parkwood National Historic Site, museums, the Ontario Philharmonic symphony and live theatre. Recently, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (The RMG), in partnership with the City, unveiled a new public sculpture. Upstart II by renowned artist Clement Meadmore is a 25-foot tall work of art. The outdoor sculpture and landmark is situated on the south lawn adjacent to the new entrance to City Hall and directly across from the RMG.
Over 45 amazing annual events are enjoyed by a multitude of residents and visitors, including outdoor Concerts in the Park, the popular Maple Syrup Festival, highly acclaimed Peony Fest, multicultural Fiesta Week and award-winning Canada Day Celebration.
Oshawa has recreation facilities throughout the city for all ages and abilities, as well as four seniors’ centres and four library branches. The award-winning Legends Centre features four NHL-sized ice rinks, a swimming pool with two-storey waterslide, fitness centre and gymnasium. The South Oshawa Community Centre has a pool with a waterslide, as well as a teaching kitchen and youth room. The Civic Recreation Complex is the most diverse sports facility in Durham Region. The six-field complex includes six sports fields and an international-level outdoor track and field facility with stadium seating for 2,000.
Designated as “bicycle friendly,” Oshawa’s extensive 27-kilometre trail network is complemented by 2,100 acres of parkland and open spaces, including 135 parks and over 100 playgrounds.
Situated on Oshawa's scenic waterfront, is the 30-acre Lakeview Park with a 1.3 hectare sandy beach, boardwalk, playgrounds, sports fields and numerous trails (including a 12-kilometre portion of the Waterfront Trail). The 123-hectare provincially significant Second Marsh (largest coastal wetland in the GTA) and McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve also provide tranquil environmental escapes.
Just east of Lakeview Park is the Oshawa Harbour and deep water port. The City has begun to chart a new course at the harbour and is seeking development that will serve the business needs of the Port and complement the nearby environmentally sensitive and community recreational lands.
I hope you take some time to browse our website to learn more about the City’s initiatives, programs and events and to discover all that Oshawa has to offer. Stay up-to-date on the latest City news with our quarterly newsletter or by following us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
I invite you to share with us your feedback, questions or suggestions. For more information on City services, please contact Service Oshawa.
Contact:
Bob Duignan
City Manager
Phone: 905-436-3311