The Town of Ajax said the construction activity taking place at the former Sundial Pavilion site at 99 Barnham Street is related to a childcare facility.
Following a council-approved process, the Sundial Pavilion and the associated lands were sold to School House Playcare Centre of Durham (SHPCD) last October to facilitate the development of a new childcare facility and community hub.
Once complete, the facility is expected to open this fall and will provide licensed childcare, child and youth programs, community events, PA Day and winter break camps, and rentals for child and family events.
As part of completing the sale, the town finalized a boundary adjustment to retain the public sidewalks surrounding the block in municipal ownership while providing sufficient space for parking, outdoor amenities, and other site features required to support the childcare facility and community hub. These adjustments were necessary to satisfy municipal planning requirements and Ministry of Education licensing requirements. The majority of lands remain in public ownership, including the open greenspace and Sundial Parkette, said the town announcement.
Since taking ownership, SHPCD has been advancing the approvals required to establish the facility, including obtaining a building permit for interior renovations.
The town is currently reviewing the owner’s plans for the proposed exterior works to ensure they meet applicable municipal standards and requirements, including grading, drainage, servicing, sufficient parking, tree preservation, and landscaping. This review is a standard part of the development process for private property. While the town ensures compliance with applicable standards and regulations, it cannot require a private property owner to adopt a particular site design beyond those requirements.
Town staff are also working closely with the owner and construction team to monitor construction activity, minimize disruption to the surrounding neighbourhood where feasible, and address issues that may arise during the construction process.
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