TORONTO - Infrastructure Ontario today announced that the request for proposals stage has closed for short-listed building teams to submit bids to design, build and finance a high-performance aquatics and athletics facility that will house the Pan American Aquatics Centre (PAAC), Field House and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO).
The multipurpose facility will be constructed on the University of Toronto Scarborough campus for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games. Following the Games, it will be a venue for high-performance and university sports and will provide much-needed community recreation space. The centre will be jointly owned by the City of Toronto and the University of Toronto.
The Aquatics Centre project will proceed under Infrastructure Ontario's alternative financing and procurement model, which transfers the risks associated with designing, constructing and financing the facilities to the private sector.
A request for qualifications issued in December 2010 short-listed three teams with the design and construction capability, experience and financial capacity to undertake a project of this size and complexity.
Over the next several months, Infrastructure Ontario, TO2015, the City of Toronto and the University of Toronto will evaluate the bidders' proposals based on criteria set out in the RFP. The successful project team will be selected and announced in summer 2012. Construction is expected to begin shortly thereafter and be completed in 2014. The contract value will be announced publicly following financial close.
Infrastructure Ontario and TO2015 are working with municipalities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, universities and provincial agencies to procure and deliver the Athletes' Village and Games venues on time and on budget.
Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to delivering some of the province's larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects, on time and on budget; managing one of the largest real estate portfolios in Canada and providing real estate services, such as asset management, and property and land management; and providing the public sector and not-for-profit organizations with long-term financing to renew public infrastructure.
The Pan/Parapan American Games are one of the world's largest international multi-sport events, held every four years for athletes of the 41 member nations of the Pan American Sport Organization (PASO). The Games are comprised of all Olympic Summer Games sports, as well as traditional Pan American sports. The Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games will draw up to 10,000 athletes and officials to municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe area. The Toronto 2015 Pan American Games will take place July 10-26 and the Parapan American Games August 7-14.
Visit www.infrastructureontario.ca or www.toronto2015.org for more information.
Quotes:
Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure
“Today's announcement brings us one step closer to breaking ground on the Pan American Aquatics Centre. This project will not only serve as a focal point for competition during the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, it will provide long-lasting benefits to the community as a hub for local activities, university and high-performance sport once the Games are over.”
Honourable Charles Sousa, Minister responsible for the Pan/Parapan American Games
“The Pan American Aquatics Centre is part of the largest investment in sport and recreation facilities in Ontario's history. The project will create hundreds of jobs and provide lasting benefits to Ontario's athletes, the university and the local community.”
Contacts:
Tom Boreskie
Infrastructure Ontario
(416) 212-6447
Elissa Freeman
TO2015
(416) 957-2005