Pickering is
evolving S T O R Y B Y: Mayor Dave Ryan | P H O T O B Y: David Leyes
W
hen the Guinness Book of World RecordsconfirmedthePickering Pedestrian Bridge as the longest enclosed people crossing in the world earlier this year, I expressed pride that the bridgewasociallyrecognizedasan international and world-class landmark.
More than a decade later, that future is unfolding as our City Centre undergoes a bold transformation. In 2018 – the same year construction of the pedestrian bridge was completed – we announced our plans to partner with the owners of Pickering Town Centre to redevelop the lands on the east side of the mall.
But this feat of engineering is much more than that. When the City of Pickering Inspired by world-renowned public firstproposedapedestrianbridgethat spaces, our vision is to create a vibrant would span Canada’s busiest highway downtown with new state-of-theto link our GO Transit station to a new art municipal facilities, including a ocetower,ourvisionwastoconstruct performing a arts centre, a combined “bridge to the future.” seniors and youth centre, and a relocated and expanded Central Library, surrounded by a vibrant and pedestrianfriendly public square.
Region, which will go a long way to helping our region on its path to postpandemic economic recovery. Also on the economic development front, Ontario Power Generation has been investing in projects focused on decommissioning and nuclear material management since opening its Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability (CCNS) last year. OPG owns the largest reactorfleetinCanadaandwillbegin the decommissioning phase of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station in the mid2020s. CCNS, featured in this magazine, will make Canada a world leader in nuclear decommissioning.
Oneofthemostsignificantactions The City Centre project will introduce a Canada can take to mitigate climate never-before-seen energy and dynamic change is to further invest in green energy to Pickering and, together with Durham and we look forward to building on our Live, will bolster our reputation as a long history of being on the leading edge tourism destination. Durham Live will in terms of nuclear power. Pickering is become one of the premier entertainment a regional hub not only for the nuclear and tourism districts east of Yonge Street, supply chain but also as the industry and a popular Ontario destination. works to develop sustainable solutions Anchoredbyaresortcasinoandfive-star for the electricity sector. hotel, it will include a boutique hotel, Pickeringtakesprideinfindingsolutio convention centre, amphitheatre, as we have demonstrated throughout restaurants, cinemas, the pandemic. We were proud to host performancevenues,anoce successful mass vaccination clinics at the towerandfilmstudios. Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation The City of Pickering is pleased Complex, where thousands of doses of to support a project that will COVID-19 vaccines were administered at move forward after satisfying the height of the pandemic. several key requirements. As we emerge from one of the most Eventually, it will bring dicultperiodsinournation’shistor 10,000+ full-time, wellwe will remember inspirational acts of paying jobs to Durham
Mayor Dave Ryan, City of Pickering 12 | Your City Magazine - Issue 2
Community engagement has long been a hallmark of our city and continues to be one of our highest priorities.
