Project Details
Once a Fire Hall in Bolton, this space has been completely transformed into the modern Humber River Centre. Bright and clean, it’s now become a beloved community hub, hosting year-round events. The Centre offers spaces for gathering, creativity, and growth, including a multi-use area, commercial kitchen, meeting rooms, and a maker space.
The Humber River Centre was awarded the 2024 IEDC Bronze for Excellence in Economic Development, recognized as a driver of job creation and economic growth in the Real Estate Development and Reuse category.
The Challenge
The challenge of this project stemmed from transforming an old fire hall into a modern community hub while preserving structural integrity and adhering to building codes. Incorporating sustainable technologies and materials to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact was a major goal. The updated structure also needed to be fully accessible to all community members, including those with disabilities. The centre as well had to act as a space versatile enough to host various community events, meetings, and creative activities.
The Ball Solution
The fire hall was completely transformed with a modern, bright, and clean design, making the interior unrecognizable from its previous state. Ball added many sustainable features to reduce the environmental footprint and energy costs, including the use of multiple EV vehicle charging stations, LED lighting, on-demand water heaters, spray insulation, energy recovery systems, and high R-value window assemblies. Accessibility features were added, including power-operated doors, fully accessible bathrooms, and an elevator, ensuring the space is inclusive for all community members.
What once was the interior parking garage area for fire trucks is now a very large multi-use area including the operational firehall roll-up doors allowing the space to be open in warmer weather. The building also houses a commercial kitchen, and additional meeting rooms, providing functionality for a wide range of activities and events including the weekly Bolton Farmer’s market.
The new Humber River Centre is a welcoming and innovative community hub in the heart of Bolton that meets the needs of residents, fostering creativity, collaboration, and growth.