Simultaneously overlapping several program groups

Wasaga Beach Arena and Public Library

published in sb magazine 1/2025 

Wasaga Beach Arena and Public Library is located in Wasaga Beach, Ontario, on the southern end of Georgian Bay, adjacent to Lake Huron. The Town of Wasaga Beach is situated along the longest freshwater beach in the world and has been a popular summer destination for tourists from Toronto (150 km to the south) for over a hundred years. Increasing residential development is making the town evolve from a seasonal vacation destination to an established year-round community. This progress has spurred the development of new civic infrastructure, public institutions, and commercial developments along the lakeshore and along the primary commercial streets. 

This project was proposed to replace an aging arena on the town’s east side and to create a new central library. The 10,900 m² building brief called for a twin-pad ice arena, a 200-seat community arena with an elevated fitness track, and a 1,000-seat multi-purpose arena suitable for ice hockey, figure skating training, concerts and trade shows. A 389 m² community hall with a full-service kitchen and landscaped exterior terrace was added to the program to accommodate community sponsored and rental events.

The original 1994 town library was inadequate for the growing population and for modern library program and technologies. Dedicated areas for digital labs, music and film recording and children’s and youth zones were developed to maximize the programming of the library. The combination of new recreation programs and a 2,100 m² central library was intended to create a new combined civic cultural and sport center for the town.