The Collingwood city council has endorsed MZO for the $2 billion Poplar Wellness Village. More than 130 acres of land that has been vacant for decades will finally have new life. The council endorsed a minister's zoning order that will allow the property to be rezoned from industrial to mixed use, and would allow the minister of municipal affairs and housing to bypass local planning approvals in hopes of accelerating the development.
Di Poce Management Limited (DPML) and live Work Learn Play Inc. are proposing to build the development that will be located on Nottawasaga Bay, about a 90 minute drive northwest of Toronto.
RENX reports that the land is owned by Di Poce, who owns and operates the DPML Holding and Investment Company and is the founding partner of Alpa Lumber Group, which employs more than 2,000 in Ontario.
Di Poce also has a strong commitment to philanthropy and includes the establishment of the John Di Poce Family Transplant Fund for University Health Network among others.
The proposed MZO for Poplar Regional Health & Wellness Village would establish the necessary zoning to allow the development to proceed. It includes the possibility of a new hospital and facilities on a 30 acre parcel of land, which would be gifted as a community benefit by Di Poce to the Collingwood hospital.
LOOKING FOR OTHER MIXED-USE PROJECTS IN ONTARIO?
Poplar Health and Wellness states that the project addresses several critical issues Collingwood and the region is now facing:
- Creates new economic drivers for the region, including new quality employment opportunities
- Brings world-class innovation in health and wellness to the area, setting a new standard for healthy living in the region
- Creates much-needed purpose-built, attainable workforce housing for Collingwood and future employers
- Delivers safe and healthy excellence in an aging in place community for a rapidly and growing elderly regional population
- Sets a new standard in environmentally friendly low carbon footprint development
According to RENX, the first phase of this multi-phase project could break ground 12 to 36 months after it receives all of the provincial and municipal rezoning approvals. In the meantime, the development team would start interim activation and place-making at the property as early as the fall of 2023.
The first phase would include:
- A public square
- Workforce housing
- A health care institution with an adjacent wellness park
- 5.5 kilometre all-season trail system through the property connecting to the existing trail system
- 19 acres of protected green space that would be turned into an eco-friendly learning area and bird sanctuary
- Possibly creating a regional transportation hub
- 2,200 low and mid-rise residential units
- 1.6 million square feet of medical, health-related, office, research and innovation spaces
The developers have stated that their plan is to help alleviate a housing affordability crisis in Collingwood. Employers are also requesting agreements for the provision of attainable workforce housing for their employees.
Financial analysts at KPMG estimate Poplar Regional Health & Wellness Village will deliver more than $2 billion in economic impact to Collinwood and the surrounding region, according to Reim.
