Central Peel Innovation Hub Renovation and Addition

Location: Brampton, Ontario
Client: Peel District School Board and City of Brampton

ward99 architects inc. worked collaboratively with the City of Brampton, the Peel District School Board (PDSB), and their various stakeholders on the renovation project for the Central Peel Secondary School. The client identified an underutilized 7,274 sqft one story stand-alone building with a basement on the Central Peel Secondary School site as an area for opportunity. In response, the Peel District School Board and the City of Brampton developed a unique partnership to revitalize the building to become the Central Peel Collaborative Learning and Technology Centre (CLTC).

The Central Peel CLTC is a new community learning hub that supports a centre for digital creation and innovative technology for the high school community and city beyond. Designed to progressive accessibility standards, the innovation hub includes a new accessible entrance building addition and ramp exceeding AODA requirements. The ramp provides a barrier-free path of travel promoting equality and social inclusion of the larger community.

The Central Peel CLTC classrooms are outfitted with the most current digital equipment and are designed to support a variety of flexible educational and community programming. The renovated building serves as an innovation hub for use by the Secondary School during the day, and by community patrons of City of Brampton for City programs run after-hours and on weekends. As the building was previously used for ESL classrooms, the space required significant modifications to fit its new use. The existing building was fully renovated to accommodate creative classrooms on both floors, as well as undergoing a series of accessibility upgrades to allow for greater community inclusion and participation. The ground floor includes two innovation classrooms to accommodate makerspace and digital activities, as well as revitalized public washrooms, an open collaborative lounge. The new classrooms are enclosed with glazed partitions, providing a welcoming and accessible community space. Further accessibility features include a new accessible entry vestibule and a new universal washroom for the site.

The lower level was redesigned to become accessible with the addition of a new stair and accessible chair lift. The basement level serves as a public instructional space, with two classrooms that are used as innovation learning spaces. The lower level also includes an open lounge as well as a barrier-free washroom and service spaces for users of the site. As a centre for collaboration, the Collaborative Learning and Technology Centre will be a destination place for the City of Brampton, and specifically for Brampton youth, and is b