Walmart Super Centre Clears Final Hurdle
Jan 21, 2010
The Keswick Walmart super centre finally received its building permit late Friday afternoon and should start building any day.
The Advocate had received calls and e-mails from readers over the past several weeks with concerns construction on the Woodbine and Glenwoods avenues site had come to a complete standstill.
A slight delay has now been rectified after the retail giant satisfied all agency and government stipulations, economic development director Karyn Stone confirmed late Friday afternoon.
Last fall, the target for a grand opening of the 320,000-square-foot super centre was set for this November, just 10 months away.
The completed site will have nine stores; two big box (one being Walmart, the other rumoured to be Home Depot) and seven smaller commercial businesses, including three banks (TD, BNS and RBC), Mark's Work Wearhouse and two restaurants.
Negotiations are under way with tenants of the other spaces, land use planner Brad Rogers of B.G. Rogers and Associates said two months ago when the company presented its final design plans to the town.
The Keswick Walmart store will feature a food and fashion component, home and garden centre, pharmacy and a McDonald's restaurant and stretches across 35 acres with 155,000 square feet of shopping space.
It is expected to hire up to 250 employees, said Katherine Cruz, Walmart real estate manager.
The store will incorporate environmentally friendly LED motion-sensored lighting that shut off when there's no movement in the store isles and powered by Bullfrog energy, Ms Cruz said, adding the roof is painted white to deflect heat and there are no CFCs in the refrigeration units.
This Walmart is part of the store's new branding initiative, which is even more up-to-date than the new Aurora and Stouffville super centres, she said.
Nearly 1,800 parking spots surround the shops and stores with interlock pedestrian walkways, lighting, greenspaces and sitting areas, the plan shows.
There will be three entrances off Glenwoods, one entrance off Woodbine and three entrances on Dovedale Drive. Along the rear of the store on the north side will feature a 10-acre natural habitat area.
- Tracy Kibble The Georgina Advocate