Reimagining Weston Lions Arena through a Nominal Lease with MLSE LaunchPad

Specifically: - Staff reviewed the City's current community programming available in the Weston area and how this could be significantly enhanced through free, high-quality youth recreation, mentorship, and employment development opportunities that MLSE LaunchPad's "Sport for Development" program could bring by integrating sport, life skills and academic supports. - Staff compared the long-term capital and operating financial implications of maintaining the Weston Lions Arena in its current state versus partnering with MLSE LaunchPad. This included consideration of ongoing operational costs, community benefit return, and long-term sustainability through a nominal lease arrangement. - Staff examined ways to minimize disruption for existing ice users and evaluated the feasibility of relocating current programs to nearby arenas. Parallel analysis explored whether the proposed change, including the potential loss of one ice pad, would negatively impact overall access to ice within the Etobicoke York District. This will be addressed further through the forthcoming Ice Facilities Strategy under the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan. - Consistent with Council direction under MM29.9, staff collaborated with the local Councillor and MLSE LaunchPad in development of a comprehensive, iterative community engagement plan to explore feasibility and assess support for the proposal. - Supported by City staff, the local Councillor and MLSE LaunchPad co-led a first phase of community engagement in August and September 2025. Through online surveys and in-person consultations, local residents and youth consistently expressed support for transforming the arena into a community hub focused on youth development and inclusion. Revitalization through the MLSE Foundation would result in an estimated $25 million investment by MLSE, with potential to deliver major repairs and capital improvements to the existing facility. As part of this investment, the facility's seasonal ice pad would be removed and a new, year-round multi-sport facility would be created through MLSE's LaunchPad model. Through implementation of the LaunchPad service model, the proposal is anticipated to advance positive community outcomes, City-wide funding priorities, and strategic objectives, including enhanced access to free, accessible programming in sport and recreation, life skills development, and academic support for children and youth facing barriers to participation. These will be delivered with no capital financial impact to the City at this location, and operating impacts of relocating existing ice users to other locations will be absorbed in annual operating budgets and off-set by new permit fees being paid to the City for use of ice. This report provides the findings of the engagement to date, which confirm feasibility of the proposal and indicate broad community interest and support in the potential redevelopment and service model. Based on these findings, staff recommend that City Council authorize staff to negotiate a long-term, nominal lease with MLSE LaunchPad to operate the Weston Lions Arena and direct staff to continue working with MLSE LaunchPad, the local Councillor, and community stakeholders on the arena's redevelopment, including consultation on its future design and programming

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to continue engaging MLSE LaunchPad, the Ward Councillor, stakeholders, and local residents on the next phase of the Weston Lions Arena redevelopment, including comprehensive consultation on proposed design and programming for the new facility.