Past, present and future unite in the Corleck Building

TORONTO, March 16, 2024 /CNW/ – The historic Canada Maltings administrative office in Eireann Quay will undergo a major restoration and renovation through an investment of more than $4.5 million from the federal government. The project is also being funded by the Government of Ireland and the Canada Ireland Foundation.

Announced by Parliamentary Secretary James Maloney; the Tánaiste, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD; and Robert G. Kearns, Chair and Founder of the Canada Ireland Foundation, this project will convert a disused heritage building on Toronto’s waterfront into a multiuse community cultural arts and conference centre.

Named the Corleck, the facility will provide a new home for the Canada Ireland Foundation and it will host flexible space for the Irish community and many arts organizations. It will include multiuse assembly spaces, a retracting stage with total audiovisual capacity; a reception space, gallery and museum; spaces for offices, conferences and classrooms; support room space; commercial kitchen; and a roof terrace for assembly. In addition, an elevator will be installed to make the building more accessible.

The design and renovations will preserve the art deco style of the original building, while also significantly enhancing its thermal and acoustic performance. A new roof, upgraded insulation, and restoration of the windows will help reduce heat loss. Replacing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in the building with in-floor heating, new ductwork, and a new heat pump system will also greatly improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Finally, wiring through the building will be upgraded and lighting fixtures will be replaced with energy efficient LEDs.

Quotes

“The past, present and future truly come together at the Corleck, thanks to this investment through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program. The building will be a new home for the Canada Ireland Foundation, as well as for local culture, arts, and the community. This project will help to reclaim Toronto’s waterfront by providing a beautiful space for events, activities and people of all backgrounds to gather. Historic, sustainable and accessible, the Corleck fulfills a vision of infrastructure that honours and preserves the past, makes space for the present, and supports a bright and prosperous future.”

James Maloney, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Etobicoke—Lakeshore, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“I am delighted to announce this additional grant from the Irish Government. Our investment in the Corleck Building underscores the Irish Government’s commitment to sharing our culture around the world. It is a central part of delivering on the Global Ireland Strategy 2025. I thank my colleague, Minister Catherine Martin for providing the funding for this investment.

“The Corleck building will create a wonderful arts, culture and heritage centre in Toronto. It will be a space for the Irish to come together to share their heritage, connect to future generations and create new stories into the future, alongside the many cultures in the great city of Toronto. The Irish Government is proud to stand with the other funders – the Government of Canada, the City of Toronto, as well as private donors – in making this exciting project a reality.”

The Tánaiste, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin TD

“I am delighted to provide this major Irish Government grant to the Corleck Centre. This decision builds on the major capital investments we have made in recent years in the Irish Arts Centre in New York, the Irish Cultural Centre in Paris and the London Irish Centre Camden, as a key deliverable of the Global Ireland 2025 strategy. Each of these centres offer strategic platforms in priority locations worldwide for the promotion of Irish arts, artists and cultural exchange.

“Exciting opportunities lie ahead to deepen artistic and cultural engagement and collaboration with partners in Toronto and across Canada and I believe the Corleck Centre will be key to maximising this potential.”

Catherine Martin TD, Ireland’s Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

“These are thrilling times for sustainable development in Canada – and especially for the Canada Ireland Foundation. We are so honoured to have the support of the Governments of Canada and Ireland to help us realize our goal of creating a green and inclusive cultural venue on the waterfront in Toronto. The Corleck will be a home for artistic and cultural programming that unites Ireland and Canada through our shared interest in the stories of our past, a celebration of our present and a commitment to a better future for all.”

Robert G. Kearns, Chair & Founder of the Canada Ireland Foundation

“In restoring the historic Canada Maltings office to its previous splendour, we have taken great pains to ensure not only the purity of its Art Deco design, but a conviction to enhancing the building’s sustainability for years to come. This is all in keeping with the Canada Ireland Foundation’s vision of preserving the past, celebrating the present and ensuring the future for Canada–Ireland relations.”

William Peat, Executive Director, Canada Ireland Foundation

Quick Facts

The federal government is investing more than $4.5 million in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program and the Canada Ireland Foundation is contributing more than $7.1 million through various sources.
The Government of Ireland is contributing a grant of $2 million as part of the Global Ireland 2025 strategy to double the scope and impact of Ireland’s global footprint, including in the cultural domain. This funding brings the total Irish Government support for the project to date to approximately $3 million.
The Corleck Building is named after a carved, limestone head found in Ireland in 1855. Believed to represent the trinity of past, present and future, the Corleck is an important symbol for the vision of this project.
The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan’s first pillar be cutting greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change.
These improvements are expected to reduce the facility’s energy consumption by an estimated 28.4 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 19.5 tonnes annually.
At least 10 percent of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.
The application period for the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program is now closed.