Located along the east edge of Markham Stouffville Hospital on Bur Oak Avenue at Church Street, Cornell Community Centre and Library opened its doors December 17, 2012. This 129,000-square-foot centre was designed to meet LEED Silver Certification and boasts an array of unique features promoting education, community, fitness, inclusion and accessibility. These features include a multi-level, fully-equipped health and fitness centre, an indoor playground, a youth centre, three pool areas including a therapy pool, water slide and splash pad, a triple gym, a multi-sensory room for toddlers and individuals with autism and developmental disabilities, dementia or brain injury.
There are also many all-purpose rooms and a 200-seat rehearsal/performance hall available for rent. Cornell also boasts a state-of-the art Library with medical resources, children and youth sections and study rooms.
Cornell Library has a vast variety of books, CDs, manga, magazines, movies, and audiobooks. Comfortable seating is available through the library, including: a fireplace lounge, café, and teen area (complete with video game amenities). Other features include a media wall and over a dozen study rooms. A designated area for children provides families with easy readers, kid-friendly movies, and educational toys. The library also offers more than 30 computers for use.
Within the centre, there are five rooms available: three multi-purpose rooms, an older adults room, and youth room. Different programs are run in these rooms scubas arts and craft, music, first-aid training, and many different lessons. In the youth room, youth are welcome to play many board games and video games as well as table tennis. All of these rooms are available for rental.
Older Adult programs offered at the Cornell community centre are available to those 55 years of age and over. Programs such as Badminton, Pickelball & Older adult exercise.
The rehearsal hall is what makes Cornell unique, as it is the only community centre with one. Seating 200 in a theatre format, this hall hosts performances and presentations, having surround sound, soundproof walls, and a projector screen available for use. The rehearsal hall is available for rentals.
The gymnasium is a triple-sized gymnasium, consisting of one full and one half size basketball court. The gymnasium provides many programs, such as a variety of sports camps, drop in sports, presentations, and competitions. The Gymnasium is available for rentals. A drop cloth divider is used to split up the gymnasium when required.
The youth room is the envy of every living room with 60-inch TV’s, multiple Playstations®, computers, free Wi-Fi access and a group study area. The centre is open immediately after school to serve as a safe, fun, and social place to hang out with friends and make new ones.