New City Greenhouse Could Be Coming To Jackson Park

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A new greenhouse complex could be coming to Jackson Park.

City Administration is recommending a new complex be constructed to replace the aging greenhouses at Lanspeary Park.

According to a report going to council on Monday, a new complex would cost $4,395,000, while repairing the current facility would cost $5,992,600.

The Lanspeary Park greenhouse complex consists of seven heated greenhouses ranging in age from ten years to ninety years and occupying roughly 11,000 sqft of greenhouse space. The majority of the greenhouse structure consists of wood and glass and have deteriorated to the point where the structures are shifting, and wood is rotting resulting in safety concerns according to the report.

The current greenhouses have a remaining range of two to ten-year life expectancy with the majority having five or less years of useful life remaining before significant repairs/replacement is required. Staff areas are inadequate for the number of staff employed during peak season and do not meet accessibility standards.

Refurbishment would include structural, mechanical and electrical repairs and replacements to the existing 11,000 sq-ft greenhouses, renovations and an addition to the existing staff building, and additional storage space.

A new complex at Jackson Park would see new greenhouses occupying the same overall footprint as exists at Lanspeary Park but in a more efficient layout, with new staff facilities and storage space and new municipal services sized appropriately for the use.

There will be additional growing space compared to existing as the new design can allow for stacking of plant material vertically and be comprised of one large open space for growing rather than multiple smaller greenhouses.

The report also recommends the new greenhouse complex be located at the southeast corner of Jackson Park in the footprint of the existing baseball diamond. This location would optimize the campus synergy with the existing parks yard and present a blank slate for detailed design and placement of the greenhouse complex.

The existing community baseball diamond would either be replaced, or an upgrade will be made to a current diamond.  The existing Lanspeary park complex would be torn down and replaced with green space.

Council will be asked Monday night to proceed with the Jackson Park option and have a report brought back in time for budget deliberations.

What they grow:

• 75,000 specialty plants
• 15,000 perennials
• 10,000 trees and shrubs grown in the City’s east end nursery
• The Horticulture Division plants 73,000 bulbs in 300,000 square feet of floral and shrub beds