By William Brown
Photo by Halley Requena-Silva

George Brown College’s newest building project was revealed on Tuesday at an event that announced a $10m donation from a Toronto businessman.

The building will be named Limberlost Place and promises to be innovative among Ontario education facilities, with net-zero carbon emissions, sustainable construction materials and heated and cooled without the use of fossil fuels.

“Limberlost Place highlights the future leadership role George Brown will play in the city’s Waterfront development as a sustainable city,” said GBC President Gervan Fearon in a press release. “This stylish addition to the city skyline will add to the vitality and modernization of Toronto’s beautiful waterfront, and will help George Brown students to work, study, learn, and grow.”

Up until now, the project was referred to as the Arbour Project. Rendered images released last November showed what the finished building will look like.

At the announcement held at the college’s Waterfront campus, Fearon, along with other GBC leaders like board of governors chair Kevin Costante and George Brown College Foundation President Dr. Cindy Gouveia, thanked Jack Cockwell for his donation. Cockwell’s $10m donation is build on an earlier $8m donation, making it the largest single-donor donation to an Ontario college.

“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to play a small part in the building of Limberlost Place, and hope that future generations will benefit from the enhanced education, knowledge and innovation it will serve to facilitate,” said Cockwell.

GBC says it expects the building to open in the summer of 2024. It will be home to the college’s School of Computer Technology, School of Architectural Studies, as well as a childcare facility.