Description

Many municipalities are establishing Innovation Hubs to maintain relevance in the fast-moving technology sector. The Town of Ajax Innovation Hub is a collaborative incubator and co-working space for entrepreneurs to advance technology-based solutions. Gow Hastings provided the Town of Ajax with visioning consulting services (including concept design and sketch renderings) to transform three spaces into community technology hubs and training centres to support business innovation and sustainability.

The Town of Ajax nominated three properties for revitalization and improvement of under-utilized space: Quaker House, Old Fire Station, and Village Library. The visioning assisted with pitching the project to the Town of Ajax and securing funding from Ontario Power Generation (OPG). The innovation hubs will be “training facilities” for technologies that are not covered yet in Ontario, such as MIT robotics and engineering.

Each location requires renovation and modernization to the standard of which would be expected in an innovation hub, demonstrating state of the art design. The first location, Quaker House, includes meeting space, innovation and collaboration offices, presentations, and digital learning. The second location, Old Fire Station, includes a robotics and engineering lab, logistics training and a maker space. The third location, Village Library, includes support admin staff as well as additional meeting and office space.