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The Korean Senior Citizens Centre just south of Christie Pits Park is ready for a major facelift.

The board of trustees for the building at 476 Grace St. decided Aug. 14 that renovation and expansion of the centre would go ahead after the City of Toronto approved the necessary zoning variances the previous day.

Ward 19 (Trinity-Spadina) Councillor Joe Pantalone had pledged support for the expansion in a letter to the committee of adjustment last month, saying the centre "has provided a much-valued service to local and other seniors who frequent the Korea Town district" in his ward.

The expanded building would "very much" fit into the neighbourhood, he added.

Ward 42 (Scarborough-Rouge River) Councillor Raymond Cho, co-chair of fundraising walkathons in Korea Town for the centre, also backs the project.

One volunteer said after three decades, the centre, visited by around 100 seniors on an average day, is too small.

Most members are happy with the long-planned expansion, though a few had suggested it would be better to move because of the cost, Jacob Kim said in an interview.

"Many, many seniors love this place and they do not want to move to another place," he said.

The committee approved the plan, which is to expand the two-and-a-half storey building with a three-storey addition at the front northeast corner and another three-storey addition at the rear.

The work, which could begin in the spring, will install an elevator and make the building barrier-free for the aged or handicapped. As it is, seniors must climb a flight of concrete steps to reach the upper floor, said the architect Y.S. Min.

The renovation and expansion will also give the building, originally a house, more of a residential look, compatible with the rest of the community and a more "home" welcoming for seniors, Min said.

It is still premature to estimate the construction costs, he added last week.

The next walkathon for the centre starts 11 a.m. Sept. 27 at Christie Pits. For more information, call the Korean Senior Citizens Society of Toronto at 416-532-8077.