WINNER OF A 2023 CANADIAN ARCHITECT AWARD OF MERIT
The angled massing of this building is so deft in working to handle the big pieces in a recreation program. The resulting volume seems to fit perfectly into its site, while making this building’s interior and exterior spaces both intimate and generous. Seeing real views out from the gymnasium, in juxtaposition with the wood truss structure, is only one example of the moments this building makes for every room and activity within a holistic civic gesture. — Claire Weisz, juror
I especially appreciated the low and canted heavy massing with the bright, rich and warm mass timber interior. The building massing has a civic quality which creates a major anchor in the park, welcoming visitors under its cantilevered entry. Highly considered approaches to sustainability are evident throughout, and have played a role in shaping the building form. — Omar Gandhi, juror
A masterful use of heavy timber in a well-tailored community building. Particularly compelling section and resolution of stacked uses. Very well executed. — Michael Heeney, juror
In Toronto’s Moss Park neighbourhood, public resources are strained as the community grapples with complex social issues that include homelessness, addiction, and poverty. The John Innes Community Recreation Centre will serve the city with spaces that are flexible, inclusive, and accessible to all. The new four-storey facility will replace an aging and inaccessible building with an inviting pavilion that acts as a gateway to this historic greenspace.
The development of the new Community Recreation Centre goes hand-in-hand with the revitalization of Moss Park, a project guided by input from local Indigenous communities and rooted in the area’s pre-colonial history. Like several green spaces in Toronto, Moss Park conceals a creek that has been buried over time. The central idea of unearthing and embracing this creek’s nonlinear nature forms the core of the rejuvenated park’s concept. It features a food forest, community garden, and other site-specific amenities that emphasize the land’s importance.
An internal street links Sherbourne Street to Moss Park and serves as a gathering space, reception area, and safety control point. The new building’s woodshop, a community-favourite program from the original building, is situated here to take advantage of the adjacent service yard and visibility from the lobby. This area also includes a SSHA (Shelter, Support & Housing Administration) service desk, lounges, viewing spaces, program rooms, a youth hub, athletics, and administration, all within a timber-lined atrium. Broad canopies at the park and street entrances enhance the internal connection’s role in unifying various site elements.
The building will host Indigenous gatherings, smudging ceremonies, medicinal garden stewardship, and sacred fire events in the adjacent park. Indigenous art will be incorporated onto the grounds and installed within the lofty lobby space.
The base of the façade is clad with robust ultra-high-performance concrete, with similar stone-like panels framing the glazing above. Inside, the porosity allows visibility across distinct spaces, reinforcing a feeling of safety and connection for its users. A second-floor outdoor terrace wraps along the southern edge of the building, providing a secure exterior environment with a rooftop garden. A breakout space at the third floor with direct views to the gym will serve as a gathering space for youth, while a fourth-floor running track will circumnavigate the perimeter.
Situated to take advantage of the diffuse north light, the natatorium and gym are stacked above each other to maintain a tight footprint on the site. The building is designed to meet the requirements of the Toronto Green Standard (v4), as well as the CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Design certification. A bubble deck slab and the mass timber structure will significantly reduce the project’s embodied carbon.
This new John Innes Community Recreation Centre will provide skill-building opportunities for community members, while fostering a connection to nature and a path towards improved well-being.
CLIENT City of Toronto: Parks, Forestry & Recreation | ARCHITECT TEAM Principal-in-Charge—Chris Burbidge (MRAIC); Design Partner—Viktors Jaunkalns (FRAIC); Project Architect—Krista Clark; Supporting Partners—Robert Allen (FRAIC), Tarisha Dolyniuk (FRAIC), Andrew Filarski (FRAIC), Ted Watson (FRAIC), Timothy Belanger; Design Team—Andrew Ashbury, Timothy Lai, Melissa Lui, Ricardo Duque, Jonathan Ackerley, Janice Lee, Tianyi Huang, Alexandra Kay Siu, Farhang Alipour, Chenyi Xu. Landscape—Hyaeinn Lee, May Chiang (John Innes Community Recreation Centre), David Leinster, Michael Ormston-Holloway, Donna Hinde, Jennifer Williamson, Malin Christensson, Katie Strang (Park Landscape Architect) | STRUCTURAL Blackwell | MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL Smith + Andersen | LANDSCAPE MJMA Architecture & Design (John Innes Community Recreation Centre), The Planning Partnership (Park Landscape Architect) | GEOTHERMAL Salas O’Brien | ENERGY MODELLING Footprint| CIVIL EMC | PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT Saffy| AREA 7,470 m2 | BUDGET $96 M (Construction) | STATUS Construction Documents | ANTICIPATED COMPLETION 2027
TOTAL ENERGY USE INTENSITY (PROJECTED) 197 kWh/m2/year | THERMAL ENERGY DEMAND INTENSITY (PROJECTED) 138 kWh/m2/year | GREENHOUSE GAS INTENSITY (PROJECTED) 7.9 kgCO2e/m2/year