Cavan Monaghan Community Centre
Millbrook, Ontario
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Single-Pad Arena, Fitness Conditioning Space, Indoor Track, Multipurpose Room, Community Hall, Concession, Playground, Splash Pad
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Structural: Blackwell
Mechanical / Electrical: Smith + Andersen
Civil: Valdor
Landscape: PMA
For the residents of Cavan Monaghan Township, this community centre — from conception to detail — is the culmination of more than a decade of spirited public debate and steadfast grassroots fundraising. The idea that their new facility could be luminous, inviting, modern, and yet rooted in its context was critical to this deeply engaged client group. Hundreds of boulders that were unearthed during the clearing and excavation of the site were placed along the south site line for continuity with the neighbouring 19th-century cemetery and to draw attention to its view. The 50,100-sf complex reduces barriers to accessibility and provides ample spaces for gathering and recreation, with the focus an NHL-sized arena. The design also anticipates the addition of a second ice pad, further development of an adjacent community park, and more social space.
Set in a landscape of rolling glacial drumlins, the community centre is adjacent to the Millbrook Town Hall, the two buildings forming a civic suite with each overlooking a playground on a gentle incline. Surrounding brownfield sites are planned for commercial and residential development, including seniors’ housing, with the facility a vibrant centrepiece for this new precinct.
The exterior draws on the restrained forms of the typical agricultural vernacular to engage with its place. Its base is a simple earthbound mass, rooting the structure in its surrounding glacial topography, while the upper level is translucent, its band of glazing aligning with the horizon.
A lofty social heart lobby space spans the building from east to west and is transparent throughout, visually connecting the arena to the fitness studio and community hall. The spirit of community engagement extends to the finishes throughout the building — durable interiors in black, white, and the Township’s signature green, with touches of wood to soften the modern aesthetic.
The community hall and fitness studio both face north, with access and views through full-height glazing to the terrace and playground. A level-2 running track around the arena’s upper perimeter has continuous glazing overlooking the surrounding landscape.
Daylighting throughout is a chief sustainable strategy and includes a translucent insulated clerestory that makes it possible to use the rink without artificial lighting. Communities beyond the borders of the Township have noted the inviting arena and social heart space, and the building has become a regional destination for junior hockey, figure skating, and family outings.
