John Innes Community Recreation Centre
Toronto, Ontario
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Aquatic Centre, Gymnasium, Fitness, Indoor Track, Multipurpose Rooms, Activity Rooms. Community Kitchen, Woodshop, Youth Room
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Structural: Blackwell
Mechanical / Electrical: Smith + Andersen
Civil: EMC
Landscape: MJMA
Park: The Planning Partnership
Geothermal: Salas O’Brien -
2024 Architizer A+ Awards: Unbuilt: Sports and Recreation
2023 Architect's Newspaper Best of Design Award: Unbuilt: Cultural, Civic & Education
2023 Canadian Architect: Award of Excellence
The John Innes Community Recreation Centre (JICRC) brings much-needed amenities and services to a downtown Toronto neighbourhood that has some of the largest numbers of socially vulnerable and marginalized persons in the city. Located in Moss Park, a public space of long-standing importance to the community, the project replaces an aging recreational facility and is adjacent to the venerable Moss Park Arena.
The park’s design has also been revitalized with significant input from the local Indigenous community and includes a new Ontario Line subway stop. With its program stacked over four levels to preserve green space, the design of the JICRC prioritizes transparency to the community: its grade-level programming, including the natatorium and park-facing multipurpose room, are highly visible to the outside, and it offers public washrooms and showers accessible from the park. A large green roof terrace on the second level adds outdoor amenity space and further integrates the facility with the park. Throughout the JICRC’s interior, visibility and openness across program spaces creates a vibrant, safe, and connected environment.
Situated at the northeast corner of Moss Park, the JICRC is a gateway between this greenspace and the major urban intersection of Shuter & Sherbourne Streets. The building’s articulation and glazing mitigate its bulk and connect its program spaces with the park and city.
At grade, the atrium-lobby doubles as an internal street linking Sherbourne Street and Moss Park. Among the amenities here is a service desk for the City’s Shelter, Support, & Housing Admin Division.
The stacking of the two largest volumes, the natatorium and gym, at the north end of the building allows for expanses of exterior glazing and brings abundant non-glare natural light into these spaces.
The facility’s design meets ambitious sustainability targets through a number of means, including the use of a bubble deck slab with a mass timber structure.
MJMA supported extensive public consultation, starting with the City’s ‘More Moss Park’ campaign, along with further engagement programs, including initiatives with the City’s Office for Indigenous Affairs. This engagement process contributed considerably to the JICRC’s design and programming while also taking into account activities and events that can inhabit the building and park together.
