John Innes Community Recreation Centre

The 75,000sf (6,970sm), 4-storey John Innes Community Centre 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 rooftop terrace of the Community Centre is perched above the daily movement of the streets and park, offering something rare in the urban core—an elevated and public sanctuary of green. Conceived as a “Forest on the Terrace,” this lush room extends and complements the activity within the community centre. It invites reflection, gathering, and connection, creating a retreat from the city’s bustle that is also designed to serve the surrounding community.