November 10, 2023

Vancouver, British Columbia,  November 9, 2023 – Development of the new 42,000 square foot Marpole Community Centre takes a major step forward as the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation and City of Vancouver celebrated the official sod-turning on the future building site. 

Park Board representatives joined partners from the Marpole-Oakridge Community Association and members of the local community in Oak Park City to launch construction on the project, anticipated to begin later this fall.

The new green and accessible facility will provide the community with several key amenities that promote fitness, outdoor wellness, and multi-purpose spaces for community gatherings and family programs. The building will achieve near zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operation through its 100% electric design, Passive House design and certification, and will achieve LEED™ Gold certification. It is also targeting a 40% reduction in embodied carbon by using a structure made from mass timber. In support of the Park Board and City’s commitment to green rainwater infrastructure, the building and site will target “capture and clean” of the first 48 mm of rainfall during a 24-hour period. The facility will also be the first City-owned community centre built to achieve Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) Gold, the highest level of accessibility in the country.

“This new community centre will ensure we continue to deliver important services to the growing community, including childcare, for decades to come,” said Mayor Ken Sim. “It also supports one of Vancouver’s key priorities to create a healthy, inclusive and equitable city that places the physical and mental health of Vancouverites front and centre.”

Read the full press release here.