The City of Richmond’s Minoru Centre for Active Living has received the prestigious Provincial Facility Excellence Award for projects over $3 million from the BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA). The annual award recognizes an outstanding facility design or redesign that reflects community culture, innovation and community need.
“The Minoru Centre for Active Living is an outstanding example of how working with our community can create a truly exceptional, functional and successful facility,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “It was designed based on public and stakeholder feedback, resulting in a building that provides functional opportunities for health and well-being, but also connects our community through meeting spaces and programs. The City is honoured to receive this award.”
The 110,000 square foot facility houses an extensive aquatics area with two 25 metre pools, large leisure pool, lazy river, two hot tubs and saunas, a cold plunge pool, and steam room. It has an 8,500 square foot fitness centre with a full range of cardio, strength and functional training equipment for all abilities. Over 2,000 customers use the facility daily.
The Minoru Centre for Active Living is also home to the Seniors Centre which is fully accessible and includes a fireside lounge, full-service cafeteria, multipurpose and speciality program rooms, community living room, change areas, and first aid rooms. Through the Centre, the Minoru Seniors Society delivers innovative and exceptional programs and services in partnership with the City of Richmond.
The facility was specifically designed to accommodate accessibility needs. It has wide hallways and handrails, multipurpose and speciality program rooms equipped with listening assist loops, accessible change room spaces, raised infinity transfer pool edges with ramp access, mobility lifts, and parking and charging locations for mobility scooters.
Presenting the award to Richmond City Council, the BCRPA acknowledged the City’s commitment to sustainable, environmentally-friendly buildings. It identified the Minoru Centre for Active Living as a facility that openly incorporates green design to reduce or eliminate negative impacts on the environment, ultimately improving the well-being of the community.
“The BC Recreation and Parks Association is pleased to see the excellent design and community focus that went into building the Minoru Centre for Active Living,” said Katie Fenn, BCRPA Chief Executive Officer. “We commend the City of Richmond for working with its community to create a sustainable and environmentally-friendly facility that fosters community connections and enriches individual well-being, and quality of life. This is a leading community space not only in BC, but nationally and internationally.”
Designed to LEED Gold standards, the facility has successfully reduced indoor water use by 39 per cent through low-flow plumbing fixtures and efficient pool filtration systems, and has integrated occupancy sensor LED lights and heat recovery ventilation systems to conserve energy.
Since opening in 2020, the Minoru Centre for Active Living has received several awards including the Bill Woycik Outstanding Facility Award from the Recreation Facilities Association of British Columbia, the Distinction for Accessibility award from the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities, and was named one of ten Facilities of Merit from Athletic Business Media in 2022.