Heritage Toronto Awards recognizes cultural contributions by Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre

November 2, 2021

Celebrating excellence in the heritage sector, Toronto Heritage recently named seven winners of its annual awards program and The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre was recognized as the Community Heritage Winner, a category that celebrates the organizations working to support the heritage of Toronto.  

Since 1963, the centre has served as a gathering place for the Japanese-Canadian community and has welcomed people of all backgrounds with an interest in Japanese culture. Cultural programs for its 5200 members and more than 210,00 annual visitors include the Toronto Japanese Film Festival, contemporary art and history exhibitions, traditional and contemporary Japanese performances, and Japanese language classes and workshops.  

The Community Heritage jury was impressed by the depth and breadth of the JCCC’s programming delivered by a small staff of 20 and more than 1000 volunteers.  

For the 2008 strategic renovation that included new construction, the vision for the new JCCC called for the creation of a dynamic, contemporary institution that integrates cultural programming and economic development. Simplicity, economy, and quality were the guiding principles in the design of the new centre. The result: an existing office building transformed into a cultural facility that is welcoming, accessible, and inclusive. The design embodies an idea of community and provides a flexible infrastructure for the full range of award-winning programming offered by the centre.  

KPMB congratulates the JCCC for this win and is grateful to have collaborated with the centre to create a vibrant and inclusive space for all.   

Read more about the project here.