Agincourt Community Recreation Centre officially reopens two years after fire

TORONTO -

The Agincourt Community Recreation Centre in Scarborough, Ont., officially reopened its doors on Sunday, more than two years after a fire caused serious damage to the facility.

Toronto Mayor John Tory made the announcement in Scarborough today, saying that the reopening comes after the completion of extensive repairs following the fire in January 2019.

"The Agincourt Community Recreation Centre has been a hub in the community for years, and the fire in 2019 impacted the lives of many,” Tory said on Sunday.

“I want to thank everyone involved in not only adapting over the past two years to keep services open and moving at other centres for the Agincourt community, but for reimagining this new centre that is fully equipped and prepared to open its doors when public health guidelines allow.”

While there were no injuries during the 2019 fire, the roof and other areas of the building faced severe damage. The Ontario Fire Marshal eventually deemed the four-alarm blaze “accidental.”

The facility normally hosted fitness facilities, an indoor swimming pool, drop-in programs, courses and two indoor ice rinks.

In addition to the basic repairs, the city said it introduced a new HVAC system to the building, refreshed the existing courtyard with a new patio and created new community space.

Crews battle a fire and freezing conditions at a Scarborough recreation centre on February 1, 2019. (Tracy Tong/CTV News Toronto)

“While Toronto remains in Step 2 of the Province’s reopening framework, the centre can only provide limited services to the public,” the city said in a statement.

“Agincourt CRC is currently offering CampTO programming and campers are the first cohorts of Torontonians to make use of the centre’s reconstructed amenities.”