Toronto celebrates 50th anniversary of the Scarborough Civic Centre

The Scarborough Civic Centre is seen. (Google Maps)

An "architectural marvel" in Scarborough and the first planned town centre in all of North America was feted on Sunday.

Designed by renowned late Japanese-Canadian architect Raymond Moriyama as a tranquil gathering place, the Scarborough Civic Centre at 150 Borough Dr. opened just over 50 years ago, on June 29, 1973. The late Queen Elizabeth II attended that celebration.

This afternoon, Mayor Olivia Chow, Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough-Rouge Park) along with Scarborough councillors Michael Thompson, Nick Mantas, and Paul Ainslie gathered at the civic centre near Ellesmere and Brimley roads for the centre's special 50th anniversary event.

“Over the past 50 years, the Scarborough Civic Centre has been at the heart of many memorable events that shaped the history of Scarborough and Toronto. Even today, it continues to deliver its purpose as a meeting place for all,” Chow said in an Oct. 1 news release.

“As we mark this anniversary year, I look forward to seeing this space evolve as a destination for the community to come together and enjoy for many years to come.”

Elder Cat Criger, Elder Chris Leonard, and Diarmuid Nash, partner at Moriyama Teshima Architects, also attended the special golden anniversary event, while Esmond Lee, a Scarborough-based artist-researcher and architect, serves as the master of ceremonies.

The occasion was marked with the introduction of a new Koi fish to the existing pond that was installed on the premises when the facility first opened along with the presentation of a poem by Toronto’s poet laureate, Lillian Allen.

The event also included musical performances as well as family-friendly activities, sports programming, and an architectural tour.

Further, the Scarborough sign was placed at Albert Campbell Square for the day. Albert Campbell was the first mayor of the borough of Scarborough and built the Scarborough Civic Centre under his leadership.