The location of the new Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre. Photo credit: City of TorontoThe City of Toronto has launched an international design competition to help shape the future of downtown Toronto with a new Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre.The City of Toronto is building a new accessible and net zero emissions community recreation and aquatics facility adjacent to Ramsden Park. Located close to Rosedale subway station, the future Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre will offer year-round recreational programming and services.The facility will include a 25-metre, six-lane pool, a leisure pool, a full-size gymnasium with a running track, and multi-purpose community spaces. Groundbreaking is anticipated in 2028, with the centre to open in 2033.The competition was launched in August 2025, and will take place in two stages. In Stage One, applicants will submit their qualifications for consideration. In Stage Two, five shortlisted design teams will submit conceptual designs for the new community recreation centre in response to the RFP.This marks the first City of Toronto design competition held for a community recreation centre since 1987, and is part of the Citys commitment to fostering design excellence and enhancing the public realm.Design teams from around the world are invited to imagine a vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming destination while advancing global best practices in design and sustainability in alignment with Toronto Green Standards and the Citys TransformTO Net Zero Strategy.The new Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre is aiming to enrich civic life through innovative architecture and urban design, as well as provide community amenities for a rapidly growing city, while reflecting Torontos diversity.National and international design teams led by an architect licensed with the Ontario Association of Architects are invited to respond to the open Design Competition Stage One Request for Supplier Qualifications (RFSQ).An optional virtual information session will be held on October 2, 2025.Applications will close on October 31, 2025, at noon.The post City of Toronto launches design competition for new recreation centre appeared first on Canadian Architect.