Birchley Park was honoured as Best Overall Project for 2023 at the Canadian Brownfields Network’s Brownie Award ceremony in Toronto tonight.
The sustainable and inclusive community is built on the site of a 19-acre former quarry that sat vacant and underused for over 50 years.
The developer, Diamond Kilmer, is working with Enwave, CreateTO, Habitat for Humanity, Evergreen and the City of Toronto, among others, to bring 1,050 residential units, including over 10 per cent affordable housing, to Scarborough, as well as 5.5. acres of public park.
“From the start, we had a vision for the project of a complete community with improved climate resiliency and GHG reduction, a range of housing types including meaningful affordable housing and public and community use areas, inclusive community engagement and a transition to sustainable mobility solutions,” said Ty Diamond, President of Diamond Kilmer. “I couldn’t be prouder of what we achieved with our partners, and am thrilled to have our project recognized as best in class by the industry with this Brownie Award.”
Diamond Kilmer, worked with Enwave to implement a geoexchange system for the first phase of the project. Along with design improvements including green roofs, it will reduce carbon emissions annually by 62.3 per cent, as well as achieve LEED certification.
“Our team shepherded the innovation required to maintain the integrity of Birchley Park, striking a balance between recognizing the heritage of a community and rethinking its current design to accommodate a greener future,” said Carlyle Coutinho, CEO of Enwave Energy Corporation. “Enwave is excited for the positive impact this geoexchange system will have on the residents of Birchley Park.”
Birchley Park also offers a connected public realm, including an accessible open space system and parks with generous street frontage to increase access, visibility and safety. The final plan, recognized by the industry with the Best Overall Project Brownie Award, is a result of a thoughtful, iterative design process, including collaboration with the City of Toronto, the local neighbourhood and other stakeholders and when built out, will add to the vitality of the area.
The Canadian Urban Institute’s annual Brownie Awards, presented in partnership with the Canadian Brownfields Network and Actual Media, recognizes leadership, innovation and environmental sustainability in brownfields redevelopment across Canada.
