From vision to reality: the journey of Imagine Centennial
Imagine Centennial represents the long-term vision to revitalize Centennial Park and the Lord Reading Property, two jewels at the heart of Beaconsfield.
Residents have expressed their desire for revitalization for many years.
Today, we bring the first phase of this vision to life: the creation of a cultural centre, a space designed to bring our community together.
The development of the western park area, the event space, and the waterfront will follow in future phases as funding becomes available.
From now on, our priority is clear: to buikd a vibrant heart for Beaconsfield, our centre.
Key moments
2015: Listening to the community
- Citizen forum: key priorities emerged
- Restore and enhance Centennial Park
- Improve cultural and community infrastructure
- Culture and Leisure study: confirmed the library’s central role in our community and the need for adapted cultural spaces
2016: A stronger waterfront vision
The Planning Committee recommends integrating the marina and park to create a true public waterfront space.
2018: A realistic assessment
Technical audits reveal that renovating existing buildings is not viable; the cost of repairs would exceed the value of the infrastructure.
2019: Remagining SPACE: co-creating the future
- Launch of the Reimagining SPACE initiative
- Creation of a Citizen Steering Committee (residents, elected officials, City staff)
- 200+ participants in collaborative workshops to establish a shared vision
- 300+ contributions (workshops, online surveys, submissions)
- Result: 11 major recommendations and a clear vision for a modern, accessible multipurpose centre, located in the heart of a revitalized park and marina
2020: A changing world, an adapted vision
- The global pandemic interrupts momentum built in 2019 with the workshops.
- Behind the scenes, the municipal team is still working on the project:
- In-depth analysis of citizen contributions
- Preparation of technical foundations for grant applications
Priorities reinforced:
- Create flexible, accessible, resilient spaces
- Strengthen links between nature, culture, and community
- Develop public spaces that support well-being and social connection
The pandemic made it clearer than ever: we need spaces that are both welcoming and resilient.
2021: Building the foundation
- A functional and technical program for the Centre is developed, defining the needs and incorporating residents’ contributions and wishes from the co-creation workshops.
- The first grant application is submitted.
2022: Adjusting to move forward
Project adjustments:
- 31% reduction in building footprint = enhanced integration in the park
- Improved flexibility of the spaces
- Optimized integration of the Centre into the landscape and park by reducing its footprint
- Cost optimization to ensure realistic budgets
2023-2024: Architecture competition: choosing excellence
- Launch of a multidisciplinary architecture competition
- Jury composed of experts (architecture, City) and residents
- Analysis of 32 projects, with 4 finalists selected by the jury
- Winning project: an inclusive, ecological design open to nature
2024: A new chapter
- First grant secured: $3.1 million from provincial and federal governments
- Community needs reaffirmed:
- 2024 Culture and Leisure Study for Beaconsfield (1,250 respondents, 45 focus group participants)
- 89% of respondents prioritized investment in cultural and community infrastructure
A project shaped by you, for today and tomorrow
Since 2015, Imagine Centennial has been above all a community-driven story:
- Residents and families
- Community groups and associations
- Steering and vision committees
- Citizen jury members for the architecture competition
- Volunteers and workshop participants
Thanks to you, this collective dream is coming together.
Moving forward
Imagine Centennial remains our collective vision to connect residents, culture and nature, for generations to come.
The Cultural Centre is the first major milestone.
Future phases (park and waterfront redevelopment) will follow as opportunities arise.
Today, we are building a vibrant heart for our community:
A place to gather, learn, create, and share.
This is where our next chapter begins.
