KAWARTHA LAKES-With its brightly painted exterior and prominent location at the banks of the Burnt River, Kinmount’s former railway station is named a 2020 Queen’s Park Pick.
Prior to a World Architecture Day event, the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA)invited Ontario MPPs to reflect on the province’s unique architectural legacy and nominate a favourite building within their riding. This year, submissions were received from MPPs across all political parties, spanning nearly every region of Ontario, from the Detroit River all the way to James Bay.
After the decline of the railway, the Kinmount station was acquired by the City of Kawartha Lakes in the 1970s and preserved. Nominated by Ontario’s Infrastructure Minister, the Hon. Laurie Scott (MPP of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock), adaptive reuse of the Kinmount station and its surrounding site have ensured it continues to play a vital role as a community hub.
“The Kinmount Train Station is located at the heart of our historic community,” said MPP Laurie Scott on learning of the project’s selection, “and has been a symbol that has stood the test of time including a flood and devastating fire that burnt down most of the buildings in town. This piece of architecture reminds us of our town’s history and economic beginning and is now home to the Kinmount Model Railway and Museum.”
Traditionally, the OAA marks the occasion (which falls annually on the first Monday in October) with a reception at Queen’s Park for Members of Provincial Parliament to reveal the year’s Queen’s Park Picks. The event is an opportunity to showcase “outstanding examples” of Ontario architecture through the nominations of MPPs across the province.
In light of COVID-19 and in the interest of public safety, the OAA pivoted, bringing the annual Queen’s Park Picks event online. This year’s theme is “Toward a Better Urban Future”.
The OAA says members strongly believe architecture plays a central role in meeting the many complex and intersecting challenges facing communities, including economic recovery, improved healthcare facilities, and climate resilience.
“We are thrilled to see MPPs continuing to share their excitement about Ontario architecture,” says OAA President Kathleen Kurtin, “especially as we face many tough challenges across our province. I believe architects are well-positioned to make valuable, creative contributions in service of the public good. While we tackle the immediate obstacles in front of us, we must continue to participate in broader conversations about housing affordability, sustainability, and community resiliency. These projects reflect the wonderful contributions our profession is making in communities across Ontario.”
Highlighting the diversity of architecture across the province, the eight other projects selected as 2020 Queen’s Park Picks were:
- Cabbagetown neighbourhood in Toronto, nominated by MPP Suze Morrison
- No. 11 McIntyre Headframe in Timmins, nominated by MPP Gilles Bisson
- Beaver Barracks in Ottawa, nominated by MPP Joel Harden
- Capitol Theatre in Windsor, nominated by MPP Lisa Gretzky
- 1855 BDO Whitby Accelerator in Whitby, nominated by MPP Lorne Coe
- The Bentway in Toronto, nominated by MPP Chris Glover
- Walkerton Clean Water Centre in Walkerton, nominated by the Honourable Lisa Thompson, MPP
- MacDonald Hall in Guelph, nominated by MPP Mike Schreiner.
For more on the buildings chosen this year, visit oaa.on.ca/Queens-Park-Picks or follow the Ontario Association of Architects at @oaarchitects on Twitter and Instagram.
