Unity in Motion: Summer 2025 Milestones
Unity in Motion:
Summer 2025 Project Milestones
Jump to: Shaw Festival • Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex • Brock CHC • LOFT Bradford House • GTHS Regional Centre for Pets & People • Peterborough Fire Station No. 2
Designing for Human Connection at the Shaw Festival
At the end of May, the Unity team joined the Shaw Festival’s Opening Weekend—an annual celebration that this year marked something more: the public launch of All.Together.Now., a bold $150-million campaign to reimagine The Shaw as a creative campus rooted in connection, creativity, and lifelong learning.
t’s an ambitious and inspiring vision. One that places theatre at the heart of something deeper: a movement for real human connection.
Unity Design Studio is proud to be playing a central role in shaping this transformation. We’re leading the design of two foundational projects:
The new Royal George Theatre will stand at the centre of Shaw’s revitalized Downtown Campus. As the 110-year-old venue faces closure in December 2025 due to failing infrastructure, it is being reimagined and rebuilt for the next century. Once completed, it will be the first carbon-neutral theatre in North America. Its unique and much-loved character will be preserved as a historically inspired, world-class jewel-box theatre. With modern, leading-edge amenities and Rick Hansen Foundation Gold Certification levels of accessibility, the new Royal George will welcome both the public and a workforce with diverse needs.
The Shaw Artists’ Village, a dynamic multi-building redevelopment that will house studios, performance spaces, classrooms, wardrobe facilities, and seasonal artist accommodations. At its heart will be the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity, a welcoming and inclusive hub designed to spark imagination and reduce isolation across generations, supporting artists, students, teachers, seniors, and community members alike.
During Opening Weekend, Design Principal Michael Gallant and Senior Project Lead Meika McCunn led behind-the-scenes tours of the Artists’ Village, offering donors and supporters a first-hand look at the project’s progress. The feedback was incredibly positive, and the momentum behind the campaign is undeniable: more than $110 million has already been raised toward the $150-million goal.
We’re honoured to contribute to a project that celebrates the power of art to bring people together, and proud to support The Shaw as it builds a more connected, creative future.
Raising the Final Beam at the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex
On June 16, the final steel beam was hoisted into place at the Kitchener Indoor Recreation Complex, a defining moment in the life of this landmark civic project.
Before it rose into position, our team joined City staff, builders, and partners to sign the beam, leaving behind names, messages, and a shared sense of pride. It was a meaningful pause in the pace of construction, and a tribute to the collective effort that has brought the project this far.
Delivered using an Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) model, this project has brought designers, builders, and stakeholders together from day one. Today’s milestone is a testament to that collaboration.
Spanning 189,600 square feet, the facility will feature a competition-grade aquatic centre, elevated FIFA-sized turf field, indoor track, cricket batting cage, multipurpose community spaces, and a future-ready quad gymnasium. Designed for inclusivity, flexibility, and intergenerational use, it’s expected to welcome more than 380,000 visitors annually.
But its impact reaches beyond recreation. With a geothermal heating and cooling system, rooftop solar, and a high-performance envelope, the complex is on track to become the first in Kitchener to achieve Zero Carbon Building – Design certification under CaGBC’s ZCB Standard v3.
This milestone reminds us what’s possible when civic infrastructure is built not just for today, but for generations to come.
Brock Community Health Centre: A Long-Awaited Opening
On June 20, the Brock Community Health Centre opened its doors in downtown Cannington, marking the culmination of a vision years in the making. Unity has been part of this journey since 2009, working alongside the Brock CHC team to create a place where dignified, community-focused care can thrive.
Unlike traditional family health clinics, Community Health Centres recognize that health isn’t defined by medical appointments alone. Income, housing, social connection, employment, education all these shape a person’s well-being. CHCs respond by weaving services and programs into the fabric of their communities. They create spaces that foster belonging, knowing that people are healthier when they feel supported and seen.
Throughout the design process, we focused on flexibility and purpose. Spaces that adapt. Rooms that do double duty. A place where a nutrition class might happen beside a counselling session. Where someone can learn to cook, join a fitness group, or simply connect with a neighbour. Because true health care often happens in the spaces between treatment and daily life.
The new 19,000 square foot facility includes expanded clinic space, dental suites, a teaching kitchen, physiotherapy and foot care services, and a dedicated multipurpose room for education and movement. Every square foot is shaped by the CHC’s holistic model of care, one that addresses both medical needs and the social determinants that underpin health.
Designing for communities and contributing to the well-being of the people and places we serve is more than an aspiration for us. It’s the heart of our practice.
LOFT Bradford House: Building Upward for Seniors’ Care
The superstructure is now complete at Bradford House, marking a major milestone for LOFT Community Services and the residents they serve. When finished, the new 99-unit residence will provide accessible, supportive housing for older adults facing complex health challenges across York Region and Simcoe County. Unity’s design centres dignity and independence—private units, barrier-free features, integrated care spaces that feel welcoming, never clinical.
This expansion will double LOFT’s capacity. More seniors will be able to live safely, comfortably, and with the support they deserve.
LOFT is one of the most dedicated not-for-profits we’ve ever partnered with. They don’t shy away from complexity. They meet people where they are, no matter how tough the circumstances, and create communities where hope takes root. Since 1953, LOFT has offered dignity and belonging to those who often fall through the cracks of our healthcare and social systems. They believe every person has the ability to grow and the right to be supported in that journey.
We love working with LOFT. Their commitment to the communities they serve is unmatched. When Bradford House opens its doors, it won’t just be a building. It will be a place where seniors find stability, connection, and a chance to reclaim their independence. A place that says: you matter. You are welcome here.
And we’re extremely proud to have played a part in bringing that vision to life.
Georgian Triangle Humane Society: Construction on the Horizon
This summer, construction begins on the Georgian Triangle Humane Society’s new Regional Centre for Pets and People. Designed by Unity, the project is now moving forward into construction with Bertram Construction recently awarded the contract. The 19,000-square-foot facility will more than triple shelter capacity and enable the GTHS to deliver crisis support, youth programming, and affordable veterinary care at a dramatically expanded scale.
From the earliest design conversations, the goal was clear. Create a place where dignity, care, and connection meet. A place that reflects the profound bond between animals and people.
This not-for-profit is so deeply rooted in the community. The GTHS is doing incredible work across the Georgian Triangle, helping thousands of animals and families each year find safety, support, and hope. It feels good to have a local contractor like Bertram on board. They bring decades of regional experience and a shared dedication to community well-being, helping turn this vision into reality.We’re proud to support GTHS’s next chapter in compassionate, community-driven care. This chapter will touch countless lives for years to come.
Peterborough Fire Station No. 2: A Net-Zero Milestone
Peterborough Fire Station No. 2 redefines civic infrastructure. Completed in Fall 2024, this 11,000-square-foot facility is the city’s first designed to achieve net-zero energy and net-zero carbon performance.
A closed-loop geothermal system combines with a 96-kilowatt rooftop solar array, triple-glazed windows, and a high-performance envelope. Together, these measures are projected to reduce annual energy costs from approximately $25,000 to near zero and significantly cut carbon emissions.
Mass timber construction reduces embodied carbon and provides a durable structure designed for continuous operation during emergencies.
The design prioritizes indoor air quality and occupant wellness. Daylight reaches into work areas. MERV-13 filtration improves air quality. Dormitories and fitness spaces support recovery and comfort.
Sited on a redeveloped brownfield, the project preserves mature trees and avoids greenfield development. Collaboration was central throughout. Workshops with City staff, environmental consultants, and community representatives shaped project goals and contributed to securing funding through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund.
More than an efficient facility, Fire Station No. 2 demonstrates a practical path toward net-zero municipal buildings and sets a precedent for sustainable public infrastructure in Ontario.