Birchley Park awarded Best Overall Project at 2023 Brownie Awards

On November 27, 2023, Birchley Park by Diamond Kilmer Developments, was awarded Best Overall Project at the Canadian Brownfields Network's 2023 Brownie Awards.

Located at 411 Victoria Park Avenue, the multi-phased development is located in close proximity to the Victoria Park subway and Danforth GO stations, and is built on the site of a former 19-acre quarry, that had remained largely underutilized over the last 50 years.

In collaboration with Enwave, CreateTO, Habitat for Humanity, Evergreen and the City of Toronto, Birchley Park is set to become a vibrant, mixed-use community. Designed by TACT Architecture, the project consists of 8 buildings up to 12-storeys in height, with new public streets, over 5.5 acres of public park space, and over 1,050 residential units, including over 10% affordable housing.

“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 also worked closely with Enwave to implement a geoexchange system for the first phase of the project. With a focus on climate resiliency and GHG reduction, design improvements, including green roofs, will reduce carbon emissions annually by 62.3%, and achieve LEED certification.

“At Enwave, we embrace the opportunity to work with strong partners to progress the way energy is deployed. We are proud of what we accomplished with our partner Diamond Kilmer to transform this incredible community” said Carlyle Coutinho, CEO of Enwave Energy Corporation. “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. Enwave is excited for the positive impact this geoexchange system will have on the residents of Birchley Park.”

About the Brownie Awards

Canadian Brownfields Network's annual Brownie Awards, presented proudly in partnership with Actual Media, recognizes leadership, innovation and environmental sustainability in brownfields redevelopment across Canada. The prestigious awards, which were announced on November 24, are considered the Canadian industry standard for recognizing and celebrating excellence in brownfield development and the transformation of contaminated sites into “great places.”

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