The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) has unveiled the 10th edition of its Queen’s Park Picks program and featured among the picks is a busy building in the heart of Kingston.
Each year, members of provincial parliament (MPPs) across Ontario nominate a favourite building in their riding, and a jury of architects creates a shortlist of highlights that showcase the profound impact of architecture on communities across our province.
According to a release from the OAA, which regulates the practice of architecture in the province for the public interest, the organization invited MPPs to nominate a building within their riding that highlights the community’s unique architectural heritage, celebrating the rich legacy of architecture in Ontario.
This year, the Calvin Park branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) in Kingston, nominated by Kingston and the Islands MPP Ted Hsu, is one of the nine projects, chosen from 55 submissions, that fit the theme “Reshaping Communities.” According to the release, the theme aligns with the 2025 OAA Conference’s focus and reflects the Association’s commitment to regulating the practice of architecture to protect the public interest. It also highlights the essential role of adaptability in design, urging the profession to create or re-envision sustainable solutions for a rapidly changing world, the OAA said.
“I’m really pleased that, for the third year in a row, the Ontario Association of Architects is recognizing a building in Kingston as one of nine to make their annual showcase at Queen’s Park,” Hsu shared with Kingstonist.
“I have fond memories of the old Calvin Park library building, which was built in 1966. It was a wonderful community hub, and I think one of the important things about the new building, completed in 2009, is that it retains and enhances that purpose. It’s close to homes, seniors residences, below market housing, churches, shopping, schools, a transit hub, and it’s even a polling station during elections.”
The library branch on Wright Crescent was designed by Shoalts and Zaback Architects Ltd., and reimagines the traditional branch as a welcoming “third place” for the community, according to the release. The OAA said that the design, developed with input from residents, transforms the idea of a neighbourhood branch into a vibrant community hub, blending flexible spaces, cozy reading nooks, and a sunlit courtyard, all while prioritizing accessibility and inclusion. Inspired by Kingston’s lost Crystal Palace, clerestory glazing fills the interior with natural light, while locally sourced limestone connects the design to the city’s heritage.
“The new Calvin Park library uses a lot of natural light and limestone in contrast to the original building, which was a pretty boxy brick building with small windows.[It was] designed with flexible, comfortable spaces and an outdoor courtyard, while the original was book stacks, tables near the reference and magazine section, offices and meeting rooms in the basement,” Hsu continued.
“Words don’t do justice to the architecture and the beauty of the space. I’m just delighted to have my nomination accepted by the OAA this year, and congratulate Kingston’s Shoalts and Zaback Architects on their success.”
In 2024, the The Kensington Apartments was selected as a Queen’s Park Pick, and Kingston City Hall was selected in 2023,