John Fry Sports Park Pavilion

Situated in a suburban warehouse district in Edmonton, the John Fry Sports Park is largely dedicated to hosting baseball games and tournaments throughout the spring, summer and autumn. At times, there are up to 5000 spectators. For the last 28 years, the John Fry Sports Park has hosted world class baseball tournaments, with the use of portable trailers. The architectural team was given the task of designing a pavilion consisting of change rooms, washrooms and a concession to serve the city’s needs for the next 30 years.

The existing site is surrounded by open fields, a few distant warehouse buildings, parking lots, and an adjacent driving range. The site is an expansive space with little spatial definition.

The design of the pavilion addresses these site characteristics by challenging conventional change room typology. By inverting the typical organization of sport support facilities, a once disconnected and dark change room facility is transformed into a permeable and accessible space. The location of private support spaces in the core of the building enables a public ring to surround the dedicated service space. Retractable screen doors to the south enable the pavilion to open up to surrounding playing fields and provide a shaded public court. 

Establishing a sense of place as an illuminated beacon provides vibrancy and animation to the site and to the surrounding park. Whether walking to the diamonds between games or arriving to the site prior to a game, the pavilion becomes a key wayfinding mechanism and recognizable point of gathering and departure.

The 360 degree reading of the building and legible accessibility between architecture and outdoor program creates a more urban gesture to exist in a seemingly un-urbanized scenario.

Project Information

Owner: City Of Edmonton

Architect: The Marc Boutin Architectural Collaborative Inc.

Project Location: John Fry Park 9700 28 Avenue