On a sunny afternoon in June 1964 at 123 Wynford Drive in Toronto’s Don Mills area, Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson stood at the podium at the entrance of the brand-new building and officially opened the Japanese Canadian Centre (now Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre - JCCC) before hundreds of spectators, stating:
“For me, this centre is a reminder of the multi-racial heritage on which our nation is being built, surely and strongly. It is a new living monument to the fact that our Canadian purpose, which seeks a Canadian identity, need not and does not mean a loss of the traditions and cultures, the arts and skills brought to Canada from other lands…. I hope that the Centre will serve as a reminder to future generations of Japanese Canadians that theirs is an abundant heritage and a proud tradition.”
In 1962, George Tanaka, a board member of the Japanese Canadian Centre, a forerunner of the JCCC, wrote a New Canadian newspaper article entitled “The Centre is For the People.” In it, he referred to the dream of the JCCC as “some kind of miracle.” Tanaka was one of the group of 75 individuals who risked homes and businesses to fund the site on 123 Wynford Drive. While most people were not able to risk as much, just about every Japanese Canadian (JC) did what they could to contribute.
A few months ago in February, there was the surprise announcement that that ‘miracle’ which is designed by the world-renown architect Raymond Moriyama, is slated for “redevelopment”: two condo towers. Rumours have floated around that maybe the facade will be preserved, maybe the JC community might even get a plaque to honour the space that was built by the blood, sweat, and tears of the JCs who created it.
The significance of the building is certainly not lost on those remarkable 75 JCs and non-JCs or indeed the entire JC community that sacrificed to support the building of 123 Wynford Drive. Remember that this is less than two decades after Canada's internment/concentration and POW camps, where innocent JCs were held prisoners during World War Two, were finally released in 1945. Most families were starting from nothing. The creation of the Japanese Canadian Centre was truly a miracle.
Now, for subsequent generations that did not experience “the internment” directly, they can probably be forgiven for not knowing the full significance of 123 Wynford. Almost 80 years after the end of WWII, the majority of those who were victims of the internment have passed away, are too weak to protest, or lost their memories to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Do the sacrifices of our forefathers matter at all now in 2023?
Is it truly high time to move on and get on with it? These are questions that we should be wrestling with.
It strikes me as an ironic 2023 twist that “shikataganai” (it cannot be helped), which helped JCs survive the worst years of racism and internment, is now being used to silence dissenting voices on this real estate matter. I don’t know who was involved in the consultation process but it does seem that by the time that the February JCCC press release was made, decisions had already been made, forcing the JC community into the unfair position of having to fight to save Moriyama’s JCCC.
Why in fact was the grassroots community not consulted with all along? (The Noor Centre, former owners of 123 Wynford, sold it in October 2021). Some local JCs who have voiced their protest have been told not to rock the boat. I know that if our Issei and Nisei leaders from that time could speak they would definitely be using stronger language than shikataganai!
I would suggest that the greater community value of preserving Raymond Moriyama’s JCCC building extends well beyond JCs. It stands as a symbol of the resilience, perseverance, strength that continues to sustain them and, foremost, that no Canadians would ever have to suffer like that again.
Back in the 1960s, we were a fledgling community struggling to rebuild after being kicked out of BC then told to go east of the Rockies or ‘back to Japan.’ Young families were desperately building new careers and lives as JC communities were being created in places like Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Hamilton, and Montreal.
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In February 2023 a JCCC press release about 123 Wynford, announced:
In a perfect world the building (123 Wynford Drive) would remain untouched as a living tribute to the sacrifices, perseverance and determination of the Japanese Canadian community to support the JCCC’s motto of Friendship Through Culture to ultimately build a better post-war Canada. The Centre continues to operate with that same motto 60 years later.
When the JCCC sold the building in 2001 the community understood the new owner planned to keep the building intact, which was an ideal outcome at that time. The wider community, as well as guardians of the Toronto architectural legacy that the building represents, are now best positioned to communicate the importance of the building to city planners and the current owners of the property. The JCCC will ensure that all concerned with the redevelopment of the original building are fully aware of the importance of the building to the history of Canada and to the history of Canadian multiculturalism.
As an organisation it saddens us to think that the original home of the JCCC is in jeopardy but we continue to work diligently to honour and to expand the reach of the legacy and the vibrant vision of the founders through our on-going programs and festivals, heritage initiatives, exhibitions and gathering of oral histories at the current home of the JCCC at 6 Garamond Court.
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In the aftermath of that announcement, we learned that the Ontario’s Progressive Conservative Premier, Doug Ford, made the decision to move the Ontario Science Centre (September 1969- ), another iconic Raymond Moriyama creation. Ford decided to move it from its Don Mills location, to the Lake Ontario Ontario Place site, where the government is planning to create a controversial Mega Spa development. This leaves the fate of that institution (Its advertising slogan at launch was “Come see what would happen if Albert Einstein and Walt Disney had gotten together.”) in question too.
R. Seiji Ohtake, Toronto
My father Frank Shuichi Ohtake was a never-tiring Founding Member of the JCCC. My mother, Miyoko Ohtake (née Kadoguchi) should have also been a Founding member but her role as those of most of the female founders was not acknowledged.
I remember the many picnics, gatherings and celebrations we had before and after the JCCC building was completed. Running around the construction site and marvelling at how the structure was rising. Learning about the symbolism of the chains as part of the earth (and then later learning and understanding that they could also represent the imprisonment of my parents, their families, and the rest of the Japanese-Canadian population 1942-1945).
The pride and joy of the Opening and cutting of the ribbon. The excitement of taking judo in our own dojo. The celebration of our community as we prepared and welcomed the citizens of Toronto to visit and partake in the festivities! It seemed that everyone was happier and hopeful for our futures. It was the “Centre” and truly was our touchstone for our heritage as I saw it.
Outside of the Centre, I had only a few JC friends other than family. We were focusing on assimilation, yet we could never fully attain that and it was always obvious. At the Centre, we were still a little uncertain of where we stood in the mosaic of Canada but we did get a strong sense of being and tradition and understanding of the respect for our culture and those that persevered to bring it to an apex that is the JCCC.
Forty years ago this month the JCCC was the venue for my wedding reception. It was a beautiful Friday evening. The trees on the west side provided a glorious backdrop for pictures with the stone and iron of the Centre providing a strong foundation. We could not afford a large party, but through my father’s history and association to the JC community and the JCCC we were able to have a beautiful setting for our celebration. Ruth made magic with her sushi and offerings (1983 was the first time that most of the people in attendance tried sushi! And what an introduction.) The simple elegance of the West Room was enjoyed by all as we partied well into the night. Many of those who were there still recall it as a special time, and the JCCC was the special place where it happened.
In 2010, we were able to have our remembrance ceremony for our father (predeceased by our mother). We were able to have it in the ‘new’ JCCC. It was a nice setting and the entire staff was helpful and kind. It was good but I felt that it was a pity that it could not be held in the building that our father and so many others worked so hard to bring to fruition as a place for their families and future, where so many shared celebrations and ceremonies occurred. Yes, a building has four walls and a roof, but it’s what happens in it that makes it special - that makes it home.
© 2023 Norm Masaji Ibuki
