Maffeo Sutton Park Amenity Building

Project Overview

Maffeo Sutton Park is Nanaimo’s flagship park and is well-used year round. A new amenity building has been considered at Maffeo Sutton Park since 2008, following the completion of Spirit Square. Additional washroom facilities were identified as a priority through public engagement in the Maffeo Sutton Park Master Plan. The existing washrooms are dated and cannot support the existing demand from current park usage levels, especially during special events that trigger surge usage. The park has become increasingly popular and is projected to continue to increase as improvements to recreation areas are completed and as Nanaimo’s population grows.

The proposed project involves the construction of a new, permanent amenity building within one of the City’s most widely used parks, designed to address service gaps while respecting the existing character of the park.  The facility will provide much-needed universal public washrooms, including surge capacity to support peak seasonal use, along with a green room to support park events and programming and a flex room to support future uses such as a park ambassador kiosk, sensory room, or additional washroom facilities. Public art will be integrated into the building design and may include architectural materials, artistic finishes, lighting features, and opportunities for temporary or rotating installations.

The primary goal of the project is to deliver an exceptionally durable building capable of withstanding high levels of daily use and environmental impacts while ensuring seamless integration into the park.

Building Location

The proposed location of the amenity building is northeast of the existing Lions Pavilion, between the Waterfront Walkway and Spirit Square. This building site was selected to allow the proposed building to act as a prominent wayfinding feature within the park, while also allowing connection to existing underground utilities and respecting necessary setbacks and flood construction requirements. This site also allows for seamless coordination between performances at the existing Lions Pavilion and the proposed green room.

Funding

Funding for the project has come from the British Columbia Growing Communities Fund, which supports infrastructure projects intended to enable community growth.

Committee

In February 2026, a Special Advisory Committee on Accessibility and Inclusion Meeting (ACAI) was held to facilitate a workshop with staff and the committee members to review the proposed building elements and general layout. The feedback from the ACAI will be integrated into the building design as design work progresses.