A free event featuring the Mayor’s pancake breakfast, recreation programming, facility tours, and a King Rebellion OJHL game

Mark your calendars for Sunday, Jan. 26.
King Township residents and visitors are invited to attend the official opening of Zancor Centre: Canada's first zero carbon, combined aquatics and ice sports facility, located at 1600 15th Sideroad in King City. The free event runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature a ribbon cutting ceremony, the Mayor's Pancake Breakfast, recreational swimming, skating and sports, facility tours, and a King Rebellion Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) game.
The official opening celebrations will kick-off at 9 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony and welcoming remarks. Starting at 10:30 a.m. and running hourly until 2:30 p.m., visitors can go on staff-led facility tours to view the facility's state-of-the-art amenities. Other scheduled programming available for all ages includes the following:
Mayor's Pancake Breakfast from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Recreational swimming at 11 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Regular pool admission guidelines apply.
Recreational skating from 11:30 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.
Recreational sports from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with dedicated times for soccer, badminton, lacrosse, basketball, pickleball, sports play group and Robothink. Indoor shoes required.
King Rebellion vs. Caledon Admirals OJHL game with a puck drop at 3 p.m. Admission is free with a non-perishable food item or monetary donation to the King Township Food Bank.
Capacity restrictions apply to all drop-in programming. View the full program schedule online at king.ca/ZancorCentre.
King Township's new recreation facility, which broke ground in April 2022, sits on 25 acres at the southeast corner of Seneca's King Campus and features 124,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor state-of-the-art amenities. Highlights include:
Two NHL-sized rinks: the JTF Homes Arena (home rink of the King Rebellion Junior A Team) and the Country Day School Arena.
Aqua Tech Solutions Aquatic Centre: a 25-metre, six-lane lap pool that's 3-metres deep and a 1-metre-deep leisure pool with teaching steps for toddlers and a hydrotherapy section for adults and seniors. Plus: universal changerooms with private stalls, washrooms and showers providing an accessible, family-friendly changing area, including a stroller parking lot just outside.
Municipal Maintenance Athletic Centre: an artificial turf field (for soccer and lacrosse) backed by a playing surface with marked game lines for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and badminton—all surrounded by a 3-lane running track with a fitness area including cardio and strength training equipment.
Barrier-free, universal washroom with private, fully enclosed stall toilets and sinks.
The King City Lions Community Room and the Gord Orr Community Room, multipurpose spaces ideal for fitness classes, recreation programs and private rentals (includes a shared kitchenette).
A large, fully enclosed outdoor courtyard with direct access to community rooms and pool.
During the project's design phase, King conducted extensive public engagement opportunities, including Public Information Centres and a dedicated webpage on SpeaKING, to learn which types of amenities are preferred by residents and community user groups. More than 1,000 engagement touchpoints were generated to help determine the facility's amenities and programming.
Construction of the $86-million, multi-partner facility was made possible with funding support from the provincial and federal governments, as well as Seneca Polytechnic and the development community. The Government of Canada invested over $21.1 million in the centre through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Plan. The Government of Ontario provided $17.6 million. The Township of King provided over $20 million, mostly through development charges, with another $16 million contributed by developers as community benefits. Seneca Polytechnic and King have signed a 99-year lease agreement for the land at a cost of $1 per year.
In July 2024, Zancor Homes became the naming rights partner of the multi-use recreation facility, originally named the Township-Wide Recreation Centre. The developer has a long-standing history of supporting community services and events in King through donations and sponsorships and paid $1.5 million for the rights, which will last 15 years. Ten-year partnerships were also secured for the naming rights of the two ice pads (JTF Homes Arena and the Country Day School Arena); the aquatic centre (Aqua Tech Solutions Aquatic Centre); and, the athletic centre (Municipal Maintenance Athletic Centre). Funding from all naming rights totals $2.7 million, which will go towards future needs and maintenance of the facility.
In January 2024, the Zancor Centre became the first combined aquatics and ice-sports community facility in Canada to achieve Zero Carbon Building Design Certification by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). Innovative features designed to reduce carbon emissions include all electrical building systems to recover waste heat, daylight optimization for energy efficiency, minimal dependence on gas-fired equipment and geothermal readiness. Learn more here.
“This is a momentous occasion for King Township. The Zancor Centre is a testament to over 20 years of vision and planning, originating from the 2004 Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The cost of this project was $86 million with only $678,000 in tax-supported funding, less than 1 per cent paid for by property taxes,” said Mayor Steve Pellegrini. “The extensive consultation process allowed us to adapt and enhance the original design ensuring the facility is a vibrant recreation hub that meets the diverse needs of our community. We are proud to open Canada's first zero carbon, combined aquatics and ice sports facility, and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the official opening celebration on January 26.”
Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, noted: “This new facility in King City will bring people together, promote healthy lifestyles and foster a sense of community. Working with our municipal partners across the province, our government is investing in new and upgraded recreation centers, strengthening local economies and building the infrastructure our growing province needs.”
“At long last, the Zancor Centre has officially opened its doors to King families, supported by a $17.6 million investment by the province. I am proud to have fulfilled my commitment to our community by securing the largest provincial infrastructure investment in King's history to build this state-of-the-art recreation centre. This is another big win for our kids and the entire community,” noted Stephen Lecce, MPP King–Vaughan
Anna Roberts, MP King-Vaughan, offered her congratulations to King Township, all of the partners, contributors, and residents who have made the Zancor Centre a reality.
“This is an important, state-of-the-art facility that will allow residents to build community relationships and be physically active. I look forward to the residents utilizing all of the activities available such as the pools, running tracks and cheering on our great King Rebellion in the NHL-sized ice rinks,” she said.
“When Mayor Pelligrini reached out to talk about the possibility of locating a state-of-the-art recreational facility for the residents of King Township on Seneca Polytechnic's King Campus, it was a slam dunk. Seneca is delighted to support our neighbours by providing the land for the beautiful Zancor Centre, and we're proud to be part of this great and vibrant community,” added David Agnew, President, Seneca Polytechnic.
For more information about the Zancor Centre, including recreation programs and swim lessons, facility rentals, employment and advertising opportunities, visit king.ca/ZancorCentre.