Raymond K. Nakamura

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#My Baachan 45. Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre

More people of Japanese descent ended up in Toronto where my Baachan was, but they did not settle in any particular area. Apparently, they still felt the need to feel like a community, even as they assimilated. Through community fund-raising, the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre was born in Don Mills, Toronto. It was designed by architect Raymond Moriyama and opened in 1964, with Prime Minister Lester B Pearson there. I don't know how often my Baachan visited, but various members of my extended family helped out and we would go for one event or another and judo for a while. The JCCC hosted the Tokyo pavillion as part of Toronto's multicultural Caravan festival and one year I played the mayor.
The JCCC has moved to larger building in the same area but this building remains as the Noor Cultural Centre, a muslim organization.