Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre has won Distinction for Accessibility at this year's IAKS gala. The International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS), International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) came together last month in Cologne, Germany to recognize exemplary sports and leisure facilities. hcma's Managing Principal Darryl Condon and Principal Melissa Higgs attended the ceremony with Scott Groves from the City of Surrey.

The award we received hopes to increase the accessibility of all sports and leisure facilities in order to offer all people, regardless of their physical abilities, opportunities to practice and view sport freely without barriers. As a whole, the gala brings public attention to buildings and complexes that integrate sensible sustainability and legacy considerations, strong functional planning and exceptional architectural design. This year, 72 projects competed from 12 countries, spanning major international sports venues in Singapore and Brazil, to small and socially meaningful skateparks in Palestine and Spain.