A fundraiser has been started in an effort to save the original Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) located at 123 Wynford Drive in Toronto.

The building, designed by the late Raymond Moriyama, holds deep cultural, historical and architectural significance, and is currently at risk of being almost entirely demolished to make way for condo towers.

“Less than 20 years after Japanese Canadians were unjustly incarcerated during the Second World War, the Japanese Canadian community built the JCCC as a living monument to celebrate their ancestry, regain a sense of self-respect and promote friendship with all Canadians through culture,” reads the GoFundMe page. “Due to a funding shortfall at that time, 75 community members stepped forward and put second mortgages on their homes and businesses to finance the building.”

According to the fundraiser page, the Toronto NAJC has opposed this development and received significant pro bono legal support for over a year.