Feds, province and city contribute more than $35M for new community centre in Scarborough
All three levels of government will be contributing a combined $35.9 million to build a new community centre in Scarborough meant to meet the diverse needs of the neighbourhood.
The announcement was made Friday morning by federal, provincial and local officials at Scarborough-Rouge Park.
The new Tamil Community Centre will be a multi-purpose facility and will include a gym, outdoor playing fields, a new library, museum and auditorium. It will also have multi-purpose spaces for educational and cultural events.
“This is going to be a fantastic facility,” Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters. “It will have a large gym, outdoor playing fields where people can play soccer, baseball, maybe even some cricket. It will be a hub for Tamil music and dance.”
Gary Anandasangaree, MP for Scarborough—Rouge Park, spoke at the event and said that he looks forward to having a safe and inclusive space to facilitate community events.
“I want to underscore the significance of what this space means to the community, in the context of the numerous times we've been denied space, or have had to undergo hurdles to obtain space,” he said.
“My sincere hope is that the Tamil Community Centre will bring together all of these elements to support the language, nurture the culture, support the needs of the community and provide a safe and inclusive space to remember and reflect.”
The federal government will invest $13.3 million into the project, while the Ontario government is providing nearly $12 million.
“I’m a big proponent of community centres and I said that to our caucus right across the province, nothing pulls a community together more than a community centre,” Premier Doug Ford said. “It’s used for so many different things but one is called a gathering place, a place that people can come and bring their family and bring their friends and just get together.”
The City of Toronto has contributed land for the new centre, valued at about $25 million, in the form of a long-term land lease.
“The city will continue to own it but it will be released in perpetuity to the Tamil community for $1 a year, plus HST,” Mayor John Tory said.
“It is a way the city could contribute…we all wanted to be a part of this.”
The community centre will celebrate and acknowledge the Tamil community but will be accessible to everyone in the neighbourhood, Tory added.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.