What We've Done
For the past four+ years, there have been multiple community interactions, structured committee work, and a feasibility study funded by the City and completed by Social Planning Toronto. The study concluded that a community hub would address long-standing deficits including local space needs and service gaps in Central Etobicoke. This essential access point will enable youth, seniors, newcomers, individuals living alone, and families to interact and become fully engaged, healthy, socially included, and active residents.
Key Documents
Feasibility Study Findings - Brief
The study found that Central Etobicoke, though typically seen as well-off, has concentrated pockets of poverty, where poverty levels reach near 30%, with child poverty reaching almost 38%.
These pockets of poverty are coupled with high populations of seniors (which make up 19.1% of the overall population) and youth (23.1%). Central Etobicoke also supports a new population of Syrian government-assisted refugees who are more accutely in need of community services and programs like recreational services for seniors, youth programming, health services, and mental health services.
There is also need for physical spaces like common space where residents can congregate and socialize, a youth lounge to provide a safe accessible space for young people all located in a community hub within the community.
The study felt the hub should adopt a governance model which allows for a balance between community-based and city leadership. No location has yet been identified for the new hub, however, the study confirmed the hub needs to be strategically located to efficiently serve the community. The location should be accessible via a main transit route and close to areas of highest need.
Maps Tell a Story...
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