Last Updated - March 4, 2025
The Toronto Lands Corporation (TLC) was excited to participate in the recent announcement that the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation (SCCR) was moving forward. The SCCR is a registered nonprofit organization led by a group of Somali Canadian professionals across Ontario working to create a dedicated community space in Toronto. TLC CEO Ryan Glenn joined representatives of the Federal and Municipal governments and three Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Trustees at Humber College for the event.
The announcement resulted from a 40-year effort to develop a culture and recreation centre to address the needs of this underserved community. The project was supported by Toronto City Council in 2022 and by the TDSB in 2023. It will serve as a central space for the Somali community to gather and receive culturally appropriate community services from non-profit service providers and agencies. The City of Toronto has also identified that, with its support, such a facility would serve the larger surrounding community.
On February 19, the TDSB adopted a plan developed by TLC to provide the SCCR with the property at 95 Humberline Drive for a 49-year period to build and operate the new facility. The site in North Etobicoke is currently used by the City of Toronto for general park purposes. At Saturday’s event, the Hon. Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Canada’s Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities, committed $20 million from the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program towards construction.
The project is an excellent example of the benefit to communities when all levels of government can work collaboratively and creatively to maximize assets. It is recognized that equity-deserving communities often lack recreational opportunities, neighbourhood improvements, and affordable spaces for community and cultural events. Removing barriers to these opportunities, including reducing travel times to access community facilities, creates a more positive holistic learning environment for TDSB students and families beyond the walls of their classrooms. Recognizing that equity is a guiding principle of TDSB, TLC supports this initiative and its goals.