Today, Mayor John Tory announced a $250,000 commitment to The 519 community centre to help support 2SLGBTQ+ and local communities in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. The funding will be focused on creating and coordinating community activities, events and programs in Barbara Hall Park and enhancing community safety and well-being for everyone in the Church-Wellesley Village.
Mayor Tory was joined for the announcement at Barbara Hall Park by Councillor Gary Crawford (Scarborough Southwest) the Budget Committee Chair, Councillor Robin Buxton Potts (Toronto Centre) and Pam Hrick, Board Chair of The 519.
Earlier this year, Toronto City Council approved the funding in the 2022 Operating Budget for the Association of Community Centres to support The 519. The funding will help The 519:
• Develop new diverse programming initiatives and events, including The 519-led programming and support for community-led initiatives
• Enhance engagement with local residents, partner organizations and community-led groups
• Work closely with neighbourhood stakeholders to identify and respond to community safety and needs of 2SLGBTQ+ community members who are experiencing homelessness
• Create inclusive opportunities for communities to engage with each other and with Barbara Hall Park’s green space
The 519 is a City of Toronto agency and registered charity committed to the health, happiness and full participation of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Barbara Hall Park, directly adjacent to The 519, is a vital green space used by a wide variety of community members, including local residents, visitors, families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
Events and programming in Barbara Hall Park will include larger marquee events; re-occurring programming, such as self-defence workshops for women, trans and non-binary people; pop-up events, including workshops and speaker events; and art installations and engagement activations. These initiatives will be for all ages, welcoming families, young people, older adults, community partners and local businesses.
The City has supported The 519 and its work with 2SLGBTQ+ communities for many years. As a City agency, The 519 receives core ongoing funding from the City that allows it to operate and be accessible to the community. The City has also recently invested an additional $315,000 in capital funding for necessary renovation and repair work to The 519’s heritage-status building. The 519 and the City continue to work closely together on a number of initiatives, including the Downtown East Vaccine Engagement Team, for which The 519 acts as the lead agency partner. More information about The 519 community centre is available on The 519 website: www.the519.org.
Quotes:
“As a city, we are proud to support The 519 and the work they do to enhance the well-being of Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ community and the Church-Wellesley Village neighbourhood. I look forward to seeing the vision for Barbara Hall Park come to life through the many events and programming that will be available to the community thanks to this new funding. The 519 has truly become a community hub for so many people in this city and our support will help them reach even more people who need access to these services.”
– Mayor John Tory
“The City is committed to ensuring we provide funding for services and programs that benefit 2SLGBTQ+ community members. This investment in Barbara Hall Park and future programming, events and initiatives will ensure we continue to host a safe and engaging gathering space for the community.”
– Councillor Gary Crawford (Scarborough Southwest), Chair of the Budget Committee
“The Church-Wellesley Village neighbourhood is an exciting part of our city. I am thrilled to see this commitment to the 2SLGBTQ+ community and funding for programs and events in Barbara Hall Park. I look forward to seeing the community come together to support these initiatives, engage with one another and feel safe and supported in this inclusive environment.”
– Councillor Robin Buxton Potts (Toronto Centre)
“The 519 is thrilled to receive support to animate Barbara Hall Park and to engage with park users through a variety of programs, activities and events. Our hope is that these initiatives will foster a stronger sense of community and relationship-building to help enhance our already vibrant neighbourhood.”
– Pam Hrick, Board Chair, The 519
I joined @CllrCrawford, @RobinBPotts and @PamHrick to announce funding for @The519 to help them expand activities supporting the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
With $250,000 committed from this year’s @CityofToronto budget, The 519 will be empowered to deliver more diverse programming. pic.twitter.com/Dw9ifqKbD9
— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) June 9, 2022
Source City of Toronto
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