September 8, 2024 Update
July 16, 2024 Executive Committee Motion For Somali Centre for Culture & Recreation (SCCR) and Proposed Buttonwood Park Site
The Executive Committee, City of Toronto addressed the deferred item from the June 18, 2024 meeting regarding the proposed location of Buttonwood Park as the location for the Somali Culture and Recreation Centre. The intention of the June 18th deferment was to allow for further consultation and consideration with the local community, Somali community and City staff. This to date has not happened.
Executive Committee meeting agenda item EX16.4 - Proposed Land Lease for the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation ended with the following motion:
Motions
1 - Motion to Refer Item moved by Councillor Amber Morley (Carried)
REVISED
That the Executive Committee refer the Item back to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, in consultation with Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, to allow staff to continue the negotiations for the proposed land lease and to allow for the delivery of a comprehensive community engagement program by City staff in cooperation with the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation, and that consideration also be given to any other sites if identified in this engagement, and direct the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management to report back to the Executive Committee with a target of the October 1, 2024 meeting of Executive Committee.
At the July 16, 2024 Executive Committee Meeting...
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There were many deputations from those supporting the proposed Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation (SCCR) at the Buttonwood Park site and those opposed with comments and questions from members of the Executive Committee and Councillor Stephen Holyday.
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It was disappointing to hear from some residents deputing in opposition of the SCCR that the Somali community were not a part of the Buttonwood community and that the proposed location should be in "Rexdale".
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It was also disappointing Councillor Holyday did not extend the same courtesy to the SCCR members deputing as he did to the individuals deputing against using a portion of the Buttonwood Park site as some SCCR members are his constituents.
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Councillor Holyday persistently questioned the SCCR individual deputing who referred to the Buttonwood Park recommendation - which Councillor Holyday put forward in 2019 – repeatedly asking him if he knew of the context, the documents, the plan, the outcome. The speaker could not answer and asked for the Councillor to share that information. Councillor Holyday declined.
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In discussions by Executive Committee Members, it was determined that all Etobicoke Centre constituents present were unaware of the 2019 Buttonwood Park recommendation that Councillor Holyday put forward.
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The community learned in the July 16th meeting that the TCDSB had found another location and according to Councillor Holyday a consultation had not been required.
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As Councillor Paula Fletcher noted the document still remained “on the books” in 2024 and it was suggested that this had all contributed to the complicated situation that we (council, community, SCCR) are dealing with today.
Listen to the
Friends of Silver Creek
interview on
CBC's Metro Morning
September 13, 2019 Councillor Stephen Holyday Recommendation: Maximize the Buttonwood School and Park Site - Next Steps
View Councillor Holyday's 2019 Recommendation to develop Buttonwood Park for a community centre:
That Etobicoke York Community Council recommend that:
1. General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, in consultation with the Chief Planner and Create TO, engage with the TCDSB regarding the feasibility, next steps and development of a public consultation process on a solution which could maximize the Buttonwood School and Park sites for both the needs of the School Board and the City with regard to the development of schools, a community centre and a park, and to report to Council in Q1 2020 with recommendations.
August 5, 2024 Mimico Memorial Park Barbecue
The Executive Committee motioned to have a fully inclusive and collaborative community consultation by October 1, 2024 but online posts by TCDSB Trustee Markus De Domenico and the Buttonwood Hill Residents Association (BHRA) posted the following on their social platforms and a flyer was circulated citing a "private group" who could "build a parking lot" at the Mimico barbecue that Mayor Olivia Chow and Deputy Mayor Amber Morley hosted on Monday, August 5th at Mimico Memorial Park. The BHRA also posted that MPP Kinga Surma "confirmed" that the Buttonwood Park site is no longer an option for the SCCR.
What Happened to the Political Process and Community Consultation???
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Did Mayor Olivia Chow ignore the passed motion from the July 16th Executive Committee meeting to provide a community consultation including Etobicoke Centre residents and members of the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation?
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Who decided that the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation would be in Rexdale?
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Why is the Toronto Catholic District School Board Trustee meeting with the Mayor regarding a City Council proposed project?
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On the flyer circulated at the Mimico Memorial Park barbecue who are they referring to by an "outside group" and in what proposal is the SCCR advocating for a "parking lot"?
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Why did the provincial government get involved in a City Council issue and confirm in a BHRA post that the SCCR project would not take place at the Buttonwood Park site?
Friends of Silver Creek advocate for the investment and preservation of parkland and greenspace.
We also advocate for social community benefit and for fair, transparent and inclusive consultative processes and representation for all community members.
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The political process seems to have been ignored. City Council decisions are being overridden in lieu of side conversations with select groups and members of the community.
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Once the community at large had been informed, from the outset the dialogue around the Somali Culture and Recreation Centre has been positioned by both politicians and residents as an "Us vs Them" divisive narrative with incorrect information being shared. The SCCR are not an "outside group" and the Buttonwood Park site is not a proposed site for a parking lot. Throughout Etobicoke Centre, including in the Buttonwood Hill area are residents from all different backgrounds including from the Somali community.
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The proposed Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation is not only for the Somali community but is a much needed recreation centre for residents of Etobicoke Centre, just like other culture and recreation centres including the Columbus Centre at Dufferin and Lawrence.
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The Buttonwood Park site was one of many other sites provided by CreateTO to the SCCR committee for consideration. Why did Create TO and the City of Toronto including Councillor Holyday in 2019 propose the park site for development?
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The social posts made by Trustee De Domenico and the Buttonwood Hill Residents Association "confirming" that the Buttonwood Park site was no longer an option, that the SCCR would be in "Rexdale" and that it was a "community partnership" decision was all done without a call, discussion or consultation with the SCCR committee.
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The SCCR found out about this "community" decision through the social posts. How is this a fair and transparent process?
COMMUNITY CONSULATION SURVEY
In the absence of a community consultation, the Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation Committee are doing a community survey to help shape the future of the SCCR and they want YOUR feedback!
This survey is part of a series of SCCR town halls, outreach activities, and digital consultations to gather diverse perspectives on the new community centre in Etobicoke.
Your feedback will be included in the SCCR report to the City of Toronto as they work towards making this center a reality.
Let’s create a space that truly reflects the needs of our community.
The survey closes on September 15, 2024.
As per the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan 2019-2038 Central Etobicoke does not have a recreation centre and is identified as an area without adequate access to facilities.
Note that in the Master Plan which was published in 2017, Central Etobicoke is referenced as Ward 4 which was prior to Premier Doug Ford cutting the number of wards in Toronto during the 2018 municipal election. Central Etobicoke is now Ward 2.
