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"Tomorrow is Built Today." Those were the words emblazoned across the south wall of the brand new MLSE launchpad on the evening of January 26, which saw the grand opening of the new multi-sport facility at the Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) building on 259 Jarvis St. With some 400 people in attendance, MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment) speakers included Michael Bartlett, Head of Community Affairs, President and CEO Michael Friisdahl, and Chairman Larry Tanembaum.
The new MLSE Launchpad occupies a space that had been sitting dormant since the building's initial opening in 1991. Originally built to become a roller-skating rink, TCH operated the facility as an concrete shell, seeking out groups that would bring their own proposals to reimagine the space. Now, after over two decades, the 42,000 ft² space is finally reborn as an active community hub, carrying out the MLSE Foundation's 2015 plans to build what would become the first facility of its kind in North America.
Focusing on four pillars—Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Ready for School, and Ready For Work—the MLSE Launchpad encompasses sport development programming, while also providing youth in the Moss Park area (ages 6 through 29) academic support as well as employment training.
The facility's central space is a gymnasium which can be divided into three separate spaces. A teaching kitchen is located near the building's main entrance, while classroom space is housed on a mezzanine level, overlooking the gym. Murals are painted along areas of the facility's walls, while logos of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors, and FC are in the center point of each of the three dividable gym spaces. One end of the gym also includes a painted rock-climbing wall.
Notable guests in attendance at the event were alumni of MLSE's three biggest teams: Shayne Corson of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jamaal Magliore, former NBA player and now assistant coach of the Raptors; and Toronto-born Dwayne De Rosario, a former Toronto FC star. Each offered their respective sport's first goal—or basket—to inaugurate the MLSE Launchpad.
The cost of the project totalled $6 million, with funding coming from multiple stakeholders, including the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, MLSE, MLSE Foundation, TCHC, and PCL Construction (who contributed over $1 million). Meanwhile, the 50/50 draw at the Maple Leafs/Raptors/TFC games will continue to be one of the main sources of continuous operational funding.
The company charged with the build-out of the launchpad, PCL Construction, has built a strong presence within Toronto and surrounding areas. Along with projects such as MaRS Discovery District Phase Two, OCAD's Sharp Centre, and the TIFF Bell Lightbox, PCL has partnered with MLSE since the mid 1990s, building the Air Canada Centre, Maple Leaf Square, and more recently, the BMO Field Expansion.
Founded in 2009, the MLSE foundation has given well over $30 million to help local communities, supporting projects like the Regent Park Athletic Grounds. In total, some 49 sports facilities throughout the Toronto area have been given new life, thanks to the foundation. Committing to the longevity and success of this new program, the MLSE Foundation has signed on to a 20-year lease.
Want to give your own input on the new MLSE LaunchPad? Feel free to share your thoughts by commenting in the space below this page. More information about the facility can also be found on the MLSE Foundation's official Launchpad website.
