Toronto, Aug. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), the Toronto Raptors and the City of Toronto are thrilled to unveil a brand new and revitalized basketball court at Woolner Park today, where youth and community members can once again gather and play together.
This one-of-a-kind space has been reimagined to celebrate the Syme-Woolner community and elevate the space with a focus on youth. Working with Ben Johnston, a renowned Toronto artist, the new design features the message ‘Choose to Shine Together,’ boldly written in block-style letters across the entire court. To make it more inclusive, the design translates the word ‘together’ into 26 languages - those most spoken in the Syme-Woolner neighbourhood – using them around the perimeter.
“The creativity and collaboration behind updating the Woolner Park court is truly inspiring and Dairy Farmers of Ontario is proud to support it,” said Cheryl Smith, DFO’s Chief Executive Officer. “Our MilkUP program celebrates youth success and provides opportunities for them to succeed both on and off the court, while highlighting the benefits of milk in a healthy, active lifestyle. On behalf of Ontario’s 3,400+ dairy producers, their families and employees, we wish the Syme-Woolner Park Community many years of enjoyment.”
With investment of $250,000 from existing partnership funding and additional contributions from the Toronto Raptors and support from City of Toronto, what was once a court in disrepair is now a fully updated community space for local youth, who played an integral role in the court design process. Throughout the project, an advisory group of neighbourhood youth were consulted to ensure the result would meet their needs.
“We are committed as an organization to create programs that lead to impactful change, and to work with partners who share our values when it comes to supporting our fans and communities,” said Jordan Vader, Senior Vice President, Global Partnerships, MLSE. “The refurbishment of the Woolner Park court was a collaborative effort with not only Dairy Farmers of Ontario, but also the youth and community it serves, and we are extremely proud of that.”
Today’s court reopening would not have been possible without the assistance of the Syme-Woolner Neighbourhood & Family Centre and Access Alliance. As champions of the Jane-Woolner community, their local support, advocacy and organizational mission embody the spirit of this court reimagination.
About Dairy Farmers of Ontario
Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) is proudly owned and operated by Ontario’s 3,400+ dairy producers. Dairy farming is the largest sector of Ontario agriculture and DFO is the marketing group that represents it. Our mission is to provide leadership and excellence in the production and marketing of Canadian milk for a dynamic, profitable growing Canadian dairy industry. For more information, visit www.milk.org.
City of Toronto
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofto.
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