Programs & Services > Community and Neighbourhood Development > Community Action Networks and Projects
Massey Taylor Youth Centre
Project submitted to Aviva Canada
To support our project please go to Aviva competition page: http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf11438
Project Description
Children Peace Theatre
Current basement - future sound/music room
Path towards Massey Goulding Estate
Projected quiet/study room 
Massey Goulding Estate house
Projected lounge/library
There are near 2000 youth living in Crescent Town/Massey Taylor, one of Toronto’s priority neighbourhoods. Crescent Town is a multicultural neighborhood whose population includes extensive numbers of Bengali, Jamaican, Pakistani, and Tamil Canadians. Since the United Way of Toronto identified the area as a priority and directed resources and programming towards the neighbourhood, the community is becoming more engaged and starting to access the services they need. Many youth are motivated, active and trying to make a difference in their lives and the lives of the families and neighbours.
The Neighbourhood Youth Alliance is a partnership established in 2007 between local youth and four organizations: Neighbourhood Link, Neighbourhood Centre, Children’s Peace Centre, and Family Service Toronto. Since 2007, the youth have participated in many programs and experienced the thrill and impact of building their community. They created a mentorship program, Be That Role Model, where 22 youth learned essential leadership skills through arts and skills-based activities. They launched a neighbourhood website, www.Yellinks.ca, to keep the youth informed. They created Youth 2 Youth - a leadership group for young men who are working together to overcome barriers. They identified the need for entrepreneurship training and secured funding to explore careers in aviation and the music industry. Today, the youth sit on various local committees addressing public health, education and environmental concerns.
In spite of all their achievements, Crescent Town youth experience the constant disappointment of not having a physical space in which to gather, learn and plan. Research on youth culture indicates that youth centres are effective when they give young people somewhere to go; something to do; and a space of their own. Crescent Town youth have a lot to do but nowhere to do it.
Sitting in the midst of this high-rise dense neighbourhood is The Massey Goulding Estate, a 5,000 square foot heritage home in the middle of the Taylor Creek Park forest. It is a peaceful, natural and very beautiful setting – a piece of the country in the middle of a very urban area of Toronto.
While the natural setting is beautiful and peaceful it is also an isolated and daunting setting to approach. For many of the residents of the neighbourhood, a forest is not an inviting space to walk through. The house, with 10 rooms spread on two floors and the basement, is beautiful in its architecture: a 1920’s Arts and Craft home now housing the Children’s Peace Centre. Most of the house goes unused and its rooms need repairs and refurbishing. There is enough space to create a lounge, a library, a quiet/study room, and a soundproof music and art studio. See photos.
With Aviva funding, Crescent Town youth will create their own centre at The Massey Goulding Estate, helping them to become an example of youth entrepreneurship, innovation and collaboration for the children lviing in the area.
This is an opportunity for the Neighbourhood Youth Alliance, a Toronto heritage site, the urban experience and a Canadian forested landscape to come together to create a beautiful and accessible space for Crescent Town youth and their families.
The specific work that needs to happen in and around the building is as follows:
1. make the walking entrance paths safe, well-lit and accessible;
2. clean up the basement to create the music and art studio;
3. ensure proper ventilation for the new spaces;
4. renew and update four rooms – for lounge, kitchen, library and study room; and
5. revitalize the outside amphitheatre for future shows,
