Junction Triangle members of the Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club are just months away from moving into a new home base.
Operations Manager Justin Hanna confirmed the club is about to sign a lease for a new space on Bloor Street West between Dundas Street West and Lansdowne Avenue. "This is good news," said Hanna in an interview Wednesday afternoon, June 30. "We're definitely extremely excited."Since 2008, the club has been operating out of a temporary location at 120 Perth Ave. in addition to running recreational activities at Perth Public School and St. Luigi Catholic School on Ruskin Avenue.Plans to move into a new renovated warehouse space on Ernest Avenue were derailed last year, much to the dismay of area residents. Community activist and former Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club board member Kevin Putnam said he is frustrated by the club's lack of communication with the neighbourhood and its lack of accountability. The Bloor Street West location, at 2,600 sq. ft., is a far cry from the 7,000 sq. ft. 45 Ernest Ave. warehouse, said Putnam. "It's no replacement for the club house they promised us," said Putnam.Hanna said he is aware of the community's displeasure. "Rightly so, people were disappointed we weren't able to complete the Ernest location," he said. Hanna explained that the 7,000-sq.-ft. warehouse with 18 foot ceilings would have cost the organization $100,000 in operating costs after taking care of rent, utilities and maintenance. However, Putnam said the club had to pay $90,000 to settle with the landlord of 45 Ernest Ave., who was going to rent his space to the club at cost. "When the recession hit, we had to take a step back and look at what we could and could not afford," said Hanna. "We would have had to cut back our programs and increase our fees and we didn't want to go that way. After completing a financial due diligence plan, we thought it was best to cancel the project and move forward in a way that had a good business case to be made."When a 'request of expression of interest' was issued by the city, the Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club submitted an application for the space at 1379 Bloor St. West, explained Hanna of the process. Hanna said the Government Management Committee recently made a recommendation for the club to have the space. That recommendation is expected to go to city council for approval on July 12, he said.The new Junction Triangle club house will be located within a condominium complex and features a kitchen, various rooms and an elevator. The condo's developer was required to provide community space within the complex and has thereby leased it to the city for 99 years, said Hanna. The Dovercourt Boys and Girls Club will lease the space from the city for three years. This new home will allow the club to continue and grow its homework club, its nutritional cooking class and provide a technology room and an arts and culture program. "We'll be starting a teen program in a teen lounge that will concentrate on leadership, social responsibility and volunteerism," said Hanna. This is especially great news for the club and the community because the Junction Triangle is under served in terms of youth programs, said Hanna, which Putnam also acknowledged. Hanna said he estimates an October move-in date.