519 Lobby Improvements

Overview

The 519 Community Centre — a beloved hub for residents across Toronto Centre — is getting some important upgrades, and Councillor Chris Moise has been working hard to make sure the funding is in place to get it done.

The project focuses on three key areas:

Lobby renovations — The 519 is planning to renovate its lobby with three new front desk areas to make the space more welcoming and accessible for everyone who walks through the door. Alongside this, the Centre will be upgrading its security system, including new cameras, panic buttons, and other safety improvements to better protect staff, volunteers, and community members.

Safety Improvements —- The Centre will be upgrading its security system, including new cameras, panic buttons, and other safety improvements to better protect staff, volunteers, and community members.

Building resilience audit — The project will also fund a full audit of the building's systems to identify priority improvements related to climate resilience. This means taking a close look at how the building holds up against the challenges of a changing climate and putting a plan in place to address any gaps — helping to ensure The 519 remains a safe and reliable space for the community for years to come.

To move this forward, Councillor Moise and Councillor Paul Ainslie jointly brought a motion to increase the operating budget by $133,564.14, drawing on both Section 37 and Section 45 community benefit funds — with the Section 45 funds secured specifically from the development at 600 Jarvis Street. This motion has been carried by City Council and is now being adopted. The motion also confirmed that the use of these community benefit funds must be properly recognized in all documents and promotional materials related to this project — a requirement as part of the formal agreement between the City and The 519 Community Centre.

This is Councillor Moise putting community benefit dollars to work directly where they're needed most.

This project is funded through two separate streams of community benefits:

Section 37 funds — community benefit contributions secured through the City's planning process and directed toward local improvements
Section 45 funds — community benefits obtained specifically from the development at 600 Jarvis Street, designated for capital improvements in the neighbourhood

Together, these two funding sources support the $134,564.14 budget increase approved by City Council for the lobby renovations, security upgrades, and building resilience audit at The 519 Community Centre.

As a condition of this funding, The 519 is required to acknowledge the source of these community benefit funds in all project documents and promotional materials.

Sign up for updates from Councillor Moise at chrismoise.ca so you're the first to know when consultation dates are confirmed.

Project ID: CMO-46

Council Approved!