• Somali communities across Toronto have been advocating for the development of a cultural and recreation centre for decades. Such a space would advance access to culturally appropriate City services and provide a hub for Somali-serving agencies and regionally based non-profit organizations. It would also help to preserve Toronto’s Somali communities’ history and cultural contributions. 
• Following the successful models of the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto and the Tamil Community Centre, the aim is to develop a dynamic space that serves the diverse programming needs of community members of all ages, including children, youth and seniors.

• The SCCR Steering Committee is developing a process whereby various demographics within the Somali community will be consulted, including elders, youth, community organizers and mentors, students, and others. The Steering Committee further plans to organize consultations in partnership with local Somali community groups and businesses. Further details on the consultation process will be forthcoming.

A location for the Centre will be chosen following a thorough consultation process with Somali communities and in partnership with the City of Toronto. You can stay informed on this process by checking the Announcements page for up-to-date information.

Look out for further information on how to get involved in the coming weeks! There are a number of ways to engage, including through participating in consultations, volunteering with the Steering Committee, or sharing news about the Centre. We will continue to update this page with more information about the Centre and how to get involved.