311 Staines Road

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Project History

CreateTO and the City of Toronto worked with the Board of Directors for the Tamil Community Centre (TCC) to identify and secure a piece of City-owned property at 311 Staines Road for the development of a new community centre in an effort to address the gap in services in northeast Toronto, which has historically been an underserved area of the city.

In October of 2020, Toronto City Council directed staff to enter into a lease agreement enabling the Board of Directors for the TCC to secure the site, valued at $25 million, at a minimal cost – $1 plus HST in annual rent – which will permit a new facility to be built.

The community centre will be an opportunity to celebrate Tamil culture and language and an opportunity to learn about Tamil people’s history in Sri Lanka and their migration and refuge to Canada.

The facility will also serve as a true community hub, incorporating spaces and services to help address the current and growing needs of the diverse Canadian Tamil community, as well as Black, Indigenous and other equity-seeking groups in the area.

The TCC has undertaken a pre-design study which includes a concept of the community services for the site. For more information, visit https://www.tamilcentre.ca/en/.

Please view our pre-design renderings in the photo gallery below.



Project Details

  • Major Intersection: Steeles Avenue East and Staines Road
  • Surrounding Uses: Rouge River to the north and east; and residential to the south and west.
  • Ward: Scarborough-Rouge Park
  • Councillor: Jennifer McKelvie
  • Site Area (acres): 4
  • Past Use: Vacant
  • Proposed Use: Municipal

Additional Resources

Article: A new Tamil Community Centre proposed for northeast Scarborough takes its design cues from Tamil influences and the surrounding natural landscape

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