Into the centre of the community
YMCA daycare a highlight of popular Parkway Forest Community Centre that officially opens Saturday
After just a few months at the newly opened Parkway Forest YMCA Child Care Centre, 23-month-old Megna Katta had it all spelled out: “A for apple, B for ball.”
“When she comes home from daycare, she starts reciting the alphabet,” says the toddler’s father, Prashanth Katta. “She pronounces rhymes. She can already do the alphabet.”
Katta and his family live in the larger Parkway Forest neighbourhood in North York, for which the new community centre has quickly become an important hub.
The multimillion-dollar centre was built and funded by Elad Canada Inc., developer of the neighbourhood’s Emerald City master-planned residential community.
Upon completion, Emerald City will have nine condo towers, six townhomes and three apartment buildings — plus original sculpture designed by Douglas Coupland — spanning 20 acres.
Elad seized on the unique situation at Emerald City to include distinct amenities not found in typical condominium offerings, including the Parkway Forest Community Centre. Service to the larger community was included in their planning mix.
“Most developers will focus on a single point tower or a couple of towers — and that’s great — but there’s certain advantages to a master-planned community,” said Rafael Lazer, CEO of Elad Canada Inc.
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It enables us to design better and build more efficiently so we can maximize the benefits for purchasers.
“When you have such critical mass of units and buildings, it gives you the opportunity to uplift the community and the value of the entire area,” adds Lazer.
The state-of-the-art community centre was designed by award-winning Diamond Schmitt Architects Inc. for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification.
“Ambience, maintenance and people,” says Katta of the criteria he and his wife
“When you have such critical mass of units and buildings, it gives you the opportunity to uplift the community.” RAFAEL LAZER
used to select the new daycare for their youngster.
As well, it’s less than a kilometre from their home in the neighbourhood.
“Two ladies there who take care of my daughter, Ashley and Azam, take great care of her.
“Now she doesn’t like coming home. She’s happy there.
“This is in a community centre, so they have a lot of ventilation, more freshness and a lot of activities,” he adds.
“One of best things is that it’s a new one. Everything is new.”
Open since June 22, Parkway Forest Community Centre plans to formally introduce itself to the neighbourhood Saturday with a barbecue and afternoon of fun and activities for young neighbours as well as adults.
It has already been hailed by area residents for its exceptional facilities that include new and open space, eager staff and an array of programs.
The 50,000-square-foot community centre houses a double-gymnasium, commercial teaching kitchen — a variety of culinary classes are on offer — a fitness and dance studio, art room, preschool space, children’s playground, a splash and spray pad, multi-purpose sports court and an outdoor pool with a locker room pavilion.
That’s in addition to a massive gym with retractable basketball hoops, an elevated walking track, volleyball and badminton areas and resistance training apparatus.