Legacy project hopes to unite through sport
In an effort to support London and its Muslim community, in the wake of June’s horrific terrorist attack, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment is investing $250K in a legacy project.
London Mayor Ed Holder, City Staff, MLSE personnel, and Penny Appeal gathered Saturday, Oct. 2 to announce a project to refurbish a basketball court in the community — and support London’s Muslim community. (Photo: Jason Winders).
Organizers hope a new community-led partnership will leverage the power of sport to build up public basketball infrastructure, while simultaneously helping a city continue to heal in the aftermath of the deadliest attack in the city’s history.
“We are still feeling the impact of what happened,” said Rumina Morris, Director, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression, for the City of London. “This is such a great opportunity to let the voices of the community be heard about how we can build on what progress we have already made in bringing us together. This is such a great opportunity to keep that momentum going.”
A $250,000 investment by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) will support an outdoor basketball court refurbishment project in one city park, while an additional $70,000 investment from Penny Appeal will create new mental health services for members of the Muslim community, organizers announced Saturday.
“We are trying to get to the root of what happened,” Morris said. “This attack was about hate. So, how do we overcome hate? We do it together, as a community, uniting our voices unanimously against it. This project puts a positive spotlight on London, one that we have needed so badly. It will prove that we can come through a really, really difficult year. This will be a further opportunity to move forward and heal.”
On June 6, the nation was shocked by the planned killing of five members of a London family out for an evening walk in Hyde Park. Salman Afzaal, 46; Madiha Salman, 44; their daughter Yumna, 15; and grandmother Talat Afzaal, 74, died in the attack. The couple’s son, Fayez, 9, was left seriously injured.
The partnership announcement was part of a larger weekend of activities, including a Toronto Raptors open practice at Budweiser Gardens on Saturday, followed by a Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni game on Sunday. The event was designed ‘to show support for London and the Muslim community following the tragic events this past summer and use our teams’ voices to stand against hate, violence, and racism,’ said Teri Dennis-Davies, Senior Vice-President of People & Inclusion at MLSE.
MLSE has conducted numerous facility refurbishments over the last decade, working with communities across the country to imagine, design, and construct new sporting facilities.
“We believe that sport has the power to unite like no other thing can. It is a language all its own,” said Bridgette Estrela, Managing Director, MLSE Foundation & MLSE Social Impact. “Communities go beyond houses; communities need physical places to come together, especially in times like this.”
The refurbishment project will be geared toward multisport thinking, allowing community members to image a space that builds off the basketball infrastructure. Think combo facilities with hockey, soccer, cricket, even parkour. Londoners are also encouraged to think beyond the main playing surface and include spaces for social interactions, like seating, events, or designated courts for younger players.
The community will be involved in every step of the process, Estrela stressed, from the location, to the design, to even the centre court logo.
“These are the highlight projects of my career. I have done everything from rinks to courts to pitches. At every one, I stress that we are not here to parachute in and tell a community what they need. Nobody knows what they need better than the community itself,” she explained.
In London, several sites are under consideration, including the court at West Lions Park, 20 Granville St., where the announcement was held Saturday afternoon. No timelines for the project have been set pending city council approvals.
Off the court, organizers also identified a lingering need to address mental health within the Muslim community, especially among its youth, said Akber Ali, Chief Development Officer, Penny Appeal.
As a longstanding community partner with MLSE on numerous projects across the GTA, Penny Appeal previously brought together stakeholders from across the city, including the London Muslim Mosque, the Islamic Society of Southwestern Ontario, Muslim Association of Canada-London Chapter, plus members of the victims’ family. Meetings focused on the shape of this weekend’s event, the court plan, plus any additional community services required going forward.
A key takeaway from the consultations reflected a dire need for mental health support for students at the London Islamic School still struggling with the fallout from the attack.
Toward that end, Penny Appeal will invest $70,000 to create a mental health worker position in London to support the students and other members of the Muslim community. The new position will be with an as-of-yet-named community partner.
“When you are coming from outside the city, as we are, it is not our right, our job to say this is exactly what you need,” Ali said. “You have to be able to find the stakeholders within the community to tell you exactly the need they have. Our job is to fill that need.”
There are some familiar faces, but there’s a sense of renewal in London as the Lightning embark on a new season. With a new coach and several new players, is a new era upon us? What to expect in 2024-25 …