Community Development
At TNO, we firmly believe that Community Development plays an important role in enhancing the well-being and growth of our neighbourhoods. It is about empowering individuals and communities to realize their full potential. Fostering collaborations, building networks and mobilizing resources to address needs and aspirations. This involves various stakeholders, including our community members, government agencies, and partner organizations.
Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) emphasizes leveraging existing assets and strengths of a community to drive sustainable progress. We place emphasis on the valuable resources such as cultural heritage, skilled community leaders and individuals, local businesses that exist within our communities. We work to bring a community development approach in all aspects of programming and services focusing on integrated, multi-faceted interventions. We continue to learn from our community and from each other and look towards a sustainable development.
Mural Projects in Our Community
“Colours of our Voice” is an intergenerational, co-created mural that symbolizes unity, diversity, community and resiliency.
This project brought youth and seniors from Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park together to create a public artwork that inspires resiliency from May to July 2019.
Funded through a Resilience Builder Grant from the Toronto Foundation, supporting partners include TNO – The Neighbourhood Organization (coordination), the STEPS Initiative (art) and the East York Town Centre (space).
The Gateway Bike Hub
The Gateway Bike Hub began with a simple idea. What if we could take discarded, abandoned and used bikes, fix them up and give them to people who need them? What impacts would that have on us as an urban community, and our experience of the city?
It means that we would build strong connections to the community, reduce waste, enable active lifestyles and self-sufficient transportation, all while making our city more liveable and sustainable.
Leaside Park Community Garden
The Leaside Park Community Garden (LPCG) was developed in partnership with the Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers and Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office (TNO) in 2015. It is a food-growing, gardening, and learning space for residents and community members of all ages. The garden is open from April to the end of October. We welcome individuals, families, school and other program groups from Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park.
Sew TO Sewing Collaborative
The Sew TO Women’s Collective aims to support local women facing barriers to employment who can work from home and earn money. Our goal is to create long term, stable and fairly paid work for the women of Thorncliffe and Flemingdon Park.
Food Collaborative
TNO established the Food Collaborative in March 2020 at the outset of the pandemic to help seniors stay safe at home. Food hampers were packaged and delivered to their homes. Due to an overwhelming response from the community, TNO opened the Food Collaborative to the public and began serving residents in Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park. The Food Collaborative now serves 1,100 clients, ensuring they have access to fresh produce, eggs, dairy products, and culturally appropriate food twice a month. More than half of our clients are newcomers.
