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In 2010, Valley Park Middle School, Canada's largest middle school, began with an initiative to rejuvenate their backyard and adjacent Hydro land. Members of the community recognized that many youth in the community were passionate about cricket in the Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park area, yet there were no facilities that could adequately facilitate their games. The result was the start of the Go Green Cricket and Sports Field schoolyard revitalization project. The purpose of the project was to transform the schoolyard into a community hub focusing on sports, recreation and the environment. To date, more than $2.5 million in capital expenditures has been privately fundraised by Go Green Youth Centre (GGYC) for this outdoor facility. It was an initiative driven by community residents, school parents, teachers, and students. While the project was in motion, GGYC started to offer free youth-led programs beginning in 2012.

 

The project enhanced the schoolyard with a multi-purpose cricket field, a multi-sport court, an outdoor amphitheatre, two batting cages, a bioswale, butterfly meadow, interpretive marsh, urban forest, digital scoreboard and night-time LED sports lights. It is also Canada's first illuminated cricket field. GGYC has a sub-license agreement with the Toronto District School Board to manage and operate the outdoor facility.

 

Near the beginning of 2018, a decision was made to change our official corporate name from Valley Park Community Association to Go Green Youth Centre to reflect our long-term vision of providing youth-oriented activities, particularly through the provision of year-round sports, enrichment programs and full-service summer and march break camps. We have served tens of thousands of youth on our site and engaged thousands through our organized programs.