Ralph Thornton Centre is a community centre that has been serving the neighbourhood of Riverdale for over 30 years.
The building itself was a former postal station, built in 1913. Over the years, the post office closed down and the centre began to host community events like a boxing ring before it was bought by the City in the late 70s and saved from demolision.
Every square inch of the building is used to offer some sort of community activity, whether it's job fairs, workshops and meetups. The centre is also equipped with a good-sized kitchen, new washrooms and elevators. You can also rent a few rooms at the centre and there's information on the website for more details.
I was here for an event called Help Portrait Toronto, a global photography movement that help those in need receive a free photograph. Here's the info about the Toronto chapter: http://helpportraittoronto.tumblr.com/
We were given two floors of the centre for our camera equipment, make-up and hair stations, play area, as well as access to the kitchen where we served healthy treats and beverages.
It was a fantastic day to give something back to the community and the staff and volunteers at the centre couldn't be any nicer. read more