DFO and Toronto Raptors join together to revitalize basketball court in Toronto

August 26, 2022

Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) and the Toronto Raptors, with the support of the City of Toronto, are thrilled to come together to unveil a brand new and revitalized basketball court at Woolner Park today, where youth and community members can once again play and gather together.

This one-of-a-kind space has been reimagined to celebrate the Syme-Woolner community and elevate the space with a focus on youth. The new design features the message ‘Choose to Shine Together,’ boldly written in block-style letters across the entire court. To make it more inclusive, MLSE decided to translate the word ‘together’ into 16 languages - those most spoken in the Syme-Woolner neighbourhood – using them around the perimeter.

With investment from DFO of $250,000 and additional contributions from the Toronto Raptors and support from the City of Toronto, what was once a court in disrepair is now a fully updated community space for local youth, who played an integral role in the court design process. Throughout the project, an advisory group of neighbourhood youth were consulted to ensure the end result would meet their needs.

“The creativity and collaboration behind updating the Woolner Park court is truly inspiring and Dairy Farmers of Ontario is proud to support it,” said Cheryl Smith, DFO’s chief executive officer. “Our MilkUP program celebrates youth success and provides opportunities for them to succeed both on and off the court, while highlighting the benefits of milk in a healthy, active lifestyle. On behalf of Ontario’s 3,400+ dairy producers, their families and employees, we wish the Syme-Woolner Park Community many years of enjoyment.”

The official unveiling will include a community celebration with a MilkUP pop-up featuring interactive games, The Toronto Raptors mascot, a youth basketball clinic and giveaways.