Toronto/CMEDIA: As Toronto Tempo reportedly prepares to launch their inaugural season this spring, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced the location and vision for a new high-performance training facility and community recreation hub at 701 Fleet St., just outside the Princes’ Gates at Exhibition Place.
“We’re partnering with the Toronto Tempo to turn an underused site into a world-class facility that serves both professional athletes and the public. With year-round access to recreation, new park space and inclusive programming, this project delivers real benefits for residents while strengthening Toronto’s leadership in women’s sport, Olivia Chow has said.
In partnership with the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team, the City of Toronto plans to develop a world-class training centre near the team’s home court at Coca-Cola Coliseum that will also serve as a year-round public recreation facility representing the first WNBA facility in North America to include dedicated community access and programming.
In exchange for a proposed long-term lease on City-owned land identified by CreateTO, the Toronto Tempo will deliver a state-of-the-art practice facility complete with two full-sized indoor basketball courts and change rooms, outdoor recreation amenities including two outdoor courts and a mini-pitch, new park space, and public washrooms, while assuming responsibility for maintenance of the training facility and improving long-lasting items.
Subject to approval of these lease terms by the Toronto City Council, the City will secure at least 2,200 hours of annual access for community programming, including use of the gym, training spaces and multi-purpose rooms.
The development of the programming would be done in collaboration with the local councillor to meet community needs, and is expected to include registered and drop-in programs, permit allotments and seasonal CampTO offerings.
A new record has been set by Toronto’s lease terms for community access compared to comparable agreements in other locations.
The City’s commitment to design excellence is reflected by the project which is designed by internationally recognized architecture firm HOK, with landscape design by NAK Design Strategies enhancing connectivity between nearby communities, Fort York, The Bentway and the waterfront.
“This new facility is a game-changer for local residents and Toronto’s waterfront communities…to ensure that everyone has better access to sports, programs alongside park and recreation amenities that make our city stronger and more connected. All while championing our Toronto Tempo, and strengthening Toronto as a hub for professional women’s sports,” Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Spadina-Fort York has said.
Supporting broader city-building goals, this partnership transforms an underutilized parking lot into vibrant parkland and a dynamic sports facility, enhancing public space and expanding opportunities for recreation and community use.
“This performance centre is about building the foundation for sustained excellence…our community deserves access to spaces that inspire the next generation. This facility will be both,” Monica Wright Rogers, General Manager, Toronto Tempo has said.
Coinciding with the Toronto Tempo’s inaugural season, the announcement follows the success of sold-out WNBA demonstration games in Toronto in 2023.
Subject to the City Council approval, construction is expected to begin this fall, with completion anticipated in 2028.
The league’s first team outside the United States as the newest franchise in the WNBA, the Tempo positions Toronto as a global hub for women’s professional sports with an ownership group that includes Kilmer Sports Ventures, Serena Williams, Masai Ujiri and Lilly Singh.
