​

In 2010, Valley Park Middle School, Canada's largest middle school, embarked on a journey to revitalize the school backyard and adjacent Hydro land. The theme of the project was "rain water harvesting" so the field was designed so that surface and underground storm water drained into a newly created bioswale and demonstration wetland. The idea was to connect the school yard and its curriculum to the richness of the adjacent Don River Valley ravines. At the same time, members of the committee recognized that many families were passionate about cricket but there were few facilities within the neighbourhoods where they could play. The result was the Go Green Cricket and Sports Field schoolyard revitalization project. To date, more than $2.1 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 connected 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 operates the site cooperatively with the Toronto District School Board and school and retains rights to permit the field during non-school hours.

 

In early 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, educational & career programs. We have served tens of thousands of youth on our site and inside Valley Park Middle School & other local schools, including Thorncliffe Park Public School and from time to time Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute. We have engaged thousands through our organized programs.