Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse Grand Opening

BGC Ottawa to officially welcome community to Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse on Heatherington Road

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Ottawa, Ontario, May 5, 2022 — Today, the much-anticipated grand opening will be held for the new Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse. It will be a dream come true for BGC Ottawa (formerly the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa) and for the thousands of children and youth in underserved neighbourhoods in need of more programs and services in the City of Ottawa’s south end.

The grand opening will include speeches from esteemed guests who have played pivotal roles in bringing the new Clubhouse to this community. Representing the Government of Canada, the Hon. Mona Fortier and Hon. David McGuinty. Mayor Jim Watson will speak for the City of Ottawa. BGC Ottawa board member Michelle Taggart, vice president of planning and development at Tamarack Homes, will speak on behalf of the Taggart Parkes Family. Remarks from Roslyn Bern, President of the Leacross Foundation, will be read on her behalf. BGC Ottawa’s Board Chair, Stephen Beckta, Adam Joiner, Chief Executive Officer, Jonelle Istead, Chief Advancement Officer, and a Member from the Heatherington satellite location will also speak to the impact this Clubhouse will have on this community.

For nearly 100 years, BGC Ottawa has been providing kids living in vulnerable parts of the city with the kind of safe and supportive environment they need to make friends, learn skills and gain confidence, all while building a stronger future for themselves.

Currently, BGC Ottawa serves an average of 4,500 Members annually, in 19 neighbourhoods, through its four main Clubhouses, satellite locations, and its overnight summer camp, Camp Smitty. The new clubhouse at 1770 Heatherington Rd. will help the non-profit organization toward reaching its ambitious goal to double its impact and the number of Members it serves by 2024.

The 15,000-square-foot facility was constructed by Lundy Construction and designed by Hobin Architecture while keeping the pandemic in mind. It offers better protection against COVID-19 and other viruses by including isolation rooms with direct access to outdoor space, eight single-stall gender-inclusive bathrooms, additional hand-washing stations, built-in separation for large spaces such as the gym, two separate kitchens for cohort and community use, and multiple entrance and exit points.

The new clubhouse proudly bears the Taggart Parkes Family name following the local business family’s transformational gift of $1.4 million to help fund the costs of delivering life-changing and barrier-free programs and services.

A further $300,000 was pledged by Roslyn Bern and the Leacross Foundation, which has been a long-time champion of the Heatherington area and BGC Ottawa’s Heatherington satellite location.

The Government of Canada invested $4 million in the building of the new clubhouse through the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure plan while the Government of Ontario provided $1 million.

For the construction of the Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse, Lafarge Canada donated around 170 tonnes of EcoPact - Canada's greenest concrete, which utilizes 30 percent to 100 percent less carbon emissions compared to standard concrete.

Now that the new clubhouse is built and operational, BGC Ottawa needs to continue to secure close to $8 million per year to ensure it can continue to deliver life-changing programs, across all clubhouse locations, to thousands of children and youth across the city.

As many as 5,000 young people living in Ottawa’s south end stand to benefit from the opportunities and programming now available at the new Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse. BGC Ottawa offered a satellite location in the area that could only welcome up to 30 kids at a time, due to COVID restrictions. The new clubhouse is able to safely serve up to 200 Members a day.

Programming will have an added emphasis on older youth, with new and existing services to support their needs. There will be youth outreach work, employment and skills training. The clubhouse will also serve as a community hub for connecting with the south-end neighbourhoods, community partners, and families.

Additional Comments:

The Honourable Mona Fortier, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Ottawa–Vanier, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities: “The Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse will be a central space in the community, where youth and children can grow and develop in a safe and healthy environment. Our Government’s investment has helped to construct this facility with additional hygienic facilities, more entrances and exits, and better air exchange systems so users can feel confident to socialize within this space.”

The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Member of Parliament for Ottawa South: “The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted how Canadians are engaging with cultural, recreational and community organizations, infrastructure and spaces. Our Government is working hard with our provincial, municipal and First Nations partners to support improving or constructing facilities like the Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse, which put the health and safety of users first.”

His Worship Jim Watson, Mayor, City of Ottawa: “The Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse will be a great new spot for youth to enjoy enhanced programming and services for years to come. I'm proud of the team at BGC Ottawa, as well as all partners, for the work that they do every single day to support young people and families across the city.”

Adam Joiner, CEO of BGC Ottawa and alumnus: “BGC Ottawa is deeply grateful to the Federal Government, Infrastructure Canada; the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan, the Province of Ontario, and the City of Ottawa that assisted in $5 million in funding to help build a COVID-designed clubhouse.”

“We are humbled and honoured to have been trusted in bringing a safer space for the children and youth of the underserved south end of Ottawa. The Taggart Parkes Family and Leacross Foundation were critical in this project.”

“Our individual, corporate, and foundation donors made this quick build— in less than a
year—miraculously happen. Our architect, Hobin Architecture, and their team are truly incredible, and so is Lundy Construction. The trades and suppliers on this ‘build’ pulled together and supported us in our vision of serving a neighbourhood that needs programs and services for the next generation of young leaders.”

“The new Taggart Parkes Family Clubhouse enables us to reach so many children and youth in need, giving them the skills and tools to grow and thrive in uncertain times.”

Stephen Beckta, board chair of BGC Ottawa and alumnus: “The pandemic has demonstrated a deep need for more services for children and youth in vulnerable communities. On behalf of our Directors, we are thrilled to be able to extend and expand our impactful, evidence-based programming in safe ways to Ottawa’s south end. As a BGC Ottawa alumnus, I know firsthand how powerful these clubhouses can be in changing the trajectory of someone’s life. I am so glad we can do the same for thousands of children in the south end of Ottawa.”

Michelle Taggart, BGC Ottawa board member and vice president of planning and development at Tamarack Homes: “The Taggart Parkes Family is honoured to support BGC Ottawa’s expansion into the south end of Ottawa. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s wonderful to know that thousands of youths now have access to these life-changing services. I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing BGC Ottawa programming in action; the impact is undeniable and further reaffirms why we invested in Ottawa’s future through this new Clubhouse. I hope our gift inspires others in the community to continue to step up and support BGC Ottawa."

John McCabe, VP, Ready-Mix Division, Lafarge Eastern Canada: “Over the last 15 years, Lafarge Canada has been a proud supporter of the BGC Ottawa. Partnering up with the Club is both a privilege and an opportunity to continuously advance our purpose of building Progress for People and the Planet. We couldn't be happier to have joined this wonderful initiative."

BGC Ottawa is truly grateful to our partners for allowing us to turn the dream of providing our barrier-free programs to the under-served south end of Ottawa into a reality.

Government of Canada www.canada.ca
Government of Ontario www.ontario.ca
City of Ottawa www.ottawa.ca
Taggart Parkes Foundation www.taggartgroup.ca/community
Leacross Foundation www.leacrossfoundation.ca
Caivan Communities www.caivan.com
Homestead Land Holdings Ltd. www.homestead.ca
The Canyon Foundation
The Rechan Family
The Wilson Family

Sincere thanks to our supporters for helping us build a space for every kid who needs it.

Korban Drywall Contractors Ltd. www.korbanltd.com
Lafarge Canada www.lafarge.ca
Waste Management www.wm.com
D.L. Building Materials Inc. www.dlbuildingmaterials.com
Goodfellow Inc. www.goodfellowinc.com
Hobin Architecture Inc. www.hobinarc.com
MP Lundy Construction Inc. www.mplundy.com
Ottawa Business Interiors http://www.obi.ca
The WoodSource www.wood-source.com
Walls and Ceilings Contractors Ltd. (WACCA) www.wacca.ca
Waste Connections Inc. www.wasteconnectionscanada.com
4té inc. www.4te.ca
Armstrong World Industries www.armstrongceilings.com
Bekolay & Associates
Canam Group Inc. www.groupecanam.com
Capital Site Development Inc. www.capitalsd.com
Cunliffe & Associates www.cunliffe.ca
D.B. Gray Engineering Inc.
FLUX Lighting www.fluxlighting.ca
Formica Group North America www.formica.com
Gilmore Reproductions www.gilmorereproductions.com
Goodkey, Weedmark & Associates Ltd. (GWAL) www.gwal.com
Levstek Consultants Inc. www.larocquelevstek.com
McGonigal Construction Ltd.
Ottawa Region Masonry Contractors Association
Sega Electric Inc. www.segaelectric.ca

About BGC Ottawa:

For almost one hundred years, BGC Ottawa, a registered charity, has provided
programming directly to children and youth in vulnerable neighbourhoods. FREE Community-based services. Positive relationships. Life-changing programs. As one of Ottawa’s largest child and youth-serving charitable organizations, BGC Ottawa provides vital programs and services to an annual average of 4,500 young Members each year. We provide safe, supportive places where all kids and teens, of all backgrounds, can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, and develop confidence and skills for life. From anti-racism to Reconciliation to LGBTQ2S+, food security to scholarships to job readiness, our Clubs battle systemic issues with systemic solutions—equity, acceptance, support, opportunity. BGC Ottawa is about Systemic Opportunity.

For Media Contact:

Jessie-Lee Wallace | SHE/HER
Director, Major Gifts & Communications
BGC Ottawa | Repaires jeunesse d’Ottawa
C: 613-986-6708 T: 613-232-0925 x1225
jlwallace@bgcottawa.org

Nicolas Brunette | HE/HIM
Communications & Marketing Officer
BGC Ottawa | Repaires jeunesse d’Ottawa
C: 819-968-1693
nbrunette@bgcottawa.org