Scadding Court Community Centre
Nominator Comments:
As Executive Director of Scadding Court Community Centre, Kevin Lee has pushed the community sector to think more creatively. For many promising entrepreneurs and innovators, the capital, physical space and support necessary to start a business are out of reach, leaving them few options to realize their dream and potential. Kevin launched Market 707 which evolved out of a growing movement that capitalizes on innovative retail space, primarily in the form of shipping containers. This “cargotecture” concept, which offers affordable, flexible space for micro-enterprise, was brought to Toronto by Scadding Court. Now 17 businesses at Bathurst and Dundas are operated by a mix of local residents, youth, newcomers, and people looking to start something new and entirely their own. In 2013, Scadding Court won a Toronto Urban Design Award for Market 707.
He also developed the Investing in Our Diversity Scholarship programto address access to post-secondary education by low-income and racialized communities. Over $500,000 has been awarded to over 250 youth across the city.
To quote his nominators: “His leadership, creativity and innovation is contagious- it is for this reason we believe he is a strong candidate to finally receive some personal recognition for cultivating a culture of out-of-the-box, big picture thinking.”
