Plans to build a recreation centre for Toronto's Somali community in Etobicoke are on the rocks after local residents raised concerns about the building taking up cherished space in a neighbourhood park. 

The Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation (SCCR) has been 40 years in the making, and is intended to serve the needs of the Somali community and also as a broader public amenity for Etobicoke and Toronto residents.

The plan involves the community centre taking up roughly three acres in the 10.6-acre Buttonwood Park in Etobicoke, however, some locals are arguing that they weren't properly consulted on the plan. 

Premier Doug Ford, City Councillor for Ward 2 – Etobicoke Centre Stephen Holyday, and MPP for Etobicoke Centre Kinga Surma all recently attended a meeting with dismayed residents who were opposed to the idea of the community centre taking up space in the park. 

Back in June, the SCCR requested the City's executive committee to defer the consideration of the proposed site to this Tuesday. The committee might vote to delay the proposal's consideration, meaning that the recreation centre could potentially be moved to another site. 

Chair of the SCCR, Zakaria Abdulle, told the Star that the non-profit organization is working to finalize the best location for the recreation centre based on community feedback. Abdulle also stressed that Toronto's Somali population has struggled with a lack of funding from the City for social infrastructure. 

Despite a dire need for the recreation centre, "Save Buttonwood Park" signs have flooded the neighbourhood, with local residents expressing frustration with the City for not properly briefing them on the proposal. 

Christina Manulak, president of the Buttonwood Hill Residents Association, told the Star that the City "made a huge mistake by not telling the community" about the plans to construct a community centre in the park. 

Desperate to maintain the green space, Manulak stressed that while local residents understand the need to provide a space for the city's Somali community to gather, the City should "go back to the drawing board" to find a space that makes more sense. 

A spokesperson for Ford told the Star that the Premier is co-operating with the non-profit organization, the City, and the Toronto District School Board to find a new site for the recreation centre in Rexdale.