BlogTO visited our program partner, QSLA and Ballmatics in our lovely space downtown Toronto.

Read the article online: Long-vacant Toronto space that was supposed to be a brewery is now something magnificent (blogto.com)

There’s a space in Toronto that was long slated to turn into another location of a popular local craft brewery, but now it might be something even more magnificent.

It was nearly 10 years ago that Bellwoods Brewery announced they’d be taking up residence in the industrial space at 950 Dupont where GH Johnson Furniture has been since 1994. From 1918 to 1994, the space was the Hamilton Gear Factory.

Nearly a decade later, it’s safe to say that isn’t happening, but something else interesting now calls the address home.

Bellwoods opened up another location on Hafis instead, and non-profit organization QSLA is now in the space.

QSLA stands for Quantum Sports Learning Association and was formed in 2010 as a way of promoting sports and learning hand-in-hand. QSLA is also the parent organization for Uchenna Academy, the first Black-owned and Black-operated high school in Ontario.

We have developed our signature program, BallMatics, that has moved a traditional math classroom to the basketball court, in hopes of engaging youth into academics,” QSLA academic director Claudia Mandekic tells blogTO.

Our newly renovated facility at 950 Dupont Street was designed so that our BallMatics program can be scaled both locally and regionally.

Although BallMatics is very focused on youth, they have an adult version of their socially-responsible basketball program too.

They offer intermediate/competitive level, full court, co-ed adult leagues. Their 25th season is the first time they’re playing on the new Dupont court.