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A freezing winter morning in London is the “perfect time” for Mark Thomas to flood an outdoor skating rink he helped build at Meredith Park in the city’s SoHo neighbourhood.
But he feels he’s also found the perfect time to flood the area with something else: positivity and a strong sense of unity with the creation of the SoHo Community Association in the area so named for its location south of Horton Street near downtown.
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“(It’s) a real opportunity revitalize the whole area,” said Thomas, the group’s chair.
The group’s push to strengthen SoHo’s neighbourhood appeal comes amid continuing construction of high-density housing on long-vacant land that was formerly home to South Street Hospital. For example, construction is set to begin next week inside the former War Memorial Children’s Hospital building as developer Indwell turns it into 42 affordable apartments for low-income residents. It could be open by 2026.
“These (developments) will just be the beginning of it, the catalyst, and then there’ll be more and more and more,” Thomas said. “2025 is going to represent the beginning of a renaissance in our community.”
The community association was started in June, he said, to rebrand SoHo and greet newcomers to a neighbourhood Thomas feels is “often judged by its perimeter” – noting the social issues visible on parts of Horton Street, Wellington Street and Adelaide Street.
“However, inside SoHo, it’s a quiet, safe, diverse and supportive community,” Thomas said, adding the group is active on social media, has a website, an online and printed newsletter and merchandise bearing the tagline: Proud 2B.
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