About the Monarch Park Community Trust
The Monarch Park Community Trust (MPCT) was established in 2010 by a small group of East York residents who believed that arts and culture programming could serve as a catalyst for community building in the neighbourhood. Under the leadership of founding board chair Eleanor Vance, the organisation incorporated as a registered non-profit and secured its first operating grant from the Toronto Arts Council in 2011. What began as a handful of weekend art workshops held in the basement of Cosburn Avenue United Church has since grown into a multi-program community organisation serving over 12,000 residents annually.
Over the past fifteen years, MPCT has expanded its programming to include arts education for youth and adults, heritage preservation initiatives, community events, and neighbourhood engagement activities. In 2016, the organisation moved into permanent office space at 15 Monarch Park Avenue and welcomed Priya Sharma as Executive Director. Under Priya’s leadership, MPCT has deepened its commitment to accessible programming and secured significant funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the City of Toronto. Eleanor Vance served as board chair until 2019, when she stepped down after nine years of dedicated service to the organisation.
Today, MPCT operates with a team of approximately 30 full-time and part-time staff, supported by over 200 active volunteers. The organisation’s annual operating budget exceeds $1.2 million, with funding from government grants, corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and earned revenue from program fees. We are proud to be a United Way Greater Toronto member agency and a registered Canadian charity (BN: 12345 6789 RR0001).
Our mission is to enrich the cultural life of East York by providing accessible arts education, fostering community connections, and preserving local heritage for future generations. We believe that every resident deserves the opportunity to participate in meaningful cultural programming, regardless of age, income, or background.
Mission, Vision & Values
Mission: The Monarch Park Community Trust enriches the cultural life of East York by providing accessible arts education, fostering community connections, and preserving local heritage for future generations.
Vision: A vibrant, connected East York where every resident has the opportunity to participate in and benefit from arts, culture, and heritage programming.
Values:
- Accessibility — Arts and culture should be available to everyone
- Inclusivity — We celebrate the diversity of our neighbourhood
- Community — We are rooted in East York and guided by the needs of our neighbours
- Excellence — We are committed to delivering high-quality programming
- Collaboration — We believe in the power of partnership
Board of Directors
- Catherine Murray, Chair — Partner, Murray & Associates LLP (retired)
- Dr. Robert Adekunle, Vice-Chair — Associate Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University
- Janet Kim, Treasurer — Senior Manager, Deloitte Canada
- Michael Tran, Secretary — Communications Director, United Way Greater Toronto
- Deepa Raghavan — Director of Education, TDSB (retired)
- Paul Fournier — Principal, Fournier Heritage Consulting
- Grace Achebe — Community volunteer and MPCT founding member
- Sandra Little — VP Operations, East York Town Centre
Annual Reports
- 2023–24 Annual Report (PDF, 2.4 MB)
- 2022–23 Annual Report (PDF, 2.1 MB)
- 2021–22 Annual Report (PDF, 1.8 MB)
For audited financial statements or governance documents, please contact our office.
Land Acknowledgement
The Monarch Park Community Trust acknowledges that we are located on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 signed with the Mississaugas of the Credit, and the Williams Treaties signed with multiple Mississaugas and Chippewa bands.