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YMCA of Greater Toronto — North York Branch
Hillcrest Construction served as general contractor on a major renovation at the YMCA of Greater Toronto's North York branch — converting underused squash courts into expanded Fitness, Cardio, and Class Training areas, adding a new accessibility elevator, and completing a full change room renovation. The facility stayed open to members throughout the roughly one-year project.
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Client: YMCA of Greater Toronto
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Location: 567 Sheppard Ave E, North York
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Facility Size: 45,000 sq ft
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Duration: ~1 Year
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Sector: Nonprofit / Community
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Occupancy: Maintained throughout
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Key Scope: Structural + Change Rooms
Our experience in housing renovation has provided us with an extensive understanding of the sensibilities and accountability that are needed to accomplish a project in occupied residential areas.
The Challenge
Converting active squash courts into new training space while keeping the rest of the facility open to members meant careful phasing throughout the roughly one-year project. Ensuring a safe, secure jobsite in an occupied building was the top priority start to finish:
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Dedicated contractor entrance, separate from member traffic
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Work zones sealed off floor by floor as work progressed
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Noisy demo scheduled during off-hours
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Site safety maintained throughout, in a fully occupied building
It was our aim to complete the project without members ever feeling an intrusion on the space they use every day.
What Hillcrest Did
Structural & Space Reconfiguration:
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Removed 2 underused squash courts to expand Fitness, Cardio, and Class Training areas
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Installed a new accessibility elevator connecting building levels
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Structural and finishing work carried out per architectural drawings
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Facility remained open to members for the full ~1-year duration
Change Room Renovation: new tile throughout, complete repaint, new millwork, and a full locker refresh.
The Outcome
The renovated North York Branch reopened with fully modernized fitness and wellness spaces — delivered without a single day of closure. Hillcrest's phased approach kept the facility operational for members throughout the full renovation while achieving a complete transformation of the space.
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Facility remained open and operational throughout the entire ~1-year renovation
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Members were extremely satisfied with the overall outcome
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Membership numbers increased following the reopening
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Class sizes grew thanks to the extra square footage in the renovated space
The result: a fully modernized North York Branch that better serves its members and community — delivered on schedule, with no disruption to the YMCA's day-to-day programming.
Building Better Spaces for Communities
We at Hillcrest Construction Group are proud to help those who are doing good for others. Our Housing Renovation processes are driven by quality workmanship, empathy, and complete reliability.
Get in touch now to talk about your next remodeling project. See more completed projects on our Portfolio page, or learn about our Corporate & Industrial Renovations services.