Community Hub Celebrates First Anniversary
One year after the Community Hub opened at Fairview Mall, crime in the area has declined by 39%, a significant reduction that underscores the impact of sustained presence, partnership and prevention.
While law enforcement plays a vital role in responding to incidents and maintaining order, many of the challenges facing communities, including mental health crises, youth disengagement, poverty, addiction and social isolation, require broader, preventive approaches.
“Public safety cannot be delivered by police alone,” said Chief Superintendent Kelly Skinner at a February 20 event marking the hub’s first anniversary. The space allows officers to engage directly with community members, build trust and strengthen relationships. “These hubs represent a shared responsibility model that breaks down silos between agencies and enables real-time collaboration. This hub was never about space. It was about presence, partnership and prevention.”
Skinner said the initiative is grounded in a simple but powerful idea of bringing policing closer to the community in meaningful and accessible ways.
“It marks a shift from reactive response to proactive engagement,” she said. “It aligns with community safety principles, reducing vulnerability, investing in people and strengthening neighbourhood safety.”
She described the hub model as a progressive approach to policing that prioritizes early intervention, visibility, accessibility and collaboration over enforcement.
“The hubs are designed to bring together police, city services, social agencies, schools and residents in one location to address concerns collectively and create a welcoming environment where officers can connect directly with the public,” Skinner said..
Looking ahead, Skinner said expansion plans for the coming year include enhanced youth programming, increased collaboration with local businesses to bolster safety initiatives, improved and streamlined access to victim support services and expanded multilingual outreach to ensure communication is inclusive and accessible.
Toronto Police Service Board Chair Shelley Carroll, a long-time resident of the area, reflected on her personal connection to the mall.
“I have been spending time at this mall since I was 10 years old,” she said. “Today, we are celebrating community policing. It is about meeting people where they are. It is about knowing your neighbourhoods, knowing your businesses and understanding that real safety begins there.”
CF Fairview Mall general manager Lillian Stojanoski described the decline in crime as commendable.
“This is not just about statistics,” she said. “It is about the tangible sense of security people feel when they walk through the mall every day. More importantly, we have seen a surge in community involvement. The hub has become a true neighbourhood anchor, proving that when you create a platform for engagement, people will show up and step up.”
Member of Parliament Maggie Chi attended the anniversary event.
Superintendent Donovan Locke and his team conceived the idea for the hub as a way for officers to interact with residents outside of traditional law enforcement roles and build trust in a more informal setting.
Operating during mall hours, the hub is not a police station. Instead, it serves as a direct and accessible point of contact where community members can share concerns and connect with police close to home.
A second community hub opened at CF Shops at Don Mills last summer, expanding the model to another part of the division.
