StarTech 'giving back' with $1.5M naming deal for southwest London community centre

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London technology firm StarTech.com has acquired the naming rights of the Bostwick Community Centre.

The southwest London facility, on Southdale Road near Wonderland Road, is now called StarTech.com Community Centre, YMCA, and Library, the organizations announced Wednesday.

The London-based tech hardware firm has committed to a $1.5-million sponsorship deal with the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario to grab the naming rights. The sponsorship agreement will run for 15 years.

“As a business owner, I have always believed that giving back to the community is an important part of what makes a business successful, so we take pride in being leaders in the community . . . and today marks a new day of support,” said Paul Seed, StarTech.com’s chief executive.

“For all businesses, the last two years have presented challenges, dealing with the changes and impacts of the global pandemic. . . . So we felt that 2022 would be a good year for us to support the YMCA with funds to help reunite the city, and to ensure it has the resources and support it needs.”

According to the pre-construction agreement, YMCA put roughly $9 million into the construction of the facility and city hall gave it the right to sell the name.

The money coming from the naming rights will be used “towards the highest priority programs and services,” YMCA officials said, including subsidizing low-income families to access the organization’s programs.

The deal also comes at a critical time for the non-profit, following two years in which COVID-19 caused membership numbers to drop significantly, said Andrew Lockie, the local YMCA’s executive director.

“There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a significant effect on community organizations like the YMCA and it’s been a challenge,” he said.

“We’ve had fewer members . . . and we’re still not back to where we were — that will take some time — but it’s support like this which makes sure that we’re here as we rebuild back to our next normal.”

The Bostwick Community Centre opened its doors in late 2018, built after two studies by city hall and the YMCA identified a need for a new venue in the city’s southwest.

The $55-million, 15,800-square-metre facility is home to a YMCA with an indoor pool and gymnasium, a London Public Library branch, two ice rinks, community rooms and meeting spaces, and other features.

The library branch Has also become the busiest of all 16 in London, receiving in 2019 an average of 1,200 people a day, library officials said.

StarTech.com provides provides the cables and connections for IT professionals, including laptop docking stations, audio-visual products, hard drive accessories and networking products. It has offices in 20 countries on five continents. As of 2019, annual sales had topped $300 million.

jjuha@postmedia.com

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