Empowerment Squared welcomed Ontario’s Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden on Monday, June 9, 2025 for an announcement that the Ontario government is investing over $287,000 to upgrade Empowerment Squared’s Babb Ubuntu Athletic Centre, a multipurpose community recreation facility in Hamilton.
The project is the first of roughly 100 to launch under the $200 million Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) – a province-wide initiative to help communities revitalize local facilities, create jobs, grow the economy and promote active, healthy living across Ontario.
“At a time when Ontario families are facing rising costs due to tariffs, our government is proud to support organizations focused on delivering better services for people while breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for children and young people,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport. “With investments in infrastructure like this, we are protecting Ontario’s future, strengthening our communities and building a more resilient and self-reliant economy.”
The government’s investment will help increase the Ubuntu Athletic Centre’s maximum capacity with a new second exit with automatic accessible doors, a fire-rated corridor and expanded restrooms. The upgrades will allow the Centre to serve over five times more community members annually – growing from 1,000 to more than 5,000 people – while also improving the facility’s functionality and hours of operation.
“The Government of Ontario’s support for the Babb Ubuntu Athletic Centre represents a powerful commitment that builds on the vision that our partners began two years ago when we launched the Centre,” said Leo Nupolu Johnson, Chief Empowerment Officer of Empowerment Squared. “It enables us to respond to the overwhelming demand for accessible recreation, and multi-use spaces, especially for historically marginalized communities in Hamilton. It’s a reflection of what is possible when we work together to create spaces that affirm identity, foster belonging and empower futures.”
CSRIF is a key part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario workers, businesses and families by unleashing the economy and getting more shovels in the ground, with a historic $200 billion investment to build highways, hospitals, transit, schools, and other critical infrastructure across the province.
“Today is a great day for the City of Hamilton. This investment in the Ubuntu Athletic Centre isn’t just about bricks and mortar — it’s about building opportunity, equity, and community, said Mayor of Hamilton, Andrea Horwath. Empowerment Squared, under the incredible leadership of Leo Johnson, continues to be a force for good in our city — creating spaces where newcomer, racialized, and marginalized communities can thrive through sports, mentorship, and education.”
Quick facts:
- Empowerment Squared supports communities through education, mentorship and leadership programs and in 2024 welcomed over 2200 community members to the Babb Ubuntu Athletic Centre.
- The Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund (CSRIF) is an application-based program. It supports municipalities, Indigenous communities and non-profit organizations, through two streams: one for repairing and rehabilitating existing sport and recreation facilities and spaces, and another for building new or transformative sport and recreation infrastructure.
- Each year, Ontario invests $32 million in community recreation programs to help achieve active, healthy communities across the province, including Ontario’s After School Program, the Inclusive Grassroots Recreation program and the Ontario Amateur Sport Fund.
- Sport contributes more than $7.5 billion to Ontario’s economy every year, creating tens of thousands of meaningful and good-paying jobs in every corner of the province.