If he builds it...; ...will they come? Trevor David wants his AfriCana project to be part of Toronto's revitalized waterfront. But he needs $1 million just for openers ONT Edition

• Published in: Toronto star
• Main Author: Walter, Ingrid
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Toronto, Ont Torstar Syndication Services, a Division of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited 27.01.2007
• ISSN: 0319-0781

[David Kibuuka] is the architect of a $100 million waterfront development called the AfriCana Village and Museum project (africanavillage.com). Created as a, "social enterprise," AfriCana is designed to support black business, employ some 500 marginalized black youth and pump millions of tourist dollars into the Toronto economy. The AfriCana Village project includes a museum exhibiting the history of African and Caribbean Canadians, an African Canadian Hall of Fame, a four-star hotel and spa, and waterfront promenade - to be named after William P. Hubbard, the City of Toronto's first African Canadian councillor - as a venue for jazz, calypso and reggae. There have been rocky moments, including heated fights among board members, dismissals and cool to non-existent responses from some elected officials and members of the business elite. Still, David has managed to push ahead. The AfriCana proposal has been sent to federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and is being reviewed by Jim Bradley's provincial tourism ministry. The City of Toronto says it will provide the board with direction.