"A lot of fond memories in this gym, a lot of highlights."
A George Brown College alumnus making his return on Sunday night, Michael Steele is one of countless individuals the gymnasium at Casa Loma Campus has seen play on its court. The Business Administration - Marketing graduate and former varsity men's basketball athlete had flickers of the past in his eyes as he thought upon his time as a Husky.
Steele's presence was more than a solo trip down memory lane, however. It wasn't long after his reflection that a melody of laughter, dribbling and sneaker squeaking rang out, as the Hoop Club TO basketball collective took over Casa Loma's court.
B-ball at the campus is a time-honoured tradition, but it isn't often that folks look to play there precisely because the sounds of basketball have echoed its walls so many times before. That appreciation of history is Hoop Club TO's mandate.
"This gym here, the Sunday night run was the run," said Duane Watson, co-founder of the group alongside Akil Augustine. "Like they say in New York, if you haven't played at Rucker Park, you haven't played."
"This was the gym you came to, to measure yourself. There's a lot of elite talent that came through here. Whether they were high school level or college level or NBA level, they knew that if you wanted a good place to run, this was the gym."
Consisting of about 20 members, the collective celebrates Toronto's basketball legacy by visiting its iconic spaces and local mainstays. According to Watson, it was borne of a desire to know the city's stories, moments and people, especially ones from before the internet age which folks may be less familiar with.
As its co-founder was sure to emphasize, Hoop Club TO's participants come from all walks of life, including "industrial designers, personal insurers, fashion guys." While their backgrounds may be diverse, there's one undeniable common thread: A love for the game.
"Hoop Club TO, to me means a great collective of young professionals in the city who have either been influenced by or have influenced the basketball community at some point in their lives," Steele remarked. "(We) have a great admiration and respect for the game, and this is one of those things you look forward to when it comes around."
The timing of Hoop Club TO's visit was impeccable, given the backdrop of George Brown College's 50th anniversary celebrations this year. Though returning to his old haunt, Steele saw the milestone as not just about the past, but the future as well.
"A lot of people put in their time at this gym, when it wasn't so pretty, but still put in the blood, sweat and tears," said Steele. "... 50 years of history, it's to know that a lot of people came before you and a lot of people are going to come after you."
Steele's dual reverence for history and focus on the road ahead finds a kindred spirit in Melanie Gerin-Lajoie, George Brown College's manager of athletics and recreation. With the department's 50th anniversary in mind, Gerin-Lajoie described now as an exciting time for those involved with George Brown Athletics.
"I think 50 is that stepping stone into the next era of what sports could be here," Gerin-Lajoie said. "From the men's basketball team going to the national championship for the first time in over 40 years last season to our soccer team bringing home provincial medals, it's a lot of fun and it gives the current student-athletes something to rally behind."
"It being the 50th, we're going to have a lot of influential former athletes come back through that weekend (September 29-30), and it's a great opportunity for the current students to meet those folks, to network with them, to learn more about what they do, the impact George Brown had on their lives, how being a varsity athlete here impacted their lives."
