After opening in late June, the Working Centre plans on expanding its latest space, Fresh Ground.
Located at 256 King Street East, Fresh Ground is an open community space with a combination of multiple facilities. According to the Working Centre director and co-founder Joe Mancini, the space aims to invite people “into new ways of thinking about food, local democracy, and the community.”
Currently Fresh Ground consists of a coffee bar, serving plant-based, whole grain foods and a bike pit, where volunteers and staff repair and refurbish bikes. It also houses the commons studio, a space used for filmmaking and storytelling, where local filmmakers can share their expertise and equipment amongst their peers. These facilities have been in operation since February 2017.
Housing is another aspect of Fresh Ground. The top floor of the building is now home to eight tenants who have been experiencing homelessness.
The latest installation being developed within the space is the Fresh Ground Gathering Space. According to Mancini, the space will be used for a variety of events and activities, such as workshops, markets, and overall dialogue and skill building for community members.
The Gathering Space was first used for the Working Centre’s annual Summer Institute at the end of July, where attendees participated in discussions that pertained to local democracy, personalist practices and emergent thinking. Other dialogue events such as The Daily Circus and Institutional Inversion have happened there as well.
“[The] events created meaningful engagements,” Mancini said. “The ideas that tied them together were creating thoughtful exchange and learning opportunities directed towards teaching alternatives to institutional thinking.”
To learn more about Fresh Ground and the organization behind the space, visit workingcentre.com
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