YMCA of Greater Toronto President and CEO receives Key to the City of Vaughan
Medhat Mahdy, President and CEO, YMCA of Greater Toronto (left), receives highest Vaughan honour from Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
Toronto – November 9, 2022 – Today, Medhat Mahdy, President and CEO at the YMCA of Greater Toronto, was presented with Vaughan’s Key to the City by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. Mayor Bevilacqua acknowledged Medhat Mahdy and the Y’s community building efforts in the City of Vaughan. This includes bringing the first YMCA Centre of Community to Vaughan in Spring 2022, creating a safe and inclusive space for the community to gather in Vaughan’s new emerging downtown. Medhat also accepted the Spirit of Generosity Partner Award from the Mayor on behalf of the YMCA of Greater Toronto.
“In presenting the Key to the City to Medhat Mahdy, I want to express my warmest and sincerest gratitude to him for all that he has done. It has been a privilege to have worked with him, especially during the past few years as we made Vaughan’s first YMCA Centre of Community a reality,” says Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor, City of Vaughan. “This key recognizes Medhat’s commitment to bring positive change to people’s lives by promoting the greater good in our society. He has dedicated more than four decades of his life to public service through the YMCA, during which he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to ignite the potential in people by encouraging their growth, confidence and capacity to give back to society in a meaningful way.”
Medhat Mahdy first joined the YMCA of Greater Toronto in 1976 as a part-time tennis instructor. Since then, he has made a significant impact in making the Y the charity it is today, especially during his time as President and CEO over the past 12 years. Throughout his career at the Y, Medhat has been at the forefront of advancing equity and boosting well-being across the Greater Toronto Area, and is part of the team leading the charity’s current strategic plan, Ignite the Light. The plan advances the Y’s vision of creating vibrant communities where everyone can shine, including opening one of the latest Centres of Community, The YMCA at The David Braley Vaughan Centre. The YMCA of Greater Toronto has more than 440 locations across the GTA, including 11 Centres of Community such as the one in Vaughan.
“I have spent most of my adult life dedicated to the Y, with a strong focus on programs and services that meet the evolving needs of the community, and am humbled by this important recognition,” says Medhat Mahdy, President and CEO, YMCA of Greater Toronto. “The Key to the City not only belongs to me – it also recognizes everyone who makes the YMCA of Greater Toronto the vital charity it is today, including our incredible staff, volunteers, donors, partners, and participants. I am thrilled that as Vaughan’s downtown grows it will be supported by our services, which will contribute to the well-being, health, and sense of belonging in the community.”
Earlier this year, the Y, in partnership with the City of Vaughan and Vaughan Public Libraries, celebrated the official opening of Vaughan’s first Centre of Community, The YMCA at The David Braley Vaughan Centre. The new 77,000-square-foot YMCA features a full-sized gymnasium, two pools including a 25-metre lap pool and program pool with hydraulic floor, whirlpools and steam rooms, a multi-purpose fitness room, and a state-of-the-art conditioning floor. It also hosts summer camps and provides employment and volunteer opportunities.
The Key to the City in Vaughan dates back to 2017 and was unanimously approved by Council in 2015. The Key to the City is presented at the discretion of the Mayor and is given to those who have shown outstanding civic contributions and positively contributed to the city and residents. The practice of giving a key can be traced back to medieval times when the gates to walled cities were guarded during the day and locked at night. This was a sign of freedom as the recipient could enter and leave as a trusted friend.
To learn more about the YMCA of Greater Toronto and its Centre of Community in Vaughan, The YMCA at The David Braley Vaughan Centre, visit here
About the YMCA of Greater Toronto
The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead and give back to their communities. For over 170 years, the YMCA of Greater Toronto has provided opportunities for people to shine through a variety of programs and services including health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families and seniors. Promoting equity and boosting well-being across more than 400 locations in the Greater Toronto Area, the Y is a leading charity that helps everyone shine. For more information visit ymcagta.org.
