As the Jewish community moved northward, so too did the ‘Y’, with the dedication of a new northern branch -- now known as the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre -- on 1 May 1961. Fourteen years later, a new cultural and physical education wing was added, to better serve the needs of its members. This included the addition of the Leah Posluns Theatre and the Murray Koffler Centre of the Arts. In 1978, the Y.M.-Y.W.H.A. changed its name to the Jewish Community Centre, in order to better reflect its broader role in the community.
In 2001, the Bloor JCC began a major renovation project. Officially opened in the summer of 2003, the renovations provided the centre with space for tenants such as the Second Cup and the Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School. Other additions included the 288-seat Al Green Theatre, improved aerobics studios, a new chapel, offices and meeting rooms. The renovations revitalized the aging community centre and the Bloor JCC’s membership soon tripled in size. The building was renamed the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre, after its chief benefactor.
The MNjcc and the addition of the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life -- together known as the Downtown District -- was the first part of the three-stage UJA Federation Tomorrow Campaign. Campaign plans also included the creation of the Central Square Campus, where the current Bathurst Jewish Community Centre and Lipa Green Building for Jewish Community Services now stand, and the creation of a new northern campus in Vaughan, named the Lebovic Jewish Community Campus. When completed, all three campuses will include facilities for recreational, educational, cultural and community services – a tribute to the lasting ideals fostered since 1919 by the Y.M.-Y.W.H.A. and the JCC.
