KBC COMMUNITY UPDATE PAGE: Norseman Location Rebuild
Posted on[SEPT 2] Kingsway Boxing Family Rebuilding Stronger Together
In the weeks since the fire, we’ve been overwhelmed by the incredible outpouring of love, support, and generosity from our Kingsway Boxing community and beyond.
From tear-jerking tributes and beautiful memorials, to the donation of supplies, time, and expertise, to the many of you who continue to show up for classes seven days a week… your strength has carried us through our most critical time.
Here’s a quick update on what we’ve been doing, and how you can keep fighting alongside The Kingsway Boxing Family:
A Gift To Our Supporters
Visit the gym or drop by Taste of the Kingsway this weekend to pick up your gift.
Courtesy of our friends at Olympic Trophies, we are humbled to share a small token of our gratitude. Each of the incredible people who stood in our corner during this time will receive a custom KBC dog tag — a symbol of our strength, unity, and the unwavering commitment we share to continue fighting for and giving back to our community.
These dog tags are more than just a gift; they are a reminder that together, we can endure anything. Thank you for helping us not only rebuild our gym, but also reaffirm the true meaning of family, resilience, and community.
In William’s Corner: Benefiting Kingsway Boxing Club
The Kingsway Boxing Family is honoured to share that a GoFundMe page has been launched in memory of William De Nino: In William’s Corner. This campaign will directly support the rebuilding of our gym while honouring William’s legacy of generosity and community spirit.
We are especially grateful to the De Nino family and the Olympic Trophies family, whose support has touched our club and community for more than 15 years. Their commitment to giving back continues to inspire us, and this memorial fund ensures that William’s impact will carry forward for generations to come.
Fundraising Raffle Is Now Open!
We’re excited to announce that our first donor raffle will take place this week! While we’re still finalizing a simplified system to notify winners, we want to begin showing our appreciation for the overwhelming generosity we’ve received. Thank you to everyone who has donated raffle items and made financial contributions. All financial donors will be automatically entered into every raffle draw moving forward, with multiple chances to win. Winners will be notified directly.
Volunteers Needed: Taste Of The Kingsway
As we move forward, we’re still looking for volunteers to join us at the Taste of the Kingsway Festival next weekend. It’s an important chance for us to connect with our neighbours, showcase the resilience of our athletes, and continue giving back to the community that has given us so much.
As we progress with the rebuild and community initiatives, We will continue to keep the community updated via our KBC Communication Group
[AUG 24] Kingsway Boxing Family Rebuilding Stronger Together
Over the past week, we’ve seen firsthand what it means to be part of a true community.
Thanks to the incredible hands-on support of our entire KBC family including athletes, parents, coaches, neighbours, and local businesses, Kingsway Boxing has never felt stronger. Together, we’re not just rebuilding, we’re coming back better than ever.
The progress has been nothing short of inspiring. Many of our walls are already back up thanks to Arrlin Acoustic Supply, who generously donated the drywall, ceilings, and insulation. Countless individuals and companies have also stepped forward with time, skills, and resources, allowing us to move forward at lightning speed. Every single storage bin that was donated is already in use, helping us store and organize items on and off site as we push through the rebuild.
Meanwhile, our operations haven’t missed a beat. Since Monday, we’ve been running classes almost uninterrupted at our Norseman location, and the energy inside the gym has been nothing short of electric. We’ve already begun rebuilding the front half of our gym and have adapted a temporary weight area to keep our athletes moving forward. Our aim is to have our new and improved spaces rebuilt within the next two weeks — an ambitious goal, but one that’s fuelled entirely by the unwavering strength of our community.
That said, the journey is far from complete. There’s still a long road ahead, and we’ll need the continued strength of this community to see it through. We’re also continuing to collect items and services that will be part of our upcoming KBC Rebuild Fundraising Auction — another opportunity for this community to come together and keep driving our momentum forward.
We’re also looking for volunteers for the upcoming Taste of The Kingsway festival, where KBC will be running boxing lessons and demos. It’s an important chance for us to stay connected with our community while showcasing the strength and resilience of our athletes.
Your trust and patience mean the world as we channel our energy into making sure Kingsway Boxing comes back stronger than ever.
As we progress with the rebuild and community initiatives, We will continue to keep the community updated via our KBC Communication Group
Fundraising & Raffle
Rebuilding our facility comes with significant costs, and unfortunately, these far exceed what insurance will cover. We’re working hard to raise the additional funds needed to complete the repairs and restore our gym fully.
- Raffle Donations: We’re now collecting raffle items. If you’d like to contribute an item or service, please reach out to Coach Shireen directly Email Now.
- Financial Support: Donations of any size make a meaningful difference. At this time, we are accepting e-transfers, on site donations, and also have online donation options available through our website: KBC Reclaim & Rebuild Fund.
Every single donor will automatically be entered into our raffle pool once drawings begin. No extra steps required — your support is your entry.
What Members Can Expect
- Operations: Open Gym and classes are running. Please enter through the rear entrance while front-area repairs continue.
- Facilities: Showers and changerooms are fully available.
- Equipment: Boxing ring, gloves, bags, and weights/benches are available. Cardio equipment is temporarily unavailable; a member of our gym family is helping us replace cardio and strength equipment once the weight room rebuild is complete.
- Fire & Ice Studio: Reopening in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, Fire & Ice members can access a regular KBC membership with full class access (consider it “active recovery” the old-fashioned way).
All information in our app and on our schedules is accurate and updated. Please check there regularly and confirm details directly with your trainer if you’re unsure.
Upcoming Dates and Community Engagement Opportunities
Taste Of The Kingsway Sept. 5 – 7
We need volunteers to help us from Friday, September 5 through Sunday, September 7 as we celebrate our community and the incredible support that has kept us punching for 20 years!
After the fire at our Norseman location in mid-August, this year’s festival carries even greater meaning — it’s a chance for us to rally together, showcase our resilience, and keep moving forward. WE LOVE YOU ALL MORE THAN WORDS COULD SAY!
This festival has been the only form of advertisement Kingsway Boxing has participated in since 2005! Every year, we set up a festival boxing ring where we demonstrate boxing skills and give lessons to people of all ages. It’s also an excellent opportunity to hang out with the team and earn volunteer hours for high school students.
Important Note: Volunteers for this event don’t need to be active members of KBC, but they should have basic boxing experience and be familiar with our FTEC initiatives and KBC programming. Volunteers will play an important role in educating the community about our boxing programs and the initiatives we lead both inside and outside the gym.
Free Weekly Community Classes | Every Saturday
As a thank you to our community, we’ll continue offering our free weekly class every Saturday at 12:15 pm. We’d love to see those who’ve stood by us through this process. In addition, we’ll be announcing more community initiatives in the weeks ahead — because this is what we live for: giving back to the community that has given us so much.
Register directly through the Kingsway Boxing app. Download Now: Apple or Android
Fight Night Vol 3: Friday, December 6.
We’ll be back to 110% in no time — with plenty of opportunities to celebrate together along the way.
Special Thank You To Our Community
To everyone who scrubbed walls and baseboards, removed drywall, hauled damaged equipment, catalogued salvage, and organized behind the scenes — and to those who contributed financially — thank you. You’re the reason we were able to reopen so quickly.
Special appreciation to the companies across our community who stepped up with equipment, junk removal, and services. We’ll publish a feature article recognizing your support once operations stabilize.
We cannot thank you enough for standing with us. Together, what took months to build has been brought back to life in days — not just because of hard work, but because of the family we’ve built through boxing.
With gratitude and love,
Jen, Virgil and The Kingsway Boxing Team
[AUG 19] Norseman Rebuild Progress & Next Steps
Dear KBC Family,
It’s been just under a week since the fire at our Norseman location, and thanks to the unbelievable outpouring of support from this community, we’ve made progress that once felt impossible. What took months to build has been brought back to life in days, and we are well on our way to being stronger than ever.
Most importantly, it felt so good to be back boxing together as a family. Seeing our boxers back in the ring, training side by side, and supporting one another reminded us what truly makes KBC special — it’s not the walls or the equipment, it’s the people who bring this community to life.
Focusing Forward
With the initial clean-up behind us, our focus now shifts to putting in the real work of rebuilding. This means we’ll be stepping back from frequent daily updates and instead sharing important milestones and essential information as progress continues.
Your trust and patience mean the world as we channel our energy into making sure KBC comes back stronger than ever.
Fundraising & Raffle
Rebuilding our facility comes with significant costs, and unfortunately, these far exceed what insurance will cover. We’re working hard to raise the additional funds needed to complete the repairs and restore our gym fully.
- Raffle Donations: We’re now collecting raffle items. If you’d like to contribute an item or service, please reach out to Coach Shireen directly Email Now.
- Financial Support: Donations of any size make a meaningful difference. At this time, we are accepting e-transfers, on site donations, and we’ll also have online donation options available through our website shortly: KBC Shop.
Every single donor will automatically be entered into our raffle pool once drawings begin. No extra steps required — your support is your entry.
Thank You To Our Community
To everyone who scrubbed walls and baseboards, removed drywall, hauled damaged equipment, catalogued salvage, and organized behind the scenes — and to those who contributed financially — thank you. You’re the reason we were able to reopen so quickly.
Special appreciation to the companies across our community who stepped up with equipment, junk removal, and services. We’ll publish a feature article recognizing your support once operations stabilize.
Lost & Found / Salvage Tracking (Action Needed)
We’re actively trying to reconnect client and trainer personal items recovered during cleanup.
If you took items home to clean, dry, or store — or photographed items during salvage — please email Jennifer Huggins: Email Now
Suggested subject line: KBC Salvage – Item Photos & Catalog
Free Weekly Community Classes
As a thank you, we’ll continue offering our free weekly class every Saturday at 12:15 pm. We’d love to see those who’ve stood by us through this process.
Register directly through the Kingsway Boxing app.
What Members Can Expect
- Operations: Open Gym and classes are running. Please enter through the rear entrance while front-area repairs continue.
- Facilities: Showers and changerooms are fully available.
- Equipment: Boxing ring, gloves, bags, and weights/benches are available. Cardio equipment is temporarily unavailable; a member of our gym family is helping us replace cardio and strength equipment once the weight room rebuild is complete.
- Fire & Ice Studio: Reopening in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, Fire & Ice members can access a regular KBC membership with full class access (consider it “active recovery” the old-fashioned way).
All information in our app and on our schedules is accurate and updated. Please check there regularly and confirm details directly with your trainer if you’re unsure.
Save the Date
Fight Night: Friday, December 6. We’ll be back to 110% in no time — with plenty of opportunities to celebrate together along the way.
We cannot thank you enough for standing with us. Together, what took months to build has been brought back to life in days — not just because of hard work, but because of the family we’ve built through boxing.
With gratitude and love,
The Kingsway Boxing Team
[AUG 17] We’re Back! Norseman Location Reopened (Modified While We Rebuild)
Dear KBC Family,
Following one of the most challenging weeks we’ve ever faced — both personally and as a business — we finally have the chance tonight to spend a quiet evening with our 2-year-old. That gift is only possible because of all of you.
We are over the moon to share that Open Gym will reopen tomorrow (Monday) at 6:00 am, and all classes resume with our very first one at 7:15 am led by Coach Virgil Barrow. All information in our app and on our schedules is accurate and up to date — please check there regularly, and if you’re unsure, confirm directly with your trainer.
It took us months to build our dream home at Norseman, and in under a week, this community has put us back into working order with the majority of our gym now operational. The damage was significant, but the way you’ve rallied has been nothing short of extraordinary.
The Community Impact
From scrubbing walls, baseboards, and every last surface, to removing drywall and countless loads of damaged equipment — our KBC family has invested an invaluable amount of time, energy, and heart into bringing our space back to life.
Impact Cleaning played a huge role in helping with the remediation, including anti-microbial treatment of all surfaces. Thanks to these efforts, along with the dedication of our volunteers, we’ve already passed critical inspections — HVAC, electrical (within the operational spaces), and water (toxin & mold-free).
A special thank you goes out to the many incredible companies throughout our community who stepped up immediately with equipment, junk removal services, and so much more. Once things normalize, we will be releasing a full article to showcase and celebrate this incredible community of support.
What to Expect (Members)
- Boxing ring and equipment – Fully available
- Weights and benches – Available and ready to use
- Cardio equipment – Not available just yet, but one of our amazing gym family members has stepped up to help us replace everything once the weight room rebuild is complete
- Fire & Ice Studio – This space will take a couple more weeks before it’s accessible. In the meantime, all Fire & Ice Studio members are invited to enjoy regular gym memberships with full class access (because if we can survive the heat of recovery, you can survive a few extra classes)
Important Note: while we complete repairs in the front area of the gym, all clients will be required to enter through the rear entrance. Full showers and changeroom facilities will remain available.
Please check with your coach to confirm personal training For Updated Class Schedules, please download our Kingsway Boxing Club App: Download Now: Apple or Android or visit our Schedules Page
We’ll keep the community updated and coordinate support efforts through our KBC WhatsApp group.
Fundraising & Support
Looking ahead, we will be launching fundraising efforts to help us fully rebuild. For now, we are beginning by collecting raffle items, and we’ll be in touch soon with more details on how the community can get involved.
We will need volunteer support over the coming weeks with:
- Admin support
- Onsite Support – Location Tours and Information (potential clients)
- Social Media and Public Relations
- Raffle donation collection and fundraising efforts (Please contact Shireen Fabing if you have any items for our raffle)
If you’re able to help, please complete the volunteer form so we can coordinate shifts and utilize support effectively.
With Gratitude
What took months to build has been restored in days because of you — our community. Your sweat, your services, and your unwavering support have turned devastation into resilience.
From the bottom of our hearts — thank you.
With gratitude and love,
The Kingsway Boxing Team
[AUG 16] Norseman Location Update & Modified Reopening
Dear KBC Family,
It’s been just over 72 hours since the fire at our Norseman location, and thanks to the incredible support of our community, we are on track to reopen in a modified capacity at Norseman by this Monday.
What took us three months to build originally, our KBC family has somehow managed to rebuild in just three days. The progress we’ve made in such a short time would not have been possible without the combined efforts, hard work, and generosity of all of you.
We still have a ways to go when it comes to fully restoring our Strength Studio and replacing equipment, but thanks to this community we are in truly great shape.
Where We’re At
We’ve managed to sweep, mop, scrub, dust, sort, and salvage countless items, many of which have now been moved into storage. We’re also preparing the areas that need drywalling so repairs can begin.
The efforts go far beyond the physical clean-up. From updating the website and managing our booking app, to clearing mailboxes and inboxes, your work behind the scenes has been just as vital and has kept us going.
Many of you have kindly reached out about offering donations, both monetary and otherwise. We truly appreciate this, and will be sharing more information soon as those plans come together.
Volunteers: How You Can Help Right Now
We will be reaching out directly to book volunteers as needed. Please take a moment to complete the volunteer form so we have your availability. If you are not contacted right away, please know that your support is still deeply appreciated — it simply means we don’t require extra hands at that time.
For Sunday, we will only be calling on one volunteer shift from 12:00–4:00 pm. This group will serve as our cleaning crew for the day. If you are contacted for this shift, thank you in advance for lending your time and energy. If not, please don’t worry — we’ll continue to reach out as different needs arise.
We will need help over the coming weeks with:
- Admin support
- Onsite Support – Location Tours and Information (potential clients)
- Social Media and Public Relations
- Raffle donation collection and fundraising efforts (Please contact Shireen Fabing if you have any items for our raffle)
If you’re able to help, please complete the form above so we can coordinate shifts and utilize support effectively.
Our gym is a home away from home for so many of us, and we are working tirelessly to ensure you have a place to train with as little interruption as possible. Please continue checking the app for the latest class updates.
KBC Members and Clients
Please check with your coach to confirm personal training For Updated Class Schedules, please download our Kingsway Boxing Club App: Download Now: Apple or Android or visit our Schedules Page
We’ll keep the community updated and coordinate support efforts through our KBC WhatsApp group (link below).
We’re beyond grateful for every single offer of help. With your support, we won’t only get through this, we will come out stronger!
With love and gratitude,
Jennifer Huggins & Virgil Barrow
[AUG 14] Temporary Norseman Closure & Next Steps
Dear KBC Family,
It’s been an incredibly challenging 24 hours since the fire at our Norseman location, and we want to thank you again for the outpouring of love and support. A special thank you to Impact Cleaning Services for moving so quickly on the cleanup and to the Mosher Family for generously dropping off so many bins. We’re making progress, but there’s still a long road ahead, and we could use a few extra hands from our amazing community.
Where We’re At
We’re currently working through insurance requirements, cleanup, and damage assessment. Unfortunately, coverage is limited, so much of the work will need to be completed with the help of our community. We’re still finalizing timelines, but we’re hopeful to have partial operations back at Norseman by next week.
Please check with your coach to confirm personal training at Bloor location. For Updated Class Schedules, please download our Kingsway Boxing Club App: Download Now: Apple or Android or visit our Schedules Page
We’ll keep the community updated and coordinate support efforts through our KBC WhatsApp group (link below).
How You Can Help Right Now
We will need help over the coming days with:
- Emptying out the property and cleaning anything salvageable
- Providing medium to large Tupperware bins for storage.
- Damage & Loss Cataloging Team – Led by Shana Bates, this team will document damaged equipment and property. We need a few volunteers to assist and rotate in to relieve her throughout the day.
Volunteer Teams Needed
- Cleanup & Salvage Crew – Removing debris, cleaning equipment, and safely disposing of what can’t be saved
- Sorting & Storage Team – Packing salvaged items into labeled Tupperware bins for storage
- Damage & Loss Cataloging Team – Working with Shana to photograph, list, and track losses for insurance and records
If you’re able to help, please complete the form above so we can coordinate shifts and utilize support effectively.
We’re beyond grateful for every single offer of help. With your support, we’ll get through this together and bring the Norseman location back to life.
With love and gratitude,
Jennifer Huggins & Virgil Barrow
[AUG 13] Temporary Closure Due To Fire
Dear KBC Family,
This morning, our new Kingsway Boxing Club location at Norseman Street experienced a fire caused by arson. Toronto Police acted quickly, and two individuals involved have already been taken into custody. Most importantly, everyone is safe. While the damage to our facility is extensive, our team is strong, and our commitment to our community remains unshaken.In the meantime, various classes will be temporarily moved to our Bloor Street location, and we are hopeful to have Norseman back up and running within a week. We’ll be in touch with all affected members directly regarding class schedules. We know this is difficult news, especially so soon after moving into our new home. But we’ve faced challenges before, and each time it’s been the strength and support of our KBC Family that’s carried us through. As we navigate the road ahead, we will need that same community spirit more than ever. Together, we will come back stronger.
We’ll share updates as plans take shape, including how you can help if you wish to get involved. In the meantime, please know that we’re okay — and everything is going to be okay.
For Updated Class Schedules, please download our Kingsway Boxing Club App: Download Now: Apple or Android or visit our Schedules Page
To keep up with member correspondence and updates, please join our KBC WhatsApp Client Update Group. We will work to share daily updates along with community engagement opportunities as we work to get back on our feet.
With love and gratitude,
Jennifer Huggins & Virgil Barrow
Kingsway Boxing Club
