Adventure Alley is a Community Hub for Kids (And Parents)
In the new Galleria Development, this indoor playground brings the neighbourhood together
From the start, Adventure Alley was designed for the community. Its owners, Amanda Neves and Sebastian Kennedy, had a vision to create an indoor playground and lounge for the Dufferin and Dupont neighbourhood that would do double-duty: entertainment for the kids and a gathering space for parents like themselves. Opened this September in Toronto’s Galleria Development, Adventure Alley is already making waves for its family-friendly approach. When they tapped LV Interior Design Studio to take on the project, they also wanted to keep production as local as possible. (A central mural was painted by local artist Justin Broadbent, much of the wood furniture was sourced from Kitchener’s Fern Kids and the lighting came from Montreal and Toronto-based Luminaire Authentik.)
Located at 140 Galleria Rd Unit #2.
But the studio’s Principal Designer, Jordana Leventhal, had another reason for taking this project on: she lives in the neighbourhood. Only five minutes away, Leventhal is already a regular visitor alongside her two daughters. And with a personal stake in the outcome, she was committed to building a stimulating, design-driven space that her children would enjoy for years to come. And they had their own opinions too… “Really big slides.”
To inspire child-driven sensory exploration, the world is at the kid’s level.
While she did include one tall slide, Leventhal looked for other ways to inspire her children’s imagination. She was struck by the idea that a child’s curiosity never follows a straight line and designed many areas for different kinds of discovery. A playground rouses active play, a peg wall incites sensory exploration, a darker, moodier room simulates nighttime. With something for everyone, the kid-led design is inclusive to all ages (1-12). “The kids are amazed, like what is going on? Where do I start?” laughs Leventhal.
A bright, bold rubber tile bathroom featuring wall sconces from Luminaire Authentik.
By repeating certain shapes — flowers, stars and other nature-inspired symbols — and contouring lines throughout the interior, the space is full of playful easter eggs, for both kids and adults. “Amanda and Sebastian said, ‘We want to build a space where kids and parents can discover things and there’s always something new for them to see. The whole idea was to create visual finds everywhere. So, you come in and we have shapes on the ceiling that might not have been noticed originally. Like, ‘Oh, look, mommy. I found a flower in the sky!’” explains Leventhal.
And as the kids play in the centre of the main room, open sightlines allow the gathered parents to keep an eye on their children, while working on laptops or chatting with friends. But it works the other way too: kids can peek out and say hello to their parents through the cubbies. Plus, a soft painted double-layer rubber composite flooring keeps them safe and comfortable, and curved walls and rounded edges minimize accidents.
The playgrounds evoke a cityscape, while the reception area feels more nature-inspired, with a tree-light, reading nook and picket fence.
Inspired by the principles of Scandinavian design, the interior uses a soft colour palette and wood elements to create an uplifting atmosphere. And thoughtful moments of natural wood — picket fence details, sliding doors and more — add warmth. Plus, the materials were chosen for their sustainability and durability (the light-coloured millwork is actually made of wood-replica, and the party room features high-quality, rubber tile flooring).
“When the kid enters the space, we want them to feel calm,” says Leventhal. “We want to have colour, of course, because it’s a kid’s play space, but we want to make it feel that they are not going to be overwhelmed by blasts of colour.”
