Sheraton Parkway: Award-Winning Service to the Local Community
For nearly 25 years, the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel has been
welcoming business and leisure guests, and attracting weddings, galas, conferences and conventions. When consistency, attention to detail and
community service recently won the prestigious Mayor’s Business Award
for this Richmond Hill landmark, MB met with the hotel’s General Manager
and Director of Sales to find out more.
Suzanne Marshall, General Manager and Monique Dennison,
Director of Sales, Sheraton Parkway Toronto North
The Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel was built when the Richmond Hill area was just developing. Today the venue employs nearly 300 people and offers 312 guestrooms and suites, the Crave Restaurant, Spirit Lounge and Starbucks coffee bar, and a Business Centre, plus one outdoor and two indoor heated pools, 24-hour fitness centre and a new full service spa. Over 30,000 square feet of versatile meeting and exhibit space caters for every type of event.
The Sheraton Parkway also has a long history of giving back to the local community, supporting various events and activities in York Region. For example, the hotel sponsors the Richmond Hill Theatre for the Performing Arts and is active within the Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce.
In recognition of its lengthy record of community service, the Sheraton Parkway was presented with this year’s Mayor’s Business Award, the winner of which is chosen personally by Town of Richmond Hill Mayor David Barrow, who also presented the award to the hotel’s owner, Jason Kaptyn.
This is where the Sheraton Parkway story takes a unique twist. While the hotel is part of the multinational Sheraton brand, there is also a family business dimension. In 1980, John Kaptyn bought the Parkway Inn on a site surrounded mostly by farmland. This was converted into a Sheraton and the Richmond Tower with 105 rooms was built in 1986, followed by the York Tower, with 207 rooms, and the convention and banquet space in 1989.
By the early 1990s, John’s son, Simon, assumed responsibility, and when he retired in 2005, his son, Jason, became President. The following year, the hotel’s $10 million renovation was the largest in York Region history. Sadly, John died a year ago, but his vision for the hotel and legacy for the community live on: the Kaptyns recently donated $2,000,000 for the cancer units of two local hospitals, Markham Stouffville and Southlake Regional. The hotel also provides placements for local students and contributes to local charitable initiatives. Its Parkway Health & Racquet Club holds drives for local food banks and sponsors charity runs.
Of course, it is never smooth sailing all the time for any business and the hospitality sector is no exception. In the past few years, the Sheraton Parkway and its competition have dealt with the effects of 9-11 and the SARS outbreak. The current economic situation is the latest challenge, as businesses and individuals alike reassess their financial positions. But the Sheraton Parkway is more than holding its own by offering creative sales and marketing packages, and appealing to corporate customers through special rates, complimentary high-speed internet and breakfast packages.
While the Sheraton Parkway may have been ‘the only game in town’ years ago, there is plenty of competition around these days. But how many hotels have kept the same ownership from day one and can boast strong employee retention? The two women who showed us around the hotel are a case in point: General Manager Suzanne Marshall began work at this hotel as a banquet server over 22 years ago, while Director of Sales Monique Dennison has worked at the hotel for 11 years.
Clearly, this hotel’s simple vision statement – to be the best – says it all!
2600 John Street, Unit 207, Markham, ON L3R 3W3 T: 905.475.5222 F: 905.475.6369
