Toronto has renamed a community centre to honour one of the city's youngest victims of gun play.

Ephraim Brown was 11 years old when a stray bullet killed him in July 2007. He was at his cousin's birthday party in North York when two rival gangs got into a gunfight.

On Thursday, the boy's mother and community leaders were on hand to unveil the new name, Ephraim's Place Community Centre, located inside the Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene on Sheppard Avenue near Jane Street.

The centre is across the street from Ephraim's family home.

"It's hard coming here today because you know, it still hurts," said Ephraim's mother Lorna Brown. She said her son loved coming to the centre to play basketball, his favourite sport.

"I cry everyday, it really hurts. I can't believe he's gone," she said.

The church's pastor, Bill Sunberg, said the centre's new name will help people keep the young boy in their hearts forever.

"We want people to recognize his name and remember his story and in so doing, never lose the determination to make a difference in this community so that it never happens again."

Lorna Brown said she hopes the centre will help keep kids off the street and away from street violence.