As Dave Harvey retires from his co-leadership position at Park People, he reflects on the incredible journey since founding the organization in 2011.
Why are events in parks important? How do grants fit into Park People’s larger goals for creating change in city parks?
Here are some valuable tips to create a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment for participants of all abilities, backgrounds, ages, and gender identities!
Park clean-ups bring neighbours together, foster connection, and leave a lasting impact—explore our 5-step guide to get started.
Explore inspiring community-led events funded by our microgrants program, from land-based learning to nature walks and skill-sharing workshops.
How a temporary plaza in Montreal’s Parc Marcelin-Wilson was created to offer a gathering space for youth, with design improvements informed by Metalude’s insights through direct observations and youth engagement.
Come together with community members, park professionals, and municipal staff at the 2025 Park People Vancouver Forum!
Come together with community members, park professionals, and municipal staff at the 2025 Toronto Park Summit!
By donating to Park People, you’ll support vibrant parks for everyone.
Location
Toronto, Ontario
For more information reach out to: sparkingchange@parkpeople.ca
Urban parks offer countless benefits to our physical and mental health, to our sense of community, and to our environment. But these benefits aren’t shared equally — Racialized and low-income people face barriers to accessing urban parks, such as inadequate park infrastructure and discrimination in public spaces.
The Sparking Change program in Toronto supports equity-deserving community groups to transform their parks into powerful engines of community development.
We connect grassroots groups to opportunities for training, professional networks, seed funding, and one-on-one coaching to help them activate their parks and offer programming that addresses barriers and meets their communities’ needs.
0
community leaders trained to date
people connected to their local park
0%
of participants report being better connected to their community
Equity, Sparking Change, Training
Fundraising is a great way to build the capacity of your community park group. Here’s a list of the grants and funding options for park groups located in Ontario.
Driven by a passion to help, Nawal co-founded Flemingdon Community Support Services, a volunteer-led organization which help the community access food, housing and employment.
InTO the Ravines creates opportunities for Torontonians to come together to explore the ravines, learn about their social and ecological benefits, and champion their preservation.
The InTO the Ravines Champions program offers people living near ravines training and support to learn, explore, and celebrate Toronto's one-of-a-kind ravines system.
TD Park People Grants support local leaders to organize environmental education, sustainability or stewardship events that bring people together across Canada.