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?
We know we benefit when we get outside and connect with others when winter makes us feel isolated. Here are some ideas for how your group can animate parks in winter.
Here are some valuable tips to create a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment for participants of all abilities, backgrounds, ages, and gender identities!
Watch our special launch webinar with the Report's authors to get the inside scoop on our findings.
How the City of Charlottetown’s experience with Hurricane Fiona demonstrates the importance of cross-departmental partnerships and resilient infrastructure to mitigate the impact of extreme winds.
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In her recent presentation at the 2022 Park People Conference, Akiima Price called herself a “nature-based social worker,” quickly followed by the disclaimer “but I don’t have a degree in social work.”
What Akiima does have is three decades of leading community-centred park programs in economically stressed communities. In her presentation at the 2022 Conference, Akiima spoke about the Friends of Anacostia Park program she designed in her role as a consultant with the National Park Foundation. At the 2023 Park People Conference, Akiima will be featured in a Keynote Presentation on designing meaningful park programs that serve parks and the needs of equity-deserving communities.
Presentation of Akiima Price on “Nature and Engagement in Economically Stressed Communities” at the 2022 Park People Conference.
Akiima’s career began as a National Park Service Interpretation Ranger at Lake Mead Recreation Centre just outside of Las Vegas. According to National Park Service literature, the role of park interpreter exists to “help park visitors learn to care about park resources so they might support the care for park resources.”
Throughout her career, Akiima has resisted “park resources” being the sole focus of her national park work. When working with economically stressed communities, Akiima elevates the importance of reciprocity. As she said in her 2022 presentation: “the community isn’t just a friend to the park, but the park is a friend to the community.”
The vast majority of the community surrounding Anacostia National Park is African American and experiences some of the greatest income disparities and health inequalities in the US. The life expectancy of those living close to the Anacostia River is five years lower than in the rest of Washington D.C and poverty, diabetes, and obesity rates are significantly higher. The systemic nature of racism is deeply embedded in Anacostia’s landscape where sewage left the Anacostia river severely polluted and interstate construction severed neighbourhoods’ access to the national park.
Given this context, Akiima questions why “park resources” should be at the centre of all park work. She asks:
“As a human, you have to consider, how important is it that these kids can name five snakes if they have to process death on a regular and they’re fundamentally not safe?”
For Akiima, It’s a matter of where you put your focus.
Akiima has pushed the National Park Service to embrace a broader definition of the term ‘environment’ to include factors that deeply impact the lives of people living in economically stressed communities. Akiima’s definition of environment is far more inclusive. She defines it as: “the living and non-living things that make up your immediate surroundings.” Within this definition, as Akiima emphasized: “crack is an environmental issue,’ as are crime, drug use and incarceration.
This approach to “environmental issues” helped Akima design an exercise that invites participants to identify what she named the “powers and challenges” that exist both within the community and within the park.
The goal of the exercise is to identify solutions that match park and community needs and opportunities. For example, this exercise might inspire one to ask: “How could recreational activities in the park help address incarceration in the community?” This very question led to the design of a park program in which the National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens attended a late-night roller skating session in the park where park visitors were invited to design nature-based cards sent to incarcerated loved ones.
As Akiima emphasized, the ideas don’t always line up, but when they do, it’s magic.
“A lot of environmental groups will immediately say, well, we’re not social workers.” And while Akiima admits this is true, she encourages the organizations she works with to recognize the assets that exist right within the community. Just because the park service doesn’t have the answers doesn’t mean they’re off the hook for delivering programs of value to the community. As Akiima put it: “Hey, guess what, you can partner with people that do that work, right?”
As Akiima emphasizes, trusted community partners are essential to linking the community to the park. One prospective partner, the Office of Victim Services is hoping to engage victims of crime in mental-health-focused park walks that can provide an alternative form of relief to individuals who may avoid conventional talk therapy. As a secondary benefit, the park walks would help support the mental health of social workers who are particularly prone to burnout. That’s the kind of creative partnership that Akiima loves to create.
Akiima provided the above map of partners, which orders partners into priority, in waiting and future partners and recognizes both community and environmental organizations.
Embedded within the Friends of Anacostia Park members is the “Friends Corp.” The Corp are members of the community who receive both paid work and transferable skills by working in the park. Each member of the Corp is encouraged to pursue goals that link their gifts to the park, and each member of the Corp gets the support they need to achieve their goals.
Akiima has built-in efforts that elevate the profile and presence of the Corps within the park and the greater community. Corps members have been featured in simple baseball-type cards that highlight their relevant experiences in the park, and in the community. The cards helped the Corps members recognize the gifts and assets they bring to the park and helped community members build trusted relationships with Corp staff. As Akiima explained in her presentation, one Corps member Phyllis (pictured below) who previously experienced drug addiction was recognized as an “Addiction Recovery Advocate” on her card.
Phyllis is currently working on hosting Narcotics Anonymous meetings in Anacostia Park and this card helps build her credibility with the community she’s serving. As Akiima puts it:
“She doesn’t have to have a Ph.D. for me to respect her. I have the utmost respect for these people because they have these incredible experts this incredible expertise that is extremely relevant in these communities.”
Akiima’s work has the National Park Service is reshaping how the organization thinks about inclusion. Akiima’s love for her community has fuelled her commitment to making sure that the needs of economically stressed communities are deeply embedded in the design of park programs. Akiima’s favourite quote sums up the love that underpins her approach: “The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”
It’s no question which one Akiima is.
We’re delighted that Akiima will be a Keynote speaker at The Park People Conference in Toronto in 2023.
In questioning the future of our health and well-being, the health of our planet and how connected we feel to the rest of nature–and the equity issues inherent to all this–it’s easy to feel powerless. Multiple unique challenges suggest the need for multiple unique solutions, which may be difficult when there’s so much to pay attention to.
The new Cornerstone Parks Reports on Stewardship and Park Use allow us to change how we think. What if the same approaches that improve the planet’s health also strengthen its people’s health and happiness? And what if those activities are as within-reach as our local urban park? A growing body of evidence suggests that shared solutions to multiple challenges are at our fingertips.
The new Cornerstone Parks Reports on Stewardship and Park Use (High Park Report – Stanley Park Report – Mount Royal Report) combine findings from 796 individual survey responses throughout 2021 and 2022 to demonstrate large urban parks’ impact on communities’ connectedness to nature and–by extension–their health and happiness.
Surveys show that most park users (67%) who visit the large urban parks being studied spend their time participating in social and recreational activities rather than nature-focused ones (33%). And yet, the higher park users rate their nature-connectedness, the higher they report their physical health, mental health, and overall well-being.
People who engage in hands-on, nature-focused activities and park stewardship (over other park activities) report powerful social connections; a sense of belonging, meaning and purpose in their lives; greater physical health; and overall life satisfaction. To summarize, a healthier, happier life may begin with getting our hands dirty.
Large urban parks like High Park in Toronto, Stanley Park in Vancouver, and Mount Royal in Montreal are essential spaces for city-dwellers to access and connect with nature, including through park stewardship.
“Park stewardship” refers to park-based programs or events that invite volunteers to care for the land we’re a part of and depend on. Park stewardship can include removing invasive species, planting native species, inventorying or monitoring plants and wildlife, or removing litter, among other activities.
Among Cornerstone Park stewardship participants, 98% of those surveyed said that volunteering as stewards contributes to feeling connected to living things and the environment. Surveyed volunteers also said that participating in stewardship enables stronger feelings of nature-connectedness than engaging in recreational activities (75% vs 51%, respectively).
Knowing that there’s an association between nature connection and health suggests that participating in park stewardship could significantly impact health more than general park use.
Our survey findings show that:
0%
of volunteer stewards said stewardship makes them feel happy and satisfied
said stewardship contributes to their mental well-being
said stewardship contributes to their physical health
In greater detail:
of stewards agreed that stewardship contributes to them developing and maintaining social connections (only 73% said the same about recreational activities)
of stewards agreed that stewardship contributes to their sense of belonging to a community (only 69% said the same about recreational activities)
of stewards agreed that stewardship contributes to a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives (only 74% said the same about recreational activities)
Those participating in park stewardship more often rate their physical health and life satisfaction higher. People who participate in stewardship activities 20 or more times per year rate their life satisfaction the highest–even higher than those who engage in park recreation daily!
Unfortunately, our findings also show that some communities are less engaged in park stewardship. The majority of those who participate in stewardship identify as cis-gendered women (68%), able-bodied (86%) and white (76%).
With many communities under-represented in these parks and their programs, not everyone can access the health and social benefits experienced by park stewards.
Park user surveys also revealed that nature connections are weaker amongst specific demographics:
of park users who identify as a visible minority felt strongly connected to nature (73% of white park users said the same)
of park users born outside of Canada felt strongly connected to nature (73% of those born in Canada said the same)
People with a disability also felt significantly less connected to nature than their able-bodied counterparts. In both 2021 and 2022, 0% of park stewards surveyed indicated that they had a visible disability.
If certain communities are left out of stewardship programs and feel generally disconnected from nature, it’s reasonable to assume that this may impact their health.
Large urban parks have a meaningful opportunity to diversify their visitors and stewards. With current gaps in mind, founding Cornerstone Parks High Park, Stanley Park, and Mount Royal prioritize innovative programs that engage equity-deserving communities in park stewardship. The proof is in the numbers. From 2021 to 2022:
increase in the number of newcomers participating in stewardship at Cornerstone Parks
increase in the number of stewards who are BIPOC
This increase in inclusivity is thanks to innovative programs like:
The Cornerstone Parks program is currently announcing new partnerships that maximize the impact and influence of Canada’s large urban parks. They include the Darlington Ecological Corridor* in Montreal, Quebec; the Everett Crowley Park Committee and Free the Fern in Vancouver, BC; and the Meewasin Valley Authority in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
The Cornerstone Parks network is excited to grow with them and measure how their stewardship work improves the lives of their diverse communities, all while helping their cities adapt to current and future crises such as climate change.
Environmental health, human health, and equity are complex. But we can work smarter, not harder, with solutions that nurture ourselves, the planet, and each other simultaneously. If we follow the evidence that participating in environmental stewardship leads to better health and greater happiness–and if we commit to extending those well-being benefits to more equity-deserving communities–the solution-seeking potential of our actions is multiplied.
To get our hands dirty is to reclaim power, especially in times of change. Canada’s large urban parks are the sites that show us how. Through innovative programs, they connect communities to nature and each other. The closer every Canadian is to a Cornerstone Park, the closer they are to tangible solutions: for now and for the future.
Dive deeper into the findings of our Cornerstone Parks Reports on Stewardship and Park Use, and follow us as we expand our network of Cornerstone Parks.
Park People launches the fifth annual Canadian City Parks Report: Surfacing Solutions: How Addressing Conflict and Reframing Challenges as Opportunities Can Create More Equitable and Sustainable Parks.
Over the past five years of the Canadian City Parks Report, our goal has always been to tell a story—the story of where city parks are going and where they need to go.
This year, we took an even deeper approach to gathering these stories. We sat down for interviews with 44 senior parks staff across 30 municipalities, who generously shared with us the challenges they are facing, the projects and people inspiring them, and their vision for the future of city parks.
In the report, we weave together the themes we heard from those conversations with the data we gathered from our surveys of 35 municipalities and over 2000 residents of Canadian cities.
Dive into the pdf to read about our key insights on trends and challenges in city parks:
Happy reading!
While large natural areas are critical, research shows that small-scale urban biodiversity projects—like pollinator gardens—are critical to healthy city ecosystems. In urban environments, every nook and cranny counts.
In this webinar, hear from experts and advocates on the ecological benefits of these small urban habitats, explore the policies and practices that support (or don’t) this shift and learn how you can start your own tiny habitat – right in your backyard or local park!
The webinar is held in English; French subtitles are available.
Landscape architect and member of the AAPQ, Caroline brought a deep knowledge of Montreal’s professional, municipal and community networks as…
Mahnaz Ghalib is passionate about the environment and works on innovative and sustainable solutions through community participation. Her journey to…
Carmen is an interdisciplinary visual artist and performer. She has a long history of initiating art projects and creative community-integrated…
Vibrant parks depend on engaged volunteers -the people-power behind park events as well as park fundraising and marketing efforts. In this webinar, we want to help you develop the creative skills you need to attract and retain park volunteers.
Watch the session to learn best practices for attracting and retaining volunteers, employing good governance practices, and managing burnout and attrition.
Brianna oversaw Park People’s Toronto Community Park Network, supporting new and existing local park groups across the city. In this…
Minaz worked at Park People as the Outreach Manager, overseeing the Sparking Change program. This program supports communities in Toronto’s…
Urban green spaces help mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing temperatures and lowering flood risk. However, unequal access to these spaces leaves many lower-income, racialized communities more vulnerable to these impacts. Addressing these inequities involves more equitable distribution of green space and changes in how we engage and involve communities in the design and planning of city parks.
Experts from across the country explore what environmental justice means for city parks and how the concept is being applied in Canada.
Larissa is a restorative circle keeper, published Indigenous and anti-racism researcher, award-winning ribbon skirt artist, and proudly passes on Métis…
Lorien Nesbitt seeks to create more liveable and equitable urban environments. During her career, she has had the privilege to…
CEED Canada (aka CEED) is a not-for-profit environmental education organization that provides tools and resources to MURB residents and property…
How did Friends of Hancock Woodlands become the “little sister” to The Riverwood Conservancy (TRC), and how did TRC’s experience help shape volunteerism and community engagement at Hancock Woodlands?
We spoke to Robin Haley-Gillin, Manager of Organizational Development & Volunteers at TRC and Sytske van der Veen, Chair of the Friends of Hancock Woodlands, to learn more about their impressive collaboration.
For 35 years, The Riverwood Conservancy has been dedicated to stewarding Riverwood, a 150-acre urban oasis featuring woodlands, meadows, and nature trails. Each year, over 10,000 people participate in TRC’s nature-focused events, and their volunteers contribute more than 24,000 hours of service. TRC has received the Park People Greenbelt River Valley Connector grant twice, which supports programs that connect people to their local Greenbelt-protected watersheds.
As an organization with a strong understanding and foothold in the community, TRC was in an ideal position to help a new Mississauga park group start their volunteer program.
Friends of Hancock Woodlands was established when the City of Mississauga purchased a family-owned plant nursery with plans to open it as a new garden park. From the start of the project, the City was committed to ensuring the park had a robust volunteer program, including a strong community park group. Hancock Woodlands was finally opened as a public park in 2018. In 2019, they received their first TD Park People grant to organize fun events connecting the community to their newest park.
Despite The Riverwood Conservancy being over 20 times the size of Hancock Woodlands and having a long-established presence in their city, their collaboration has had a significant impact.
The Riverwood Conservancy relished working with the newly established park group because it was an opportunity to see a new garden park project come to life. Riverwood has “expanding the garden park movement” right in its vision statement.
“Working together with like-minded groups and individuals, our mission is to enable people of all cultures, ages, and abilities to respectfully connect with nature and learn about the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring natural spaces for the well-being of future generations.””
“It is really our dream to have a series of garden parks throughout Mississauga to spread the movement.”
Robin Haley-Gillin
Rather than seeing their groups as competitors battling it out for volunteers and event attendance, the two groups saw themselves as engaged in the same ultimate goal of successfully growing the garden park movement.
Does your park group’s vision and mission include collaboration? What local groups could your group turn to for support and mentorship? Consider these questions as you examine how the two groups worked together.
The Riverwood Conservancy gave Friends of Hancock Woodlands access to its events, networks, knowledge and experience in order to get the group prepared to become officially registered with the City of Mississauga.
In the early days, TRC gave the new group access to the core policy and governance documents they’d need to establish their Friends group. This included sharing key documents like terms of reference, volunteer job descriptions, and group bylaws.
A few years elapsed between forming Friends of Hancock Woodlands and the official park opening. During this time, Friends of Hancock Woodlands planned and hosted educational events. At this stage, TRC provided Hancock Woodlands with marketing and outreach support by printing brochures, featuring the group on their website and sharing space at tabling events. They also provided a meeting space so the group could meet and begin planning its future.
Finally, as the park opened, TRC helped the Friends group get its core members working well together. TRC also offered practical support, like discounts on garden materials that were being purchased in bulk, helping the garden flourish with a lower price tag than Hancock Gardens would experience as a single vendor.
Sure, Riverwood is 20 times the size of Hancock Woodlands, but that’s just the start of their differences. Hancock Woodlands has its unique natural features including a heritage woodlot and gardens flush with Rhododendron, Azalea and Mountain Laurel.The two organizations also have very different histories and locations in the city of Mississauga.
TRC has always valued a strong partnership approach and shared the significance of local collaborations with Friends of Hancock Woodlands. However, when Hancock Woodlands sought out partners, they were able to forge their own unique collaborations, which was exciting for Robin to witness. For example, Hancock Woodlands established a partnership with the local food bank, dedicating plots in their community garden to grow food for those in need. Additionally, they introduced a system where canned food donations serve as ‘payment’ for attending Hancock Woodlands events.
“They have different partners and networks. That difference is what makes the mentorship work. It’s a chance for us to learn from one another.”
Robin
Today, Friends of Hancock Woodlands has a core group and a network of close to 200 people who attend events like invasive species pulls, education about the gardens’ history, and gardening workshops.
Now that the group is officially registered with the city, it will invariably face new challenges, such as working together as a committee and increasing its reach within the community.
“When we started, our goal was to get the group ready to be officially registered with the City.”
Robin says that while the formal aspect of the mentorship is coming to a close, there is a strong push to ensure the project realizes its full potential. Today, Friends of Hancock continues to be “the little sister” organization to TRC, and like sisters, they are growing together and becoming their own.
Thank you to the McLean Foundation for their support in funding this resource.
Tackling climate change within your community can be challenging. Park People partnered with Shawsti, a grassroots organization for Bengali seniors who frequent Dentonia Park in Toronto, to lead workshops on this crucial issue. Here’s what Nadira Tabassum, president of Shawsti, learned from the experience.
“Shawsti” is a Bengali word meaning peace and comfort. It’s also the name of a walking group for Bengali seniors that grew into a community group, helping to maintain connections within the Bengali community during the pandemic. Based in Toronto’s Taylor Massey and Oakridge Neighborhood Improvement Area, Shawsti has received ongoing support from Park People through our Sparking Change program and the TD Park People Grant.
Many of those involved in Shawsti’s programs are from Bangladesh, a country heavily impacted by climate change. As anxiety and fear about this global challenge grew within the community, the group’s leaders turned to Park People to help develop new initiatives. True to their name, they were determined to bring a sense of ‘peace and comfort’ back to their community.
Carbon Conversations TO, a volunteer-led group focused on helping individuals navigate their feelings about climate change, played a crucial role. Brianna, who is involved with both Park People and Carbon Conversations TO, facilitated two climate change workshops for Shawsti’s members.
Carbon Conversations TO prioritizes acknowledging and addressing the difficult emotions surrounding climate change. Nadira Tabassum, President of Shawsti, observed that natural disasters are increasingly frequent, leaving her community feeling “concerned, fearful, anxious, confused, and helpless.”
These intense emotions often lead people to avoid discussing climate change. That’s why starting conversations by acknowledging these feelings is essential.
Also, being in a group setting helps people feel less afraid about addressing climate change, and the isolating emotions that come with it.
“Groups should be no larger than 10. The intimate group size helps people feel connected to the facilitator and one another so difficult feelings can surface.”
Brianna
One of the first exercises Shwasti participants engaged in was writing down their feelings about climate change. This helps people feel empowered and motivated rather than paralyzed by fear and uncertainty.
“In our conversations, we need to look at our irrationality in dealing with climate change with compassion and respect instead of judgment and filled with messages of fear and doom.”
, Carbon Conversations TO
Dealing with difficult emotions in a supportive group sets the stage for what actions are needed to move toward a better future.In the Carbon Conversations TO model, individual and collective action are bound together. Individual action inspires collective action, and collective action inspires individual action. It’s a virtuous cycle that is set in motion once negative feelings are shared and managed.
“The whole is made up of individuals. Individuals make up a society. Together, as a society, we are responsible for creating a safe world for the next generation.”
Nadira, Shwasti
The workshop covered the basics of carbon dioxide and its role in climate change, revealing how individual choices—like air travel and meat consumption—affect the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. With this knowledge, participants were encouraged to consider what changes they could make to align with their hopeful vision for the future.
Again, emotions play a big role as we think about climate actions. So, the workshop not only asks “what changes could you make?” but also “what would be hard about this change?” and “what would you enjoy?”
Nadira underscored that the workshop was successful because no one felt judged or blamed. A space free from blame allows participants to engage openly and have meaningful conversations about climate change.
Research supports this approach, showing that when people are comfortable discussing climate change within their community, they are more likely to align with scientific views over time.
On the second day of the workshop, the group chose to focus on consumption and waste. In an area where guilt and shame often arise, participants were encouraged to avoid labeling their habits as simply good or bad. Instead, the emphasis was on understanding the feelings behind their purchasing decisions.
For a community group like Shwasti, it’s perhaps easier to shift from a focus on personal sacrifice to a new idea of happiness based on the collective.
“We have ideas of what the world might look like where it’s better for everyone, more socially just and better for the environment, so we need to build that by showing people what that looks like. Doing the right thing does not always mean that you’re sacrificing your happiness. There’s also happiness in these different types of actions.”
Inspired by the workshops, Shwasti hosted a festival in the park and a local climate march to educate their community about climate change.
“We want to change habits in our local community.”
Nadira
They were also planning a door-to-door campaign to spark further conversations with their neighbours.
The workshop helped the group move from fear and anxiety to action by enabling them to gain a sense of power and control in their lives. This is what Carbon Conversations calls “active hope,” and it’s a powerful term.
Active hope begins by acknowledging the context we’re in around climate change, even if it’s difficult and painful. From there, it’s about thinking about the future you want – a stable climate, thriving communities built on justice and equity, and all that good stuff. Then, it’s about taking action toward that future.
Indeed, there is nothing simple about having active hope in a warming world. By leveraging the power of community to inspire collective action helps us address our fears. As the workshop demonstrates, this is key to taking control over our own “peace and comfort” in the face of climate change.
In July 2018 and November 2018, Park People worked with the City of Toronto and over 100 volunteers to conduct a public life study of the King Street Pilot.
The study used a behavioural observation approach to examine the use of the new public spaces that were created along the street as part of the pilot between Bathurst and Jarvis Streets. The purpose was to better understand how the new public spaces were working, including who was using them and for what activities, in order to evaluate their impact and determine recommendations for potential improvements.
Park People is thrilled to announce three new partners within our growing national network of Cornerstone Parks: the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition in Edmonton, AB; Toronto Botanical Garden in Toronto, ON; and Ecology Action Centre in Halifax, NS.
Launched in 2021, Cornerstone Parks is the only national network dedicated to maximizing the impact and influence of Canada’s large urban parks. These are critical spaces for people living in cities to build meaningful connections to nature and each other, and they give cities a head start when mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Large urban parks often require more maintenance, operations, and programming resources, as well as innovative solutions to their unique challenges. Cornerstone Parks convenes organizations working in parks across Canada through a community of practice. The program supports them through direct funding for community stewardship and restoration, capacity-building within and between park groups (especially in equity-deserving communities), and measuring and storytelling the impact of our collective work.
The Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition, Toronto Botanical Garden, and Ecology Action Centre join the program’s three founding partners – Stanley Park Ecology Society in Vancouver, BC; High Park Nature Centre in Toronto, ON; and Les Amis de la montagne in Montreal, QC – as well as returning 2023 partners the Everett Crowley Park Committee and Free the Fern Stewardship Society in Vancouver, BC; Meewasin Valley Authority in Saskatoon, SK; Rowntree Mills Park in Toronto, ON; and Darlington Ecological Corridor in Montreal, QC.
The Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition (ERVCC) is dedicated to the protection, preservation, and regeneration of the North Saskatchewan River Valley and Ravine System in Edmonton, AB. The river valley is an 18,000-acre “ribbon of green” forming the largest expanse of urban parkland in Canada. The volunteer-led Coalition collaborates with many conservation groups and initiatives – including Swim Drink Fish, Edmonton Native Plant Society, Shrubscriber, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and Edmonton’s Root for Trees – to support conservation and restoration through knowledge-sharing, co-stewardship, public education, and political advocacy.
Through Cornerstone, they aim to accelerate the number of trees and plants planted alongside Root for Trees, enhance water monitoring with Swim Drink Fish, support the Tree Equity Program and Bird Friendly Edmonton, and pilot a new trail restoration program with their City. All this while creating employment opportunities that elevate people-power over carbon and exploring future designation as a National Urban Park.
Toronto Botanical Garden (TBG) offers an array of gardens spanning nearly four acres in Toronto, ON, adjacent to the Don Valley Ravine, Wilket Creek, and Edwards Gardens. They’re currently undergoing a landmark expansion across a 35-acre site, re-aligning their efforts to become a purpose-led botanical garden, cultivating a community with a profound connection to nature, and inspiring impact in their unique ecosystem and beyond.
With Cornerstone support, Toronto Botanical Garden will pilot a series of activities – including accessible ravine tours, citizen science initiatives, seed saving, and a fall festival coinciding with City of Toronto Ravine Days – to help communities engage more deeply with their local ravine systems and support ecological restoration efforts.
The Ecology Action Centre has operated as a member-based environmental charity in Nova Scotia since 1971. Their efforts to establish a Halifax greenbelt – a thriving and protected network of parks and greenspaces – have led to strong partnerships with local conservation organizations representing three key locations: Purcells Cove Backlands, Blue-Mountain Birch Cove Lakes, and Sandy Lake-Sackville River.
As a Cornerstone partner, the Ecology Action Centre will expand its existing hike series to improve public awareness and engagement within these parks, initiate research on local invasive species through citizen science programs, and pilot new activities like park user surveys. They will support Blue-Mountain Birch Cove Lakes as they, too, explore future designation as a National Urban Park.
Welcoming new partners into the Cornerstone Parks program helps us to make different (yet equally critical) connections: between parks in the same municipalities and across different municipalities; between long-established and newly-emerging park-based organizations; and between different types of large urban parks, as shaped by our changing cities.
By fostering relationships between different parks within the same urban centres – Vancouver, Edmonton and Saskatoon, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax – Cornerstone Parks enables peer-to-peer support where challenges like invasive plant species, wildlife interactions, and the impacts of climate change (as well as local policies to address them) are often the same. By creating dialogues between cities, the program exposes park groups to new (and shared) challenges and demonstrates novel models of collaboration and co-governance to help surface transferrable solutions.
Since 2021, the program has evolved to address the fact that there are many different types of large urban parks. This includes historically prioritized destination parks like our founders, Stanley Park in Vancouver, High Park in Toronto, and Mount Royal in Montreal. It also includes “adaptive reuse” projects like Everett Crowley Park and its connecting Champlain Heights trail system in Vancouver and the Darlington Ecological Corridor in Montreal – a former landfill site and rail corridor, respectively – whose revitalization creates new and essential green spaces for equity-deserving communities. It further includes connective parks like ravines, river valleys, and greenbelts that continue to resist urban development as cities rapidly grow around them.
Canada’s large urban parks are vital nature spaces that deserve our support. Whatever their location and history, and however long their organizational legacy of conservation and care, they all provide critical nature and community connections to people living in cities.
Cornerstone Parks enjoy benefits that they, in turn, multiply and extend to the urbanized, often equity-deserving communities who visit them. They do this through accessible programs and opportunities that measurably improve park users’ and volunteers’ physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. A win for these parks is a win for communities.
The Cornerstone Parks program is honoured to play a role in providing shared resources, networking and capacity-building, impact measurement and storytelling, and overall advocacy to help support the continued growth of our new partners, the Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition, Toronto Botanical Garden, and Ecology Action Centre, and uplift the ongoing work of all our Cornerstone Parks.