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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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.
Fundraising is a great way to build the capacity of your community park group. Below are some key provincial and municipal grants that could help fund your next awesome park project.
Offers bus grants, awards and funds for legacy and environmental stewardship programs that nurture nature and connect people to nature in Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks. Learn more
Invests in community groups and environmental organizations that support conservation efforts and address environmental risks of the port-related activity. Learn more
Supports lighter living initiatives that encourage communities to live lighter and gain more of what matters – more time for ourselves and for connecting with others and our natural world, quality long-lasting goods, affordable lives, service to our communities, health, security and wellbeing. Learn more
Provides support for community groups to build community and neighbourhood connections while enhancing parks or other public spaces. Learn more
Offers Metro Vancouver seniors training and support to organize fun park activities, fostering social connections and physical activity among elders in their local parks and green spaces. Learn more
Offers grants to not-for-profit organizations throughout BC., to support their delivery of ongoing programs and services that meet the needs of their communities. Learn more
Provides $2500 grants to support creatives bring their ideas to life and enhance Downtown Vancouver’s public spaces. Proposals can include anything including art installations, fitness classes, dance performances, educational experiences, beautification projects, and craft markets. Learn more
Helps residents of any age, experience, or background take part in building a community. Learn more
Supports communities as they take multi-sectoral action to explore, learn, and innovate, enhancing community cohesion and sense of belonging. Learn more
Funds opportunities to support local organizations, programs, and initiatives in our neighbouring communities that enrich the lives of the people who live and work there. Learn more
Allocates funds to local non-profits, in collaboration with community volunteers across different sectors. Learn more
Supports emerging artists across all artistic and cultural disciplines living in the City of Vancouver who have an interest in building their careers and working with young people in an arts or culture-based capacity. Learn more
Provides a list of organizations that gift funding to a project and/or individual related to arts and culture. There are several different levels of public funding available to artists and arts, culture and heritage organizations, as well as a wide range of private funding avenues. Learn more
Aims to celebrate, elevate, and support the range of creative people, projects, and organizations who contribute to Vancouver’s diverse creative stories. Learn more
Provides grants to arts and culture organizations for projects that benefit residents of the region. They can be applied to the many steps in the process including creation, production, dissemination, and audience development. Learn more
Makes grants for cultural, educational and charitable purposes within the Province of British Columbia. Learn more
Welcomes applications for grant funding from community-led organizations that are dedicated to helping people in Vancouver’s inner city improve their lives. They fund innovative solutions to issues such as homelessness and a lack of affordable housing, poverty, food security and access to nutritious food, mental and physical health challenges, addiction and more. Learn more
Offers grants for community projects that help build healthy, engaged, accessible, and sustainable communities across the City of Vancouver. They support essentially organizations that serve the needs of children or vulnerable communities. Learn more
Supports non-profit organizations working to advance sustainable, equitable, and socially just land use and real estate practices in British Columbia. Learn more
Community Foundations invest in local initiatives that help to make Canadian communities better places to live, work and play.
Click here to find your local Foundation.
You can also find National Grants and Funding options here.
Winter makes us all feel more isolated. That’s why it’s critical to get outside and connect with others when the temperatures drop. Good thing park groups across Canada are helping us find the light in the dark, warmth in the cold and a ball in the snow.
Do you count yourself as an ‘indoorsy’ person during the winter months? Winter can be challenging—it’s dark, cold, and snowy. However, breaking down these challenges can help us discover practical ways to shift our mindset.
The day of the year that brings the fewest hours of sunlight also has the most hours of darkness. Canada’s solstice celebrations celebrate the darkness rather than rage against the dying of the light.
Vancouver’s Secret Lantern Society brings thousands of people together every year for a Winter Solstice Festival, an event celebrating culture and the cycle of nature.
The Festival takes place on a single night across four Vancouver locations. In the lead-up to the event, neighbourhoods throughout Vancouver host lantern-making workshops—some are free, while others require a small fee. A neighbourhood-based lantern procession is the cornerstone of the festival. Residents march through the winter night with their lanterns while dancing, drumming and enjoying fire, art and food to bring the wild rumpus to life. A wild labyrinth of light is lit by over 600 pure beeswax candles. Self-guided walks through the labyrinth help participants recharge and reset.
The most common winter activities—like skiing, snowshoeing, and tubing—require equipment and planning, which can create barriers that make it harder to get outside. But have you heard of yukigassen?
Yukigassen is the sport of snowball fighting. In Japan, Yukigassen, or “snow battles,” have been happening for decades. Organizations like Play Sask in Saskatoon have been hosting snowball fights in parks for years. During yukigassen, players compete to hit all the opposing team members with snowballs or capture the opponent’s flag. Yukigassen players must be 19+ and wear a helmet and eye protection. But other cities have hosted tamer versions using foam balls instead of snowballs.
”Throwing snowballs is very satisfying, and it kind of brings back your childhood a little bit.”
Ashleigh Mattern, Co-owner of Play Sask
This Jasper tournament gives you a sense of the game’s intensity:
Imagine a city park transformed into a magical winter forest. At Parc Jarry in Montreal, the Coalition des amis du Parc Jarry (CAP Jarry) launched a creative recycling initiative by turning old Christmas trees into a temporary forest that reflected park-goers’ hopes and dreams.
Montreal residents were invited to bring their old Christmas trees to Parc Jarry and place them in pre-made wooden stands, creating a beautiful little urban forest where people could wander. After a two-week display in the park, a company specializing in repurposing wood collected the trees and gave them new life.
“There was a lot of curiosity, a kind of mutual help, above all, such synergy… The project had an enormous positive impact.”
Mme. Fumagalli, Villeray’s mayor
Part shelter, part art installation, warming huts are designed to draw people out into the cold.
Winnipeg’s warming huts are situated along the River Mutual Trail, which transforms into one of Canada’s longest skating trails each winter. These huts have gained international acclaim as part of a world-famous architectural competition.
In 2024, there were over 200 design submissions from around the globe. Each year, visitors can expect to see unique new designs alongside beloved favourites.
“Over the past ten years, the Warming Huts competition has encouraged millions of people to skate the River Trail and engage with art.”
Peter Hargraves, Producer of the Warming Huts
Toronto’s Winter Stations were inspired by Winnipeg’s initiative. The structures are built around pre-existing lifeguard stations on a Lake Ontario beach, with each year’s designs centred around a selected theme that inspires fantastical creations.
Like Winnipeg’s program, Toronto’s Winter Stations transform a typically desolate winter landscape into a vibrant, engaging environment.
Are warming stations and solstice festivals too large-scale for your group? Even so, these events offer valuable lessons that can help you foster a winter-friendly mindset in your park.
Divide winter up into blocks of time: Marking the season with events around the solstice, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year, and Valentine’s Day can make winter feel more celebratory. Additionally, divide the season into sub-seasons beyond just “Oh Look At The Snow.” Early winter, for example, is perfect for activities that don’t rely on ice and snow—take advantage of longer nights with fire pits, candlelight, stargazing, and lantern-lit nature walks.
Tap into childhood nostalgia: Childhood memories help Yukigassen players propel their snowballs across the field. Of course, not all Canadians have experience with snow, but that’s all the more reason to make it fun. Many cultures have unique winter traditions—by incorporating cross-cultural perspectives, you can create new opportunities for people to build their own winter memories.
Enhance winter with art: Collaborate with local artists, architects, planners, and designers to make winter more vibrant. Look at your existing infrastructure—a fieldhouse, tennis court, or any underutilized space—and think about how it can be transformed into a winter destination. Consider smaller art or design interventions like simple winter scapes or low-maintenance snow forts.
Fundraising is a great way to build the capacity of your community park group. Below are some key provincial and municipal grants that could help fund your next awesome park project in Ontario.
City of Toronto Neighbourhood Climate Action Grant (Toronto): Supports resident-led and community group climate action projects at the neighbourhood-level. Learn more
City of Toronto PollinateTO Grant (Toronto): Funds pollinator habitat creation projects that educate and engage the community. Learn more
Park People Toronto Microgrants (Toronto): Supports community groups to host an environmentally focused event to connect, celebrate nature, build collective capacity and champion Toronto’s ravines, parks, and green spaces. Learn more on our Sparking Change and InTO the ravines page
City of Toronto Indigenous Climate Action Grant: Funds Indigenous-led projects that help to address the climate crisis and improve resilience. Learn more
Ontario Community Environment Fund (Ontario): Supports community-based activities like shoreline cleanups, habitat restoration and tree planting. Learn more
Landscape Ontario Chapter Bursary Program (Ontario): Support multiple small-scale projects that benefit various communities and neighbourhoods in the region. Learn more
City of Toronto Local Leadership Grant (Toronto): Funds resident-led groups helping inspire neighbourhoods and advance key themes in the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy. Learn more
City of Toronto Community Crisis Response Fund (Toronto): Offers financial assistance for projects that address a specific community crisis and contribute to community healing. Learn more
City of Toronto Identify ‘N Impact Grants Grants (Toronto): Funds grassroots youth-led groups working to advance the City’s Toronto Youth Equity Strategy. Learn more
Ontario Community Changemakers (Ontario): Helps young Ontario residents to spark new ideas and invigorate change in their local communities.Learn more
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (Ontario): Helps many types of organizations and communities deliver programs and services with direct community benefit for the people of Ontario. Learn more
Kiwanis Club of Toronto Foundation (Toronto): Provides an Arts and Culture Grant and a Mentorship and Leadership Grant to organizations to support their work with children and youth in the community. Learn more
Evergreen Community Spotlight: Supports innovative and community-centred programs and activities to animate Evergreen Brick Works. Learn more
City of Toronto Arts & Culture Grants (Toronto): Supports community-based organizations that contribute significantly to community capacity, equitable access, well-being, diversity, civic participation and civic cohesion, through art and cultural events. Learn more
City of Toronto Indigenous Arts & Culture Partnerships Fund (Toronto): Provides funding for community groups that create new opportunities and visibility for Indigenous-led arts and culture. Learn more
Toronto Arts Council Animating Toronto Parks (Toronto): Provides funding to professional artists, organizations and artists collectives to create and present free arts programming in selected Toronto parks located outside of the downtown core. Learn more
ArtReach Youth Programming (Toronto): Supports community-based arts programming by and for youth (13-29) artists from equity-deserving communities. Learn more
It takes deliberate thinking and action to enjoy park and ravine spaces while ensuring they’re protected. How can you use ravine and park events to foster reciprocity and ensure the natural world benefits as much as the community does?
We want to help more people connect to and engage with Toronto’s ravines through our InTO the Ravines program. However, given the environmental sensitivity of the ravines, this goal must be carefully balanced against the importance of protecting these fragile spaces. After all, Toronto is a city of almost 3 million people and population growth, new development and climate change are all putting increased pressure on the ravines which do a whole lot of “heavy lifting” for our city.
We are eager for more people to experience the ravines and see an opportunity for these kinds of events to contribute rather than just extract from the natural world. However, this takes deliberate thinking and action. We encourage people to start by asking:
How can your event be in alignment with nature? How can you use a ravine event to foster reciprocity to ensure the natural world benefits as much as the community does? How can you strive to use events as opportunities to give back to the natural world which offers us these meaningful and enriching experiences?
We explore these questions through conversations with Monica Radovski, Natural Environment Specialist from the City of Toronto in the Natural Environment and Community Programs unit of Urban Forestry and Carolynne Crawley, a Mi’kmaw woman with mixed ancestry from the East Coast known today as Nova Scotia. Carolynne operates her own business, Msit Nokmaq, which focuses upon decolonizing current interactions with the land, self, and others to build healthy and reciprocal relationships.
Given that we are writing this on the land we now call Toronto, which is on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, Carolynne focuses our conversation on sharing teachings that may resonate across many nations. She also reminds us that Indigenous people have been in relationship to these lands since time immemorial.
“I see the earth as my teacher, my healer, my confidant, my companion”
Carolynne Crawley, Founder Msit No’kmaq
Carolynne emphasises that many Indigenous nations across Turtle Island believe that in order to be in “right relations” with the land, water, and other beings, we must treat our relationships with the natural world as we would our family relations or friendships. For example, if you have a friendship in which a friend is always giving and the other is always taking, the relationship will be out of balance and will likely suffer. Similarly, as Carolynne emphasises, when we take from the land without giving back to it or nurturing it, we not only harm the land, but we harm ourselves. We damage ourselves by damaging our relationship to nature as we are all interconnected.As a reflection exercise before planning an event on the land, ask yourself: What can I offer back to the land in return for its gifts? What does living with reciprocity with the land, water, and species mean to me?
There are no simple answers to these questions, but Carolynne offered some helpful suggestions to consider when hosting ravine and park events:
When you slow down enough to develop a personal and meaningful connection to a park or ravine space, you provide others with a model to begin building their own connections to nature. Start your event by looking around and encouraging others to do the same. Consider what resonates with you: Is it a bird sound? The smell of leaves under foot? Is it seeing water flowing in the distance? Carolynne recommends visiting a spot regularly to build a relationship with it, just as you would with a new friend. One practical approach is to conduct a regular sit spot exercise in which you simply return to a spot at different times to observe what’s around you, how it changes and how you experience it. Doing this before, during and after your event can help you build a connection and consider what you can give back. Encourage event participants to do the same.
When you enter a park or ravine space, consider what you have to offer in return for the enjoyment the park brings to you. Think about the life in the park as being equal in meaning to your own life and think about how this belief might influence how you act. For example:
Monica Radovski, Natural Environment Specialist from the City of Toronto in the Natural Environment and Community Programs unit of Urban Forestry also shared how to host events that demonstrate respect for nature.
When Monica visits a natural space, she imagines that at least 1000 other people are taking the same steps she takes. This helps her remember that even if she is walking by herself, every step counts and that collectively, our steps add up fast. Even if we can’t see others walking with us, our actions never exist in isolation. Encourage your groups to imagine all of the other individuals and groups that will tread on this same path today, tomorrow and in future generations. Imagine your own ancestors walking this same path. How does that influence your actions on the path?
“When we are thinking about how we move on the land it is important to know what the impacts are, but also it’s important we don’t want to treat the land like a museum that we can’t touch, interact with, and have a relationship with the land. There is this fine balance.”
Monica encourages people to use their senses to note what lies under their feet. Fallen logs and crunching leaves under foot may look messy, but they are home to animals and insects and serve as a natural fertilizer for the earth beneath. How does recognizing this inform how you interact with the space?
Look around. If the space around you looks bare it might mean that the area you’re in is being overused. Knowing that might inspire you to consider taking a less popular route. On the other hand, if the space is rich with undercover, walk on it to create the smallest possible impact. Stay on the trail wherever possible, and if you have to go off trail (which is not recommended) consider walking in a zigzag fashion to avoid eroding the earth outside the trail or creating a new informal trail to be tread upon by others. Also, consider walking back along a different route.
Watch for animals, particularly during dawn and dusk when they’re most active. If you spot an animal during the day, observe their behaviour and tweet, call, or email 311 if you see anything unusual. If you observe anything unusual with plants and trails conditions, contact 311 to ensure this information reaches the City’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff.
Living in sync with nature means scheduling events with consideration of seasonality. Spring is one of the most sensitive times of the year when animals are having their young and plants are starting to grow. During dawn or dusk you might spot more wildlife. If your event is scheduled during these times, encourage participants to tread as carefully and quietly as possible to minimize disruption to plants and animals.
According to the Canadian Survey on Disability, 27% of Canadians aged 15 and over have one or more disabilities that limit their daily activities.
Making your event accessible and inclusive is not just a nice thing to do; it is the right thing to do! It ensures that no one is left out from receiving your message, participating in your activities or program, or being part of your network. This inclusive approach that welcomes diverse voices and perspectives benefits our organizations, parks, cities, and society as a whole!
Whether planning a nature walk, park picnic, planting workshop, a music/arts event, or an online webinar, it is essential to create a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment for participants of all abilities, backgrounds, ages, and gender identities!
Here are some valuable tips to help you plan accessible and inclusive events.
“We move together as people with mixed abilities, multiracial, multi-gendered, mixed class, across the sexual spectrum, with a vision that leaves no body-mind behind.”
Julie Nowak, Multiply-disabled and neuroqueer educator, consultant, and writer; and Kristie Cabrera, queer, Latine, neurodivergent, accessibility and inclusivity consultant.
Disability justice is both a framework and a movement dedicated to creating a less ableist and more equitable world. It goes beyond simple governmental compliance and addresses all types of disabilities—not just those related to mobility issues—to promote comprehensive inclusivity.
Learn more:
Planning an event involves juggling many tasks, like finding a venue, arranging food, materials, registrations, and keeping everyone informed. Sometimes, accessibility needs are considered only as an afterthought, if at all.
The key is to consider the many barriers that can exist for people with different abilities and backgrounds and address them at the event’s planning stage. Before you plan anything, develop a checklist of accessibility needs (see the Park People checklist below) and prioritize them based on their importance.
Remember, accessibility is a team effort; every person has a role to play! It involves coordination from budgeting to communications. An important reality is that prioritizing accessibility often requires a larger budget to cover different needs, such as renting a ramp, booking an accessible bus, or welcoming personal support workers at no extra charge.
“Together, through a respectful exchange of information and a commitment to accessibility, we can transform park programs, presentations, events, and activities into inclusive social and physical spaces – where everyone gets to benefit and contribute.”
Kari Krogh, Disabled co-founder of EcoWisdom, a social enterprise that offers Accessible Nature Wellbeing Programs online and in-person as well as Nature and Forest Therapy Guide certification training with an emphasis on disability-environmental justice, accessibility, and intersectional inclusion.
Accessibility means enabling everyone to have access to everything. It means removing access barriers to people with cognitive conditions and hearing, visual, and mobility-related impairments. It also means removing access barriers for people who have non-visible disabilities, such as neurodiversity or chronic illnesses resulting in sensory sensitivities and energy limitations, temporary mobility limitations (a broken leg, for example), seniors who may experience intermittent pain, and people of all body types, backgrounds, religions, and gender identities.
Even participants who don’t have a particular barrier in accessing your events and activities can benefit from accessibility features. For instance, research shows that captions and subtitles improve understanding and memory retention for all viewers.
Here’s a handy checklist to help you ensure your event is accessible and inclusive. This list isn’t exhaustive; additional considerations may be necessary based on your event’s specific needs.
When selecting event venues, it is essential to consider a range of accessibility features:
For outdoor events, confirm that spaces are designed and maintained to allow individuals with limited mobility to navigate safely and comfortably. Avoid venues with uneven terrain or steep inclines, and opt for stable, firm, and slip-resistant surfaces such as pavement, crushed stone or compacted soil. Trails should be at least 36 inches wide to accommodate wheelchairs or walkers.
Additionally, verify that service dogs are permitted in the venue (both indoor and outdoor) and arrangements are in place for a relief area.
Book a visit to conduct a site assessment of accessibility features before securing the location and venue. Consider inviting disabled individuals to visit your top pick venues and help assess the site to ensure it meets their needs.
To make sure everyone can enjoy every aspect of your event, we recommend you to:
Before the Event:
When promoting your event, ensure accessibility information is on the platform you’re using—webpage, FAQ, Eventbrite page, or Facebook event. It should cover various aspects of accessibility regarding the location, transportation, sensory experiences, and interactions one might expect. It will help people determine if they can/want to participate and plan accordingly.
If possible, take a video or photos of the terrain and include a link on the event website so that people can decide whether they can comfortably participate. If possible, allow attendees to check out the site in advance.
Ensure that people with disabilities can bring a support person at no extra cost and that this information is clearly communicated when you launch your event.
You can also provide an email address for accessibility inquiries and add a dedicated question in the registration form so interested people can describe their access needs before the event. Some participants might have specific requests that you hadn’t considered, such as the need to accommodate respirators, for instance.
This approach can reduce stress for participants who have faced barriers in the past and encourage them to consider participating when they may have thought it wasn’t possible. It will also help everyone get ready for the big day. Failing to follow up on these needs can be harmful. It’s important to openly discuss what accommodations can be provided within the available budget, which may require a discussion via email or phone.
During the Event:
Effective communication and clear signage are essential so all attendees can navigate different event venue areas, such as washrooms, reserved seating areas, the low-stimulation rest area and activity zones. Use clear fonts, large sizes, highly contrasting colours, simple language, universal symbols, and consistently strategic signage placement. If possible, provide accessible sign options, such as braille or tactile maps.
Make certain all your activities are safe and inclusive for everyone:
Let’s discuss concrete examples of accessible and inclusive park activities.
Multisensory Art event or installation
Visual art is often prioritized over other mediums, but multisensory installations offer a more inclusive experience. The approach is to use various interactive elements to engage multiple senses, such as sound and touch.
For instance, the “Interconnection Audio Stories: Knowledge, Myths, and Legends” project offers an immersive visual AND audio experience of an existing mural in Paul Martel Park in Toronto. It invites people to stop and listen, engaging their senses beyond just vision.
Another great example is a recent exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario showcasing the various contributions of women to the visual arts in Europe, which included multisensory experiences with scent and touch stations.
Planting / Stewardship event
Community gardens and stewardship events are very popular among park lovers. To make your garden accessible, use elevated beds and planters for wheelchair users or those unable to knee or bend, and place them near accessible paths (firm, levelled, and free of loose gravel). Have one or several trained staff members dedicated to supporting attendees.
Offer various ways to get involved for those who can’t physically remove invasive plants or participate in planting. They can participate in wildlife or plant inventory projects, site and plant assessments, communication and promotion, public education and nature interpretation whether it’s before, during, or after your event.
To enhance navigation and engagement with your content, prioritize platforms that support accessibility features like screen readers, keyboard navigation, and captioning options.
Enable closed captions or live transcripts for all audio and video content, and check that these features are synchronized to provide the best possible experience.
When creating presentation materials, including slide decks, videos, documents, and web pages, do it with accessibility in mind. Use clear fonts, high contrast, captions for video content, audio playback for PDF, and text description for images (text below the image and/or alt-text).
Learn more on web content accessibility:
Just as with external events, it’s important to include an option in the registration form for participants to specify their accessibility requirements or include an option for them to reach out and share their accessibility needs. It helps identify and accommodate individual needs in advance.
Provide technical support and assistance through multiple channels, including chat, email, and phone, so participants can easily access help if/when needed. Another good practice is to begin the presentation with tips on using the platform, the accessibility features and where to find additional support. This ensures that all participants know and can use the available resources effectively. When you are welcoming a disabled presenter, it can be very helpful to have a tech-check session in advance.
For online events lasting over an hour, we recommend you add one break to accommodate participants with personal care needs who may need time to rest, manage their energy levels, or move to manage chronic pain.
When presenting slides, you’ll describe the text displayed and provide more context and information. Please also provide detailed descriptions of the images, videos, or illustrations shown. It will take a few seconds but improve the experience of attendees who can’t see the images and videos correctly.
“What I liked most was being together with everyone in the first space ever since my body began to change where I felt I could be totally myself without question or explanation.”
EcoWisdom Accessible Nature Wellbeing Program Participant,, Vancouver
We want to acknowledge that we are not a disabled-led organization. The best practices shared here are rooted in our intention to make our events accessible, developed in consultation with disabled-led organizations such as Eco Wisdom. We are sharing this as a companion resource as part of our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) commitments.