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Food is a great way to bring people together in parks! Adding an outdoor picnic to events like a park stewardship day or a harvest festival can make the experience even more enjoyable.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you plan a successful event—from securing permits to post-picnic cleanup.

Planning and permits

When selecting your location, think about accessibility, proximity to parking or transit, and amenities like restrooms, water fountains, and shade. Read our resource on making your event accessible and inclusive to help guide your thinking.

Once you’ve picked the perfect spot, research your park’s rules and regulations. Many parks require permits for group events, especially if you’ll be reserving picnic tables, bringing grills, or hosting activities.

Here’s a general guide, but note: regulations will vary depending on the city you live in. Contact your local parks department to confirm requirements and apply for permits well in advance.

  • No permit needed
    If your picnic is private, fewer than 25 people (in Toronto) or 50 people (in Montreal), and you are not using a designated picnic site like a picnic shelter or barbecue, you generally don’t need a permit.
  • Special Event Permit and insurance needed
    If your picnic is open to the public, whether at a designated picnic site or not, you will require a special event permit and insurance. Oftentimes an inspection from your local public health authority is also required to ensure that public safety standards are met.

Learn more about events permits in the following cities:

Make Your Menu

Keep the menu simple, portable, and easy to serve. Finger foods like sandwiches, wraps, and fruit skewers work perfectly. If grilling is allowed, burgers, hot dogs, or veggie options can elevate your picnic. Provide plenty of water and refreshing drinks, and don’t forget desserts like cookies or cupcakes! Bring coolers or insulated bags to keep perishables fresh and ensure food safety.

You’ll also want to provide diverse food options to accommodate different dietary needs and preferences—such as vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, halal and kosher options. Be sure to clearly label ingredients and allergens at the event.

Note: If you’re advertising your picnic as open to the public and are serving or selling food, you may be required to contact your local Public Health Authority and fill out a Temporary Food Establishment Application as part of your Special Event Permit.
Only food that’s prepared in an inspected kitchen (a commercial kitchen or a community kitchen) can be served to the general public. If you’re not buying prepared food, or do not have access to this type of kitchen, consider encouraging community members to bring their own picnic basket of homemade food. The experience of eating together, rather than sharing food, can help you get around some permit hurdles.

Bonus tip: There are some foods that are considered lower risk foods. Focus on them to keep your application and health inspection simple.

After-Meal Activities

A successful park picnic is more than just food—it’s about the fun! Think about activities that can engage attendees of all ages. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Classic Park Games: Bring frisbees, soccer balls, or cornhole sets to get people moving.
  • Kid-Friendly Activities: Set up a bubble station, face painting, or a scavenger hunt. 
  • Interactive Stations: Host craft tables or environmental education booths to keep people engaged.
  • Group Fun: Organize relay races, tug-of-war, or trivia games.
  • For a relaxing vibe, consider offering acoustic live music or storytelling sessions.

Get the word out

Once your permit has been approved and your agenda is planned, it’s time to let your community know about the picnic!

  • Create flyers and leave them at local stores, schools, churches, libraries, and community and health centres.
  • Create a Facebook event, invite your friends, and post it in local neighbourhood groups
  • Email community organizations, elementary schools, local businesses, and your city councillor to help spread the word through their own newsletters, bulletin boards, and social accounts.

Reduce Your Waste

A good picnic leaves the park as beautiful as it was before. Encourage attendees to clean up by providing designated trash and recycling bags. Enlist a few volunteers to help with final cleanup efforts, ensuring that nothing is left behind. If compost bins are available, separate food scraps appropriately. Consider adding a “Leave No Trace” message to your promotions to emphasize sustainability, and encourage participants to bring and use reusable plates and utensils.

Read our resource on how to plan a zero-waste event in your park.

Keep the momentum going

A community picnic is a great way to start a local community park group or find new volunteers for an already established one.
Collect people’s email addresses on the day of the picnic so you can follow-up with them on future park activities, and talk to people about what other events they would like to see in the park. A movie night? Nature walk? Community garden? The sky’s the limit!

I’ve always been drawn to the sun. Like a housecat, I’ll seek out a sunbeam and bask in it all day. Needless to say, the dark and damp Vancouver winters aren’t usually my favourite time of the year. 

But I’m proud to announce that this was the year I finally pushed myself to get outside and brave the elements. And I’ve never appreciated the wet winter weather more!

Feelings of freedom and pure joy overtook me as I welcomed the raindrops splashing on my face. I felt like a little kid again as I ignored all the usual nagging worries of frizzy hair. I accepted the rain and to my surprise, it was delightful.

Since we can’t pick and choose our weather, it’s important to get outside and enjoy nature—no matter what the forecast. 

Here are 10 drizzle-friendly ideas for easy family activities, plus some guidance for parks groups looking to organize all-weather events for the public. We promise they’ll have you looking forward to the next rainy day.

A little girl smiling an playing under the rain
Credit: Camilla Topola

10 Great Rainy-Day Activities

  1. Invasive pulls. Pulling out invasive weeds in the rain is much easier as the soil turns into soft mud. It’s a lot of fun, can be great exercise, and it gives you a sense of accomplishment by helping to protect our native biodiversity. To get started, consider volunteering with groups such as SPES, Free the Fern, Everett Crowley Park Committee, the Lower Mainland Green Team, or Wildcoast Ecological to join group activities, and to learn more about which weeds are best to pull in your area.
  2. Adopt a catch basin. When it rains, leaves, debris, and litter can block catch basins and stop rainwater from properly draining. By “adopting” a catch basin and keeping it clear for you and your neighbours, you’ll help to protect water quality, reduce the risk of flooding, and keep the sidewalks dry—while having fun. Plus, Mmny municipalities run adoption programs where they send materials, training guides, and safety equipment for volunteers.
  3. Have a mini boat race. Here’s a great idea for kids (and the young at heart). Create a little raft using natural materials like leaves, then float them down a small stream to see who’s the fastest. Make sure you only use biodegradable materials that have already fallen from trees and bushes, in case your raft accidentally floats into a storm drain. To get started, read this resource on honourable harvesting.
  4. Go dancing. Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. Make your own “Dancing in the Rain” playlist, or try this one on Spotify. Pop in your headphones (or borrow some waterproof speakers), put on your rain gear, and twirl away. You can even channel your inner Gene Kelly and use your umbrella as a prop—just make sure everyone is spaced out far enough so that nobody gets an unwanted poke in the eye. 
  5. Host a rain gear fashion show. Who says Gore-Tex can’t be chic? We’re inspired by Single Line Theatre’s Umbrella Fashion Show, where contestants competed to present the most creatively decorated umbrella. Organize your own runway show by embellishing your waterproof outfits with unique accessories. 
  6. Make a mud sculpture. When’s the last time you got really muddy? Mud is a textural wonder that both kids and adults love to play with. Better yet, scientists have found that soil-based microbes like Mycobacterium vaccae may stimulate serotonin production, which makes you relaxed and happier. While you can always play with mud on a sunny day by adding water to soil, it’s great to take advantage of the rain to help wash you off after you’re all done. Clean up’s a breeze!
  7. Make rain art. There are countless ways to incorporate rain into art activities. Rain transforms watercolours and chalk, so take some paper outside and see what patterns the raindrops leave on your canvas. If you really want to stay dry, try shining some flashlights at a wall—the shadows from the raindrops can look beautiful.
  8. Get musical. Grab pots of different sizes and place them out in the rain to see what sounds the raindrops make. If you’re feeling ambitious, consider making your own version of one of the winning entries in the Life Between Umbrellas competition to create wind chimes. Try different kinds of materials to see if you can come up with the next #1 hit! 
  9. Take a nature walk. The same trails you walk on sunny days may transform in the rain with different sounds, smells, and colours. As a plus, the tree canopy should also help to keep you dry while you explore.  Keep a special eye out for ducks and slugs that may be hiding in the bushes when the sun is out. Hot tip: in Vancouver, bird watching is actually better in winter than in summer. Our mild temperatures and rich coastal habitats are like a magnet to seabirds and songbirds, plus it’s owls’ breeding season. 
  10. Wait for a snow blitz. Of course, every once in a while we get a little bit of snow in Vancouver. Esther Moreno, an inspirational leader in the Fraserview community, never lets a rare Vancouver snow dump go to waste. She texts and calls all her neighbours whenever there’s snow in the forecast and keeps extra layers, sleds, and hot chocolate handy to share when the time is right. If you follow Esther’s lead, organize a meeting spot in advance and keep an inventory of the winter items that neighbours are willing to share so that everyone can participate.

A man and a toddler going for a walk in a park under the rain
Credit: Camilla Topola

Tips for Parks Groups

  • Help people prepare. Make it clear that your event will be held rain or shine. To get people excited, talk about the unique charm of getting outside in the rain in your promotions. Include a reminder to “dress for the weather” in all communications and event details, and offer a prep-list for participants. 
  • Bring extra gear: The Norwegians have a saying, “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.” Coordinate with your fellow organizers to bring backup umbrellas, slickers, or waterproof ponchos in case participants need a little extra rain protection. 
  • Offer themed programming. Host talks or workshops about the benefits of rain for ecosystems, gardens, and wildlife. Highlight how plants and animals adjust to the rain with guided tours or scavenger hunts.
  • Keep things cozy. Serve warm beverages (like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate) and snacks to keep participants comfortable. Set up a sheltered area with towels or hand dryers, and if permitted, include portable heaters or fire pits for warmth.

Do you have any other tips or ideas for rainy day activities? We’d love to hear from you!

At Park People, we believe parks are vital to the health of Canada’s cities and our environment, and everyone—regardless of their income, identity, ability, or age—deserves equal access to the benefits of public green space.

Yet not everyone experiences parks in the same way. Systemic racism and white supremacy are prevalent and visible in our parks and public spaces where Black, Indigenous and racialized people experience suspicion, surveillance, harassment, and violence.

Our Canadian City Parks Report found Black, Indigenous, and people of colour were far more likely to report that concerns about policing, ticketing, and social judgment prevented them from visiting parks as much as they’d like. 

It’s clear we must do more to address the reality that in their current form, Canada’s parks are not for everyone.  

Park People is actively working with communities across Canada to disrupt and dismantle the implicit and explicit structures of power, privilege, and racism in parks and public spaces. 

Here are some useful reports, articles, toolkits, and webinars that we’re reviewing to better educate ourselves in this work. We hope you’ll join us.

Racism in Canada is Ever-Present, But We Have a Long History of Denial, Maija Kappler, May 2020

  • Kappler confronts what she describes as Canada’s “angel complex” in comparing ourselves more favourably against the anti-Black racism that exists in the United States. She documents the long history of anti-Black racism in Canada and its contemporary expression, and also links it with our prevalent anti-Indigenous racism. 

Policing Black Lives: State Violence in Canada from Slavery to the Present, Robyn Maynard, 2017.

  • Through in-depth research, Maynard traces the roots of present day anti-Black racism, surveillance, and policing to Canada’s 200-year history of slavery. She writes of how “both historically and in the present, policing Blackness occurs alongside and as a part of the policing of Canada’s Indigenous communities,” as a way of upholding “the aims of settler colonialism.”

Subdivided, Ed. Jay Pitter and John Lorinc. 2016.

  • Through essays from a variety of voices, Subdivided challenges us to move beyond mottos like Toronto’s “diversity is our strength” to meaningfully integrate anti-racist and urban justice work into how we build our cities. While the book centres on the Greater Toronto Area, its essays on subjects such as policing, arts, housing, mental health, and public space are relevant across Canada.

Why Race Matters in Planning Public Parks, Brentin Mock, March 2016

  • Mock writes about how the tendency to privilege white voices in public consultation perpetuates inequities in how parks are planned and designed. He shares a study of a Houston parks planning process that specifically engaged Black and Latino communities, and argues that cities “need to be inclusive of voices typically under-represented in planning processes, namely those of racial minorities and low-income populations.”

Public Space, Park Space, and Racialized Space, KangJae Lee, January 2020

  • Lee writes about the social construction of parks as “white spaces.” When public spaces are “conceptualized, built, and managed by upper- and middle-class white males,” he writes, “the presence of people of color can be perceived as out of the ordinary, dangerous, or criminal.” 

Placemaking When Black Lives Matter, Annette Koh, April 2017

  • In calling for a “politics of placemaking”, Koh urges public space professionals to engage deeper with systemic racial and class inequities. Discussing Jane Jacobs’ notion that neighbourhoods need “eyes on the street”, Koh writes, “we should ask ourselves if those eyes are attached to a person socialized to see non-white people as inherently dangerous.” 

Being Black in Public, Jay Pitter, November 2024

  • How can municipalities move from awareness to action? The BEING BLACK IN PUBLIC SURVEY is a bi-national survey—developed by Jay Pitter Placemaking and administered by the Institute for Social Research—which examined the public space policies, design approaches and unspoken social attitudes that both diminish and enhance Black peoples’ experiences when navigating cities. 

Parks Need Leaders of Colour, Park People, July 2021

  • In this story from our Canadian City Parks Report, we share research, quotes, and policy examples of how people working in parks and public space are responding to grassroots racial justice movements that call for the elimination of power imbalances in park design and operations and the right to exist, and thrive, in public space.

Urban Parks and Forests Are Missing in Racialized and Marginalized Neighbourhoods, Nature Canada, March 2022

  • A summary of Nature Canada’s research which suggest we consider three interrelated dimensions of equity for racialized and low-income communities when expanding urban parks and green spaces: the proximity of parks and green spaces, the quality of these spaces, and increasing the voice and power of racialized and marginalized communities in governance and the planning and managing urban parks and forests.

Place Driving Equity, Reimagining the Civic Commons, November 2021

  • An evidence-based action guide on the role of public space for shared prosperity, compiled from the discussions of a multi-city working group of practitioners and thought leaders. It features research, policy recommendations and actions that can advance more equitable communities through investments in public space.

A renewed attention on environmental equity and justice, National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health, December 2022.

  • This webinar discusses the development and implementation of HealthyPlan.City, a tool that allows environmental health professionals, policymakers, planners, and advocacy groups alike to explore where environmental inequities are occurring in cities across Canada.

Five Ways Urban Planners Are Addressing a Legacy of Inequity, Jon Gorey, May 2023

  • The urban planning profession has directly contributed to the systemic racism and segregation that plague US cities. In this blog from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Gorey spotlights urban planners who are trying to atone for that legacy through tangible strategies with the goal of creating inclusive, equitable communities.

Race and Nature in the City Engaging Youth of Colour in Nature-Based Activities, Jacqueline L. Scott & Ambika Tenneti, April 2021

  • An in-depth, community-informed needs assessment of youth of colour in the Greater Toronto Area led to these tangible recommendations for meaningfully engaging racialized communities in nature and nature-based programming in urban areas.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, children and youth in grades 6 to 10 report playing outdoors for just 15 minutes per day on average.  

This has serious consequences for their health and wellbeing: children spending less time outdoors has been linked to decreased appreciation of the environment, health problems including obesity and vitamin D deficiency, attention difficulties, and higher rates of emotional illnesses like anxiety and depression.

Moving youth programming outdoors to a park is a wonderful opportunity to connect kids with nature, foster creativity, and encourage physical activity. So, how can we encourage young people to leave the couch and reconnect with nature? 

We spoke with Shakeera Solomon from Vision of Hope Resource Centre in Brampton—who received a TD Park People Grant in 2019—about what they learned when they brought their monthly Youth Council programming outdoors into the park.

Here are Shakeera’s tips for moving your indoor programming outside.

Assess Your Surroundings

First up, observe your local park to see which aspects could be appealing for youth and suitable for your programs. Check for amenities like restrooms, shaded areas, picnic tables, and open spaces. Identify any potential safety hazards (such as bodies of water or uneven ground) that might require extra supervision for youth participants.

Next, take note of the surrounding area: are you near a school, convenience store, or other location that youth are already drawn to? If so, this could make your park a great spot for outreach! 

When Vision of Hope chose to move their monthly Youth Council meetings from the east Brampton Resource Centre, they picked Anne Nash Park—a small, local park with just a modest play area because of its prime location beside an elementary school. This way, the Youth Council caught the attention of kids from the elementary school and those passing by on their way home from school. Their new visibility helped the Youth Council attract many more members who now regularly attend meetings and events. 

Tips:

  • Where possible, choose parks that are close to transit stops and accessible for people with disabilities.
  • Consider your available facilities, and what might need to be brought from elsewhere. For example, plan to bring portable handwashing stations or hand sanitizer if restrooms are unavailable.
  • Determine your “Plan B” in case of poor weather. Are there covered areas available in your park, or would you need to postpone your programming?

Involve the Whole Community

Hosting a gathering in a park is a great way to deepen relationships in your community. By involving parents, park staff, and other partner organizations in your outdoor programming, you can help create stronger community bounds.

As Shakeera explains, when youth-focused programs happened indoors, parents would wait on the sidelines and kill time on their own. But when programming moved into the park, parents interacted in a whole new way. In the small park, it became awkward for parents not to talk, and so they started chatting and getting to know one another. When parents connect, there are many benefits, particularly in an underserved community. Parents who know one another are much more likely to support each other and build resilience in times of need.

Tips:

  • Check with your local park authorities to see if permits are required and ensure the program aligns with park rules.
  • Communicate with parents in advance, providing clear instructions about the location, schedule, and what kids should bring (e.g., water bottles, sturdy shoes, weather-appropriate clothing).
  • Consider contacting local nature or environment-focused groups to partner on your programming. Could they offer special activities for your youth?

Get Inspired by Your Park

Adapting indoor activities to the outdoor environment offers incredible opportunities to get creative. For example, storytelling can become a nature scavenger hunt, and art projects can use natural materials. Think about how you’ll use the unique character of your park to inspire your youth participants, and how you might encourage them to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the space.

Shakeera told us bringing programming to the park helped the youth feel that the space was truly theirs. She was even surprised when her group eagerly suggested organizing a park clean-up. That’s when she realized the park had really become “their place.”

“They were so proud of what they accomplished for their park.”

Shakeera Solomon, Vision of Hope Resource Centre

She observed their pride when they posed for a team photo with gloves and garbage bags.

Tips

  • Establish outdoor rules for safety and respect for nature, such as “stay within boundaries” and “leave no trace.”
  • Take advantage of the park’s environment with activities like leaf rubbings, bug hunts, birdwatching, or tree identification.
  • Encourage creative play using natural elements like sticks, rocks, and leaves.
  • Ensure activities accommodate all abilities and provide alternative options as needed. Balance high-energy activities like relay races with calmer ones like nature journaling or storytime.

At Park People, we believe that parks can play a vital role in reconciliation and decolonization. 

We’re inspired by park projects across the country that are focused on rebuilding trust, sharing knowledge and developing true partnerships between First Nations and settlers, such as The City of Quesnel, BC, which restored ownership of Tingley Park to the Lhtako Dene First Nation, or the agreement between the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Metro Vancouver Regional Parks.

As a national city parks organization, Park People recognizes that when we speak of municipal parks and public land, we are obscuring the fact that, in most cases, the land that we are speaking of is traditional Indigenous territory. That’s why we share our land acknowledgement on our website and at all Park People events.

As part of our own journey, we want to share some insights from our process developing our land acknowledgement.

Do Your Research

It’s essential that your park group undertake thoughtful research to learn about Indigenous issues globally, nationally, and in your city or region.

Find out which territories your park is situated on and the treaties or covenants that were meant to peaceably govern that land. Use nativeland.ca as a starting point.

You may find conflicting accounts of territorial land rights. Reach out to a local band office, municipal Indigenous Affairs Office, an Indigenous Friendship Centre, or an Indigenous university group to understand the history and rights associated with the land in question.

Discuss Your Learning

Set aside time for your group to discuss your land acknowledgement plan and your broader reconciliation goals.

Create space for members to share meaningful land acknowledgements they’ve heard at other events, literature they’ve read, and news and ideas. This will help create a dialogue to shape your groups’ perspective and commitment. These conversations will also help you to identify champions within your group who can help guide future reconciliation efforts.

Write Your Unique Acknowledgement

Reading a generic land acknowledgement that you don’t understand or feel connected won’t further the goals of truth and reconciliation. Work with your group to write an acknowledgement that reflects the unique history and contemporary character of your park.

Consider how your land acknowledgement can leave listeners with something informative and provocative to ruminate on, long after your event has finished.

Make a Clear Commitment

Writing a land acknowledgement is an opportunity for your group to publicly declare its commitment to working towards allyship and working to dismantle the colonial systems that continue to oppress Indigenous peoples, denying their land-rights and way of life.

Add a commitment to the land acknowledgement that articulates how your group is going to put words into action. Find tangible ways your group can impact this complex and ongoing work.

Seek counsel

Once you feel like you have done your research and written a meaningful land acknowledgement, consider sharing it with a respected member of your local Indigenous community to get their feedback.

Be respectful of their time, and don’t expect accolades for this preliminary effort. Use the opportunity to express your willingness to engage with the local Indigenous community on the subject of decolonization.

Bring in Indigenous voices

Consider inviting Indigenous-led organizations to attend and participate in your group’s events and gatherings whenever appropriate. 

Plan in advance how to compensate those who participate by sharing their time, expertise and knowledge.



Make use of these great resources in the next steps of your journey towards decolonizing your park work

Parks are vibrant spaces where we can connect to nature, ecology, and sustainability—right within Canada’s urban centres. 

Parks are also delicate ecosystems. As visitors, we all have a role to play in protecting plants and wildlife and ensuring that we leave no waste behind.

We’ve prepared this planning guide to help you plan a fabulous zero-waste event that leaves your park just as healthy as you found it.

Consider Your Community’s Needs

Each community has different opportunities and challenges when it comes to reducing its waste at park events. For example, some parks may have fewer garbage cans and recycling facilities for people to use, while others may have residents who feel more comfortable using single-serve packaging when at public events.

Before you start planning your event, ask yourself:

  • What is the current state of waste in my park? Is there often a lot of garbage around? If so, why might this be?
  • Are there suitable recycling bins for people to use? Are they clearly labelled and visible?
  • Have I seen signs for zero-waste activities before? Are park visitors used to seeing these kinds of events in this area, or will I need to explain what they are?
  • Are there local organizations that promote recycling, environmental activism, or park cleanup events that I could contact for advice?

Once you’ve determined what information or resources your community might need to support your zero-waste goal, it’s time to make a plan!

Create Your Zero-Waste Plan

The exact details of your zero-waste plan will be different depending on your community’s needs, but the following checklist provides a handy template for you to start with.

Choosing Your Venue

  • To reduce the need for car travel, consider selecting a park with public transportation access and bike racks.
  • Visit your park in advance, and make note of the waste bins and water fountains. If your park doesn’t have them, plan to bring clearly labeled bins for compost and recycling, and set up a water bottle refill station, if possible.

Communicating with Participants

  • Clearly communicate your sustainability goals to participants, vendors, and volunteers. Define what “zero-waste” means for your event, and make it easy for people to follow your instructions. For example, if you’re asking people to bring only reusable items, list them! (water bottles, cups, plates, utensils, cloth napkins, etc.)
  • Consider offering incentives like discounts or raffle entries to participants who bring reusables or follow other zero-waste protocols.
  • Use social media, email, or a website to spread the word instead of printed flyers.

Selecting Materials

  • When it comes to decorations, skip the balloons, glitter, and other single-use items. Instead, choose natural, reusable, or recycled decorations like fabric bunting, potted plants, and chalkboards for signs. 
  • Avoid giveaways with disposable or non-recyclable items. Instead, consider sharing seedlings or other great (and sustainable!) gifts. 
  • If you’re serving food, consider renting reusable dishware, asking participants to bring their own plates, or use compostable options. If you’re ordering food, choose vendors who use compostable packaging, who commit to reducing food waste, or who demonstrate other eco-friendly practices.
  • Bring backup: no matter how many reminders you send, someone is bound to forget about your zero-waste protocols. Plan to pack a few extra reusable items like cups, napkins, etc. as needed.

Reducing Food Waste

  • Food may be organic, but food waste is still a serious problem for our environment. To reduce food waste, encourage RSVPs and only bring/order as much food as your participant numbers require. Make a plan on how you’ll distribute any leftover food when the event is over.

Post-Event Activities

  • Ensure the park is left as clean (or cleaner) than it was before the event. You might want to assign volunteers in advance who can do a final sweep. 
  • Conduct a waste audit: measure any waste your event generated to understand your success and any areas for improvement. Report back to the community about the event’s zero-waste achievements, and acknowledge everyone’s efforts in making the event sustainable.

Build Waste Education Into Your Park Event


To go the extra mile, combine your zero-waste event with engaging and informative waste education activities. For example, at Park People’s end-of-season potluck celebration, we invited participants to decide whether common household waste items should be put into the garbage, recycling, or food waste bins.

You might choose to host eco-friendly workshops on topics like upcycling, gardening, or composting demonstrations, or incorporate nature-focused activities like guided walks or clean-ups.

Your goal is to show how fun, easy, and accessible zero-waste activities can be!

It takes a village to make a park look beautiful! While picking up garbage might not seem like an appealing activity at first, people enjoy cleanups because they get to see the tangible results of their efforts and feel more connected to their local park.

As our Earth Day webinar made clear, cleanup events are a great way to inspire a collective love and commitment to your park among your neighbours—one that can have lasting effects on your community and on the environment.

Here’s a 5-step plan to make your park clean-up a great community event.

Contact your City

Your municipality is an incredible resource for your park group to engage in your cleanup activities, and on an ongoing basis. They can help you plan and promote your event and access resources that you may need to get started.

Begin by contacting your park supervisor about your plans to organize a cleanup, especially if this is your first park event. Your park supervisor can tell you what permits you might need, explain waste disposal protocols, and possibly connect you with other park enthusiasts who can join in the cleanup effort.

Many municipalities also host city-wide cleanup days that new community park groups can join. Taking part in coordinated cleanup day will allow your group to access many resources that may not otherwise be available to you, like garbage bags and gloves. Plus, the city’s promotional reach will help you reach new people. Ask your park supervisor about any upcoming city-wide cleanup days.

Find Strength In Numbers

It’s not just cities who help coordinate cleanups. For example, The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a conservation partnership by Ocean Wise and WWF-Canada. They offer support to anyone who’d like to coordinate a shoreline cleanup (if your park connects to water in any way—a creek, stream, marsh, or even storm drains—this includes you!).

Do some research to see what other organizations, networks, or events might be relevant to your park, and who might want to partner up with you on your event. Your neighbourhood is likely full of non-profit groups, community organizations and individuals, all of whom could lend a hand to your clean up and bring new communities of interest to your park events. For example, you could approach a local bike co-op to offer tune-ups for cyclists at your event, or invite an environmental organization to help educate people on the steps they can take to reduce their waste footprint.

Finally, consider approaching a local business to sponsor your event by offering small rewards like reusable water bottles, gift cards, or other prizes for participants.

Plan, Promote, and Prepare

Start your event plan with a walk through of the park space: how accessible is the environment? Are there paved paths for people to walk on, or mostly uneven terrain? Are there washrooms or water fountains open for participants to use? Approximately how much garbage is there currently, and how many volunteers might it take to clean it thoroughly? Take notes during your walkthrough and talk through your findings with your team. What information is important to pass along to your participants?

Next, you may wish to use an online tool, such as Evenbrite or Google Forms, to promote your event, manage volunteers, collect RSVPs, and provide pre-event instructions such as weather updates, accessibility information, and guidance on suitable event attire (long pants and closed-toes shoes are best!). When you’re ready to launch, use social media, local bulletin boards, email newsletters, and word-of-mouth to promote your event. Ask your neighbors about their recommendations for good places to promote the event, such as any local Facebook groups. You may also want to invite journalists from a community newspaper or local bloggers/social media influencers to cover the event.

Finally, it’s time to prepare your supplies. You’ll want to consider offering:

  • Trash bags (preferably compostable or recyclable)
  • Recycling and composting bins
  • Gloves (reusable if possible)
  • Grabbers or litter pickers
  • Safety vests for visibility
  • First-aid kits
  • Low-waste drinks snacks (encouraging participants to bring their own containers)
  • Sunscreen
  • Hand sanitizer

Make It a Dynamic Day-Of

Set up a check-in station before your event begins to welcome volunteers, distribute supplies, and provide safety briefings on what to do if they come across hazardous materials. Make sure you also use this welcome opportunity to collect information from the people who arrive: have them sign up for your park groups newsletter and chat with them about how they use the park and their vision for their shared space.

Depending on how many participants you have and how large your park is, it’s best to divide volunteers into small groups assigned to specific areas during the cleanup. If possible, ensure that each group has a representative from your park group to offer support and answer questions as you clean. When you’re finished with your cleanup, separate recyclables, compostables, and landfill waste at the end of the cleanup.

Finally, remember to make it fun throughout! Play music, organize a scavenger hunt, or create challenges like “Who can collect the most candy wrappers/pop cans/red-coloured items/whatever!”

Keep Up the Momentum

When the cleanup is finished, it’s time to celebrate all that you’ve achieved! Take a group photo of your volunteers, and count the weight of the trash collected or the size of the areas cleaned to motivate your participants and promote future events.

In the days following your event, be sure to email your volunteers, partners, sponsors, and the City to thank them for their participation, ask for their input to improve future events, and remind them to stay in touch with your park group—especially if they want to help you organize the next cleanup!

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. 

Expanding the movement

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.

From policies to plants and everything in between

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.

Leveraging differences

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

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.

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.

Addressing Emotions Around Climate Change

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, Project manager at Park People & Carbon Conversations TO

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

From Individual Action to Collective Change

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, President of Shawsti

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?”

The Blame Game is a Losing Game

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.”

Brianna

The Proof is in the Spreading

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.

Environmental Grants and Funding

Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Foundation Grants and Scholarships (Lower Mainland)

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

Port of Vancouver (Vancouver)

Invests in community groups and environmental organizations that support conservation efforts and address environmental risks of the port-related activity. Learn more

Vancity enviroFund™ program (BC)

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

Community Building Grants and Funding

City of Vancouver Neighbourhood Matching Fund (Vancouver)

Provides support for community groups to build community and neighbourhood connections while enhancing parks or other public spaces. Learn more

Vancouver Senior Champions (Vancouver)

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

Community Gaming Grants (BC)

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

Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association Public Space Vibrancy Grant (Vancouver)

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

Neighbourhood Small Grants (BC)

Helps residents of any age, experience, or background take part in building a community. Learn more

Plan H Community Connectedness Grants (BC)

Supports communities as they take multi-sectoral action to explore, learn, and innovate, enhancing community cohesion and sense of belonging. Learn more

Port of Vancouver (Vancouver)

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

United Way Community Fund (BC)

Allocates funds to local non-profits, in collaboration with community volunteers across different sectors. Learn more

Public Art Grants and Funding

Arts Creative Spark Vancouver (Vancouver)

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

BC Alliance for Arts + Culture (BC)

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

City of Vancouver Cultural Grants Program (Vancouver)

Aims to celebrate, elevate, and support the range of creative people, projects, and organizations who contribute to Vancouver’s diverse creative stories. Learn more

Metro Vancouver Cultural Grant (Vancouver)

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

The Hamber Foundation (BC)

Makes grants for cultural, educational and charitable purposes within the Province of British Columbia. Learn more

Equity and Social Justice Grants and Funding

Central City Foundation (Vancouver)

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

Kiwanis Club of Vancouver (Vancouver)

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

Real Estate Foundation General Grant (BC)

Supports non-profit organizations working to advance sustainable, equitable, and socially just land use and real estate practices in British Columbia. Learn more

Other Grants and Funding options

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.