As Dave Harvey retires from his co-leadership position at Park People, he reflects on the incredible journey since founding the organization in 2011.
Each year, we support inspiring older adults in Metro Vancouver to reconnect with nature by leading events in their local parks—sparking belonging, joy, and wellness in their communities.
Discover how Arts in the Parks is transforming Toronto’s green spaces into vibrant hubs of creativity—and how Park People helps make it all possible.
How colonialism plays out in park practices and how we can work together to embed reconciliation and decolonization.
Discover ways to help you host events in your local parks during extreme heat events.
Each year, Park People Summits bring together our growing network of urban park changemakers to connect, reflect, and explore what’s possible for more inclusive, community-powered parks in our cities.
By donating to Park People, you’ll support vibrant parks for everyone.
Location
Toronto, Ontario
For more information reach out to: sparkingchange@parkpeople.ca
Urban parks offer countless benefits to our physical and mental health, to our sense of community, and to our environment. But these benefits aren’t shared equally — Racialized and low-income people face barriers to accessing urban parks, such as inadequate park infrastructure and discrimination in public spaces.
The Sparking Change program in Toronto supports equity-deserving community groups to transform their parks into powerful engines of community development.
We connect grassroots groups to opportunities for training, professional networks, seed funding, and one-on-one coaching to help them activate their parks and offer programming that addresses barriers and meets their communities’ needs.
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community leaders trained to date
people connected to their local park
0%
of participants report being better connected to their community
Equity, Sparking Change, Training
Fundraising is a great way to build the capacity of your community park group. Here’s a list of the grants and funding options for park groups located in Ontario.
Driven by a passion to help, Nawal co-founded Flemingdon Community Support Services, a volunteer-led organization which help the community access food, housing and employment.
InTO the Ravines creates opportunities for Torontonians to come together to explore the ravines, learn about their social and ecological benefits, and champion their preservation.
The InTO the Ravines Champions program offers people living near ravines training and support to learn, explore, and celebrate Toronto's one-of-a-kind ravines system.
TD Park People Grants support local leaders to organize environmental education, sustainability or stewardship events that bring people together across Canada.