As Dave Harvey retires from his co-leadership position at Park People, he reflects on the incredible journey since founding the organization in 2011.
Park People’s Executive Director, Erika Nikolai, has been honoured with the Distinguished Individual Award from World Urban Parks—an international recognition that celebrates her leadership and the growing national movement Park People has helped build here in Canada.
The programs offers community members from equity-deserving neighbourhoods training and coaching to help them enhance or transform vacant or underused spaces into public green areas.
A guidance and resources to measure the impact of your park work on community health and wellbeing, integrating a social equity lens.
Meet the Ontario Community Changemakers and learn more about their inspiring initiatives transforming parks across the province.
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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.
Twenty champions, paired in teams of two, take part in four training sessions on Toronto’s ravines, providing them with the knowledge and skills to plan and host their own event in one of these unique natural spaces.
Each team receive:
The Application for the 2025 InTO the Ravines Champions program is closed.
June 3, 2024
Applications Open
July 3, 2024
Applications Close
Mid July
Notification to successful champions
Aug 7, 2024
Training session – Introduction to our ravines (online)
Aug 14, 2024
Training session – Engagement & Event Planning in the Ravines (online)
Aug 21, 2024
Training session – Ravines as Vital Infrastructure: Equity and Climate Resilience (online)
Aug 28, 2024
Training session – Land-Based Learning: Indigenous History & Perspectives of the Ravines (in-person)
End of Aug, 2024
Release of the $600 microgrant
Sept 15 to Nov 1, 2024
Events period
Nov 1, 2024
Post-event evaluation
We’re looking for applicants who live near Toronto’s ravines, are unfamiliar with their history and significance, and may need help accessing them.
Priority will be given to historically marginalized communities, but all are welcome to apply.
Each applicant need to apply with a partner with whom they will be trained and host the event.
“A ravine is a type of landform created over time by running water. They are larger than gullies and smaller than valleys. They may or may not contain streams.” (see more on p.6 of Toronto’s Ravine Strategy).
Explore Toronto’s Interactive Map and select the Administrative Boundary -> Ravine and Nature Feature Protection By-Law filter.
No, you don’t need to have any prior experience in organizing events or within ravines to apply.
Successful applicants must participate in all four training sessions.
These sessions will provide essential information regarding event planning and the important role of ravines. During these training sessions, you will have the opportunity to engage with other champions and guest speakers.
Hear why they love and care about the ravines.
The social benefits of parks are especially important for seniors. A study from CARP found that living near a park helps seniors avoid loneliness at a rate that’s four times greater than that of having children. Yet seniors represent just 4% of park users, despite being 20% of the population.
The Senior Park Champions programs help address this gap. Each year, we support eight seniors in Metro Vancouver* to plan and host three park events, while receiving hands-on training and mentorship from past Champions.
This year, become a Senior Park Champion and lead activities like art classes, knitting circles, birdwatching, Indigenous plant walks, forest bathing or Tai Chi – bringing your community together and closer to nature!
Each Champion receives:
*See eligible cities below.
0+
seniors engaged in greenspaces
0
senior champions running community programming
0%
of participants feel better connected to their community
May 21, 2025
Applications open
May 28, June 5 & 11, 2025
Online info sessions on Zoom
May 28 to June 20, 2025
Phone or online interviews
June 16, 2024
June 23, 2025
July 2025
Mandatory Training sessions
July 2025 to Jan 2026
Park activites
Jan 2026
Post-event evaluations
People 60 years and older who live in one of the following Metro Vancouver cities are eligible to participate: Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, or Surrey.
We prioritize individuals from historically marginalized communities, particularly those who are racialized, newcomers, living with disabilities, and/or part of the LGBTQ2S+ community.
Through outreach with local partners, our goal is for 100% of Senior Park Champions and 75% of program participants to identify as members of one or more of these equity-deserving groups.
To apply for the 2025 Senior Park Champions program, please fill in our quick google form before June 16, 2025.
You can also express your interest by emailing Joy Ralamboarisoa at jralamboarisoa@parkpeople.ca.
We’ll schedule a short phone or online call to confirm your eligibility, share more information about the program, and answer any questions you may have.
We’re here to support you! You can connect with us in the following ways:
By email: Reach out to Joy Ralamboarisoa at jralamboarisoa@parkpeople.ca
By Zoom drop-in session: Ask us anything, no registration required. Just click the link to join on one of the following dates:
Do you work with seniors who could benefit from this program? We’d love to host an info session for your organization.
Contact us to book a presentation or learn more.
No, you don’t need to have any prior experience in organizing events to apply. Our program is designed specifically to train and equip seniors with the necessary knowledge and tips to lead their events in parks successfully.
You can apply individually or as a group of two. You will both co-lead the activities (co-champions) if applied as a pair.
Successful applicants are required to attend all three training sessions, which will cover essential topics such as event planning, community outreach, effective communication, and accessibility. You’ll also have the chance to connect with mentors who are past Senior Park Champions.
Training Session 1: When: Half-day, End of JuneFormat: Online
Training Session 2 When: Half-day, First week of JulyFormat: In person, in a park in Vancouver.
Training Session 3When: Full day, Second week of JulyFormat: In person, at the Park People office located in the Werklab coworking space at 1275 Venables Street, Vancouver.
Once you’ve accepted the role of Champion, we’ll confirm the locations, dates, and times of all sessions and send you everything you need to be prepared.
If you’re interested in the program but unsure if you can attend all mandatory sessions, feel free to contact us, we’re happy to discuss your situation.
When you accept your role as a champion, you’ll receive a form to specify your preferred payment method (cheque or e-transfer) and provide your personal information. Each champion will receive a $600 honorarium after completing three activities.
Unfortunately, no. Due to limited space, Park Champion roles are only available to new applicants. However, you are welcome to apply to be a mentor for the new cohort.
Yes. You are welcome to deliver your activities in any language you are comfortable with and that best helps you engage your community.
The training will be held in English but can be translated into French (our team is bilingual).
The Montreal Urban Park Champions mentoring program offers community members from equity-deserving neighbourhoods training and coaching to help them enhance or transform vacant or underused spaces into public green areas.
Participating groups, whether beginners or experienced, commit to reimagining an underused space – such as a paved area, wasteland or vacant lot – into a green space that fosters connection among local residents. The Champions receive training, tools, and support to convert these spaces into community gardens, local parks or play areas.
To support the process, a mapping tool* is available to collectively and collaboratively identify, submit, and categorize vacant or underused spaces, with the goal of reimagining their use – whether temporary or permanent.
Ready to bring a forgotten plot of land back to life ? Whether you have a specific idea for a space or simply want to get involved, we look forward to hearing from you!
Benefits:
The program is delivered in French.
Oct 15, 2025
Nov 21, 2025
Applications close
Dec 2025
Notification to the Champions
Feb 2026
First workshop
April 2026
Second workshop
April – Oct 2026
Implementation of land transformation projects
Sept 2026
Closing program workshop at the Montreal Park People Forum
Dec 2026
Program review
The program is open to:
Both experienced organizations and beginner or recently created groups are welcome. We especially encourage groups working in underserved neighbourhoods or with equity-deserving communities* to apply.
Types of land:
Priority is given to fully underused sites rather than to small areas limited to the surroundings of a building.
It is not required to have a site proposal in order to submit an application.
Please fill out this application form*.It should take about 10 minutes to complete.
Do you have a question about the program or need help completing your application ? Contact Chloé Zerini-Le Reste at czerini-lereste@parkpeople.ca.
To address the inequitable distribution of resources in the parks sector, we give priority to people from / working in underserved neighbourhoods or with equity-deserving communities:
This refers to an abandoned space not officially recognized by the City, such as a paved area, a vacant lot, or wasteland.
To identify these types of spaces, you can use the LANDE mapping tool*, which helps support community-led reclamation of vacant land. Some non-active sites are already listed, but you can also suggest your own site*.
Explore our leaflet* showcasing several inspiring examples of vacant land transformation. Projects can include green spaces, community gardens, social spaces with benches and picnic tables, self-service libraries, murals and more.
Depending on the Champions’ resources and ideas, these initiatives can range from simple greening and landscaping projects to more ambitious permanent transformations.
Experience in activating or animating parks and green spaces is an asset, but not a prerequisite for becoming a Montreal Urban Parks Champion. Feel free to apply if this topic interests you and you want to get involved. Supported projects can vary in size and level of investment.
The program includes three workshops in 2026:
Participation in all three workshops is mandatory. A financial compensation will be offered to help cover participation costs for each workshop.