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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By donating to Park People, you’ll support vibrant parks for everyone.
Park People connects people and communities with the tools they need to create great parks for everyone.
We’re the only national, bilingual organization solely dedicated to championing city parks in Canada. Since 2011, we’ve collaborated with thousands of community leaders, non-profit park organizations, and park professionals to realize the incredible potential of our urban green spaces.
We envision a Canada where everyone has access to a vibrant park where people and the rest of nature thrive.
Park People works to advance city parks as essential spaces to connect people to each other and the rest of nature.
We believe that parks are vital to the health of Canada’s cities and our environment, and that everyone—regardless of their income, identity, ability, or age—deserves equal access to the benefits of public green space.
The health of people, cities, and our environment depends on us standing up for parks.
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events hosted by community park groups
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invested into parks and park programming
Canadians connected to their local park
The story of Park People began in Toronto in 2011, when an enthusiastic group of volunteers came together under the direction of Dave Harvey. They sought to answer the question: “How can we all play a role in making our parks better to serve people and neighbourhoods?” And thus, Park People was born!
Park People focused our attention on Toronto in our first five years. Through programs, conferences, and research, we established a flourishing network of community park groups, park professionals, nonprofit groups and funders. Together, we pushed the boundaries of how public parks are accessed and activated by centring community engagement, environmental sustainability and inclusive park programming for all to enjoy.
As Park People continued to grow, cities across Canada took note: they saw the need for a national network to share knowledge, form new relationships, and further grow the city parks movement. Park People launched our National Network at our first National Conference in Calgary in 2017. Since its kick-off, the network has expanded to over 1,400 groups in 46 cities, with a presence in every province.
Today, Park People is a national and fully bilingual organization with offices in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Looking to the future, Park People continues to grow a national movement of people passionate about parks. We’d love for you to be a part of it.