Past Events of the Black Creek Conservation Project
Saturday, October 17, 2009
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15 people came out to plant trees in the greenbelt along the north edge of Pelmo Park in the Weston area. 85 white pine and sugar maple were added to the screen of trees that blocks sight and sound from the 400-401 highway exchange. This is the second BCCP planting in this park this year, co-hosted with ACORN's Weston Community group. A quick count of the trees planted in the spring showed that 48 of 50 white pines planted were surviving and doing very well! |
August 22, 2009
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A third tree planting was held in the Edgeley Park greenspace along Driftwood Creek near Driftwood Ave. and Jane St. Approximately 25 people planted about 200 trees to join the 450 trees previously planted on this site. A combination of white pine, sugar and silver maple, black walnut, red osier and gray dogwood and elderberry have been planted on this site. The event was co-hosted with ACORN, the Live Green Program animators for the West end of Toronto. |
May 25, 2009
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Students from the woodshop classes of Archbishop Romero C.S.S. have been building and supplying small birdhouses to the BCCP for several years. Again this year students from the woodshop class attended events along the Black Creek to install 24 bird houses. Another 50 birdhouses were provided for installations at other locations along the creek by elementary students in other schools. In the spring of 2009 Tree Swallows were found nesting in some bird boxes installed the previous year by Archbishop Students. Funds and Materials for this project were provided through grants from Environment Canada's EcoAction Program. |
May 16, 2009
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A small tributary of the Black Creek flows through Edgeley Park near Jane St. and Driftwood Ave. Previously the grass was mowed to the very edges of this creek. 27 local community members came out on a cool rainy weekend to plant 190 trees and shrubs. Even though the rain began to fall heavily halfway through the event, everyone stayed and finished planting all the trees. Afterwards the volunteers wanted to do more planting! The project will continue at a later date. Funds and materials for this project were provided through Grants from the City of Toronto's Community Program for Stormwater Management. |
May 3, 2009
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Local community volunteers in the Weston area came out to plant trees and shrubs along the northern edges of Pelmo Park. 40 large white pines and 50 elderberry shrubs were added to the existing screen of trees along the edges of the park. This screen of trees is meant to block the noise of traffic on the highways near the park and to act as a wind break. About 25 volunteers attended this event. |
April 26, 2009
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On the edges of the new Stong Pond on York University's Toronto campus 415 trees and shrubs were planted. On another day threatening rain, 35 York students volunteered their time and effort to re-naturalize the north shores of this large storm water pond. A mix of white cedars, sugar maple, dogwood and elder berry were planted on this site. |
April 22, 2009
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Over 200 people attended our Earthday Events at Chalkfarm Park this year. Throughout a rainy and windy day, students from a local elementary school, local community volunteers, staff from two Toronto area firms and even a volunteer all the way from Montreal came out to plant about 250 trees and shrubs along the creek. A trash clean-up was also conducted across the park. This project was funded in part by the City of Toronto's Community Program for Stormwater Management and Environment Canada's EcoAction Program. |
October 2008.
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In the Fall of 2008 The Black Creek Storytelling parade was conducted through Downsview Dells Park along with members of the Driftwood Community Boys & Girls Club. |
September 2008.
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As part of the University of Toronto's 2008 oUTreach program, 35 students and faculty volunteers came out on a rainy Saturday to plant over 850 trees in the green space near Keele Street and Gulliver Road. Despite the continuous rain and drizzle and the somewhat cool temperatures all the volunteers stuck with the job for the full day. This is the second year that UofT oUTreach volunteers have worked with the BCCP. The planting program was supported by the City of Toronto's Community Program for Stormwater Management. The purpose of this type of project is to cover the grassy steep slope site with trees and shrubs. The new tree canopy will intercept rainfall and reduce surface water flow. |
July 2008.
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More then 50 local residents came out to enjoy a 2 hour walk along the southern stretches of the Black Creek for a Tree Tour co-hosted by the BCCP and L.E.A.F. Starting from Alliance Ave. and Cliff Street the tour passed through Black Creek Parklands East and West between Alliance Ave. and Jane St. The group discussed such issues as invasive species, flooding along the creek, and the history of the concrete channelization. Tree plantings, bird house installations, and native garden plantings undertaken by cooperators Archbishop Romero C.S.S and Rockcliffe M.S.,of the Black Creek Conservation Project were seen during the walk. |
May 2008.
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35 York University students undertook a tree planting project near Danby woods. Members of the Environmental Students club and the Russian Students Federation joined together to plant over 150 trees. |
April 2008.
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Through out the day on Earth Day 2008 the BCCP conducted 3 tree planting operations with local schools and community volunteers. In the evening a public information display was held at Sherridan Mall (Jane St. & Wilson Ave.) where environmental displays from 12 groups were available for viewing.
Over 200 people stopped by to view the displays from the BCCP, Earth Day Canada, L.E.A.F., as well as several local community programs throughout the course of the evening. 60 students from Shoreham P.S. joined volunteers from the Toronto Region Conservation Authority's Head Office to plant almost 150 trees in the Black Creek Parklands North near Historical Pioneer Village. Approximately 50 students from Archbishop Romero C.S.S. planted almost 200 trees near the junction of Lavender and Black Creeks. Volunteers from the Chalkfarm Neighbourhood and Doorsteps Neighbourhood Services (North of Wilson Ave & Jane St.) joined BCCP members to expand a tree planting site along the edge of Black Creek through Chalkfarm Park. Over 450 trees have been planted as part of this riparian planting project in 2007 and 2008. |