AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
It's almost like Toronto parks needs unsanctioned gardening by those who know what they are doing instead of neglect.
AoD
- Thread starter AlvinofDiaspar
- Start date
It's almost like Toronto parks needs unsanctioned gardening by those who know what they are doing instead of neglect.
AoD
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
^No, that could lead to its own problems. What is needed is to hire/train competent people who know what they're doing in the garden maintenance aspects of our city. And I volunteer @Northern Light-san to apply for management here. Full stop.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
I strongly disagree - local residents taking part and gaining ownership of public spaces is the key to ensuring long-term viability of these spaces.
AoD
UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
Sure, if certain guide lines, qualifications and responsibilities that are adhered to (so our parks and such don't end looking like some Randian nightmare)...but that's not a solution for all parks and public spaces. To which should fall under maintenance of good government as that's what we're paying them for.
AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Sure - it's not to say that this approach is entirely faultless but counting on the government to do everything is simply not viable (like now), and I find defaulting to degraded public spaces to be an unacceptable outcome. Sometimes the government isn't the solution to everything - especially when there is space and opportunity for involvement by the public at large.
AoD
Northern Light
Superstar
I don't see the above positions as irreconcilable opposites.
1) Parks needs managers who are both highly competent and highly passionate about doing what they do well.
2) Parks needs adequate in-house resources, in this case, horticulture staff. The City has some excellent horticulture staff, but fewer than it used to, and it shows.
3)The City needs to know how to care for its spaces and to plan for that at the design stage. That could mean ornamental fences to reduce trampling, installing irrigation, or simply budgeting for the staff and materials required
to keep a space at its best.
4) The City should absolutely harness the power of volunteers to augment its resources, though with some caution. In the past, for instance, a space maintained by a small group, fell into neglect when the leader of that group fell ill and passed on....
That said, Toronto often spends more time putting up barriers in the way of volunteers and even donors than it does in running with the gift of free expertise, labour, material or cash.
Re: 4, above. As many of you will know, there are quite a number of "Friends of" various parks in the city, basically volunteer groups whose members often live nearby and are frequent visitors to those spaces. They can't all work miracles, but they can often do a lot for the spaces, and the City should likely set up an office in Parks and Rec to support and encourage these groups if there isn't one already.
A few examples? Well, just a couple blocks away there's Friends of Berczy Park, and of course there's a Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park. When you get really big though, maybe specialization is better? High Park Stewards are concentrating on helping the City rewild certain of areas of High Park, while there's another friends group that concentrates on the zoo specifically.
I wonder if anyone has put a list together of all the friends groups of parks within the city, like Ontario has done for its provincial parks...
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A few examples? Well, just a couple blocks away there's Friends of Berczy Park, and of course there's a Friends of Trinity Bellwoods Park. When you get really big though, maybe specialization is better? High Park Stewards are concentrating on helping the City rewild certain of areas of High Park, while there's another friends group that concentrates on the zoo specifically.
I wonder if anyone has put a list together of all the friends groups of parks within the city, like Ontario has done for its provincial parks...
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Northern Light
Superstar
To my knowledge, there is not a central support system for the friends of groups; they are more likely to rely on Parks People to support them, if they don't have a supportive relationship directly with the local Parks Supervisor.
It's not something I've paid close attention to, but in surveying the staff directory there isn't anywhere the words 'friends' or 'volunteer' show up in a job title.
The City does maintain a Community Engagement unit, but they mostly focus on outreach for planned projects, as far as I know. They do have a list of stakeholder groups though, both City-wide (issue-based) and for each park.
Parks People:
Homepage - Park People
Park People is the only national, bilingual organization solely dedicated to championing city parks in Canada.
parkpeople.ca
There is a central listing of sites for Toronto Nature Stewards who do restoration (planting and invasive species removal at sites throughout the City).
They also provide training.
Toronto Nature Stewards – Stewardship on Public Land
torontonaturestewards.org
This is a map of where such volunteers are currently active:
Parks People should have a list of Friends Groups available...... but if I dig through my stuff, I will have info for many; if I have a moment, I'll assemble and post it in the next few days.
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UtakataNoAnnex
Senior Member
To be clear, I was referring to larger parks with more industrial sized complex needs. That is, I am not sure volunteer corps would be adequate for that task, IMO.
stdavidsward
New Member
Shout out to this group (of which I am a member) for focussing the knowledge, energy, and good will of Torontonians of many ages and stages of life.There is a central listing of sites for Toronto Nature Stewards who do restoration (planting and invasive species removal at sites throughout the City).
They also provide training.
Toronto Nature Stewards – Stewardship on Public Land
evandyk
Senior Member
St. James has some of the nicest gardens in the city and a lot of the work is done by volunteers.
I'm on a listserv thing where community members around Dufferin Grove interact with park management and the councilor, but I would say the relationship is conflictual rather than focused on working together to improve the park. They do some gardening, but there's not much garden in that park. The city did get a camper to move a bunch of tents away from near the gardens so that the volunteers would feel more comfortable while working.
I'm on a listserv thing where community members around Dufferin Grove interact with park management and the councilor, but I would say the relationship is conflictual rather than focused on working together to improve the park. They do some gardening, but there's not much garden in that park. The city did get a camper to move a bunch of tents away from near the gardens so that the volunteers would feel more comfortable while working.
rdaner
Senior Member
Wisteria Watch 30 May. And just noticed the small whirlpool above the drain that I am sure was intentional by Cormier! Almost makes it mystical.
Northern Light
Superstar
Doesn't appear to be any sign of leaf-out on the upper portion. The City should 100% prune that off this July if it stays dormant.
GenerationLee
Senior Member
I'm also a member, and have been with TNS since last year. Their an excellent organization that works directly with the city.
Northern Light
Superstar
Should either of you @stdavidsward or @GenerationLee desire any thoughts on the sites that you are working on, feel free to message me. (or post publicly if you see fit, of course).
Let me extend my gratitude to you both..........as someone who was involved peripherally in getting TNS off the ground......( I did none of the heavy lifting, I just provided input when solicited ) I'm grateful to see it working well in so many places.
Let me extend my gratitude to you both..........as someone who was involved peripherally in getting TNS off the ground......( I did none of the heavy lifting, I just provided input when solicited ) I'm grateful to see it working well in so many places.