Major grant from Weston Family Parks Challenge to support 88 acre butterfly meadow in Scarborough

- Toronto and Region Conservation to transform hydro corridor into a beautiful green space for nature walks -

TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2013 /CNW/ - Toronto and Region Conservation's (TRCA) Scarborough Centre Butterfly Trail will be supported by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation Weston Family Parks Challenge. Over the next three years a grant of $300,000 will be used to plant a native wildflower butterfly meadow along a 3.5 km stretch of hydro corridor in central Scarborough which includes new recreational trails for residents to enjoy.

"This innovative and transformational project will create a rich ecosystem and unique park for these Scarborough neighbourhoods", said Camilla Dalglish, Director of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation. "We are delighted to be supporting TRCA and the City as they work to engage the community and develop this beautiful meadow."

While most work will be undertaken by TRCA, school and community groups will assist in planting and stewardship. Students from Bendale Junior Public School will help each year with planting and bird box building and a yearly community event will be planned to help TRCA with the project goal of planting 20,000 shrubs planted in 40 hectares of meadow habitat by the end of three years.

"This generous funding from the Weston Family Parks Challenge will allow us to pilot this project that will become a model and inspiration for others. There are thousands of kilometres of hydro corridors running through communities in Southern Ontario that are not being used by people or wildlife due to lack of trails or natural features that encourage biodiversity," said Scott Fortnum, Executive Director of The Living City Foundation at TRCA. "Thanks to the vision and leadership demonstrated by this significant level of support, we are able to create a beautiful green space to be enjoyed by generations to come."

The Scarborough Centre Butterfly Trail will stretch from McCowan Rd to Scarborough Golf Club Rd and includes a multi-use path constructed by the City of Toronto in 2011.

"We've just finished planting our first meadow and it looks amazing! Bird, bees, butterflies and beautiful flowers are already moving into this old, barren hydro corridor. This project is turning a green desert into a beautiful butterfly sanctuary." said Glenn De Baeremaeker Scarborough Centre Councillor, City of Toronto.

The Weston Family Parks Challenge is a three-year, $5 million initiative to support innovative new park initiatives across the City of Toronto. Working in partnership with Toronto Park People, Toronto's nonprofit catalyst for better parks, the Weston Family Parks Challenge supports projects that spark new ways to operate parks and engage the public with community and nature.

"The Weston Family Parks Challenge is focused on funding innovative public space projects that engage our communities and bring beauty and nature to neighbourhoods in Toronto. This is an ideal project for the program," said Toronto Park People Director Dave Harvey.

Official Planting Event info: http://www.trca.on.ca/news-media/news/releases/167486

About Toronto and Region Conservation

With more than 55 years of experience, Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) helps people understand, enjoy and look after the natural environment. TRCA's vision is for the Living City - a cleaner, greener and healthier place to live, for you today and for your children tomorrow. For more information, call 416-661-6600 or visit us at www.trca.on.ca

The W. Garfield Weston Foundation

The W. Garfield Weston Foundation is a private Canadian family foundation, established in the 1950's by Willard Garfield Weston and his wife Reta. The founders believed that as the funds are generated through the hard work and success of his Canadian companies, grants should be given in Canada for the benefit of Canadians. For three generations, The W. Garfield Weston Foundation has maintained a family tradition of supporting charitable organizations across Canada. Today the Foundation directs the majority of its funds to projects in the fields of land conservation, education, and scientific research in Canada's North.

http://www.westonfoundation.org

Toronto Park People

Formed in early 2011, Park People is the catalyst for better parks across Toronto. We build partnerships between community, the city and others to find shared solutions for better parks. We work with more than 80 park friends groups, city workers and other partners to plant trees and gardens, fix broken infrastructure and get more people out celebrating their communities through parks. www.parkpeople.ca

SOURCE: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority