Thriving Earth, Thriving People
Greenest City builds healthy, inclusive neighbourhoods centred around place-based climate action. Our work is focused on collective care of the earth (and each other!) and building resilient communities in response to climate change.
We prioritize co-creating solutions with people who are experiencing the impacts of climate change the most. These impacts are being experienced, in our urban high-rise communities, through rising temperatures, increasing costs of food, and lack of green infrastructure such as green space, bike lanes, and in adequate high rises adapted or built for climate change.
We weave food, plant and medicine growing and land stewardship, righting relations with the Indigenous people of this land, collective care of each other, art, and food sovereignty, with climate action. These priorities have been determined by the community. As we experience worsening impacts of climate change – our communities’ strengths and resilience will continue to grow and reshape these priorities.
Upcoming events
Gardeners Summer Potluck – Sat Aug 26
Coming together and sharing our favorite recipes with others is one of the most exciting events that we are eager to do every year. Our traditional Summer Potlucks remind us of the importance of food as a way to bridge the differences among a diverse community like ours. It is a tool for inclusion, social justice, civic participation, and community with one another. It is an opportunity for all of us to generously share not only food but our time together and to know what is happening in our gardens, families, and life…Please save the date and do not miss it.
On Saturday, August 26, we will have our traditional summer potluck at Masaryk Park, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Sign up here: Potluck Registration Form.
Current projects
- Milky Way Hub
- Parkdale Good Food Market
- Growing the Future Kids – a partnership with Roots and Culture Club
- Growing the Future Youth – Funded by Canada Summer Job, Federal Government
- H.O.P.E. Community Garden
- Parkdale Cooks: Seniors Cooking Program (Not currently operating)
- Eco-Therapy (NEW!)
Community-Led Projects we partner with:
We partner with groups and organizations based on the groups self-determination, capacity and needs. The projects could have been started by or with the support of Greenest City (Bonnie Storr, West Lodge, St. Joe’s) or inspirational leadership built up in the community (Indigiqueer Garden, Roots and Culture Club, My Brothers Keeper, Parkdale Free School).
- Indigiqueer Garden at Dunn Parkette
- Bonnie Storr
- West Lodge
- St. Joe’s Community Garden
- Roots and Culture Club
- Parkdale Free School
- My Brothers’ Keepers
Education and Collective Capacity Building
In all of our work together, community members and leaders share knowledge as we work alongside each other. Greenest City also coordinates workshops lead by both our local community members and others across the city with knowledge and skills to share.
Academic Partnerships:
Toronto Urban Farmers Training: A research partnership led by Seneca College, with Toronto Urban Growers, Toronto Metropolitan University, and West Neighbourhood House and Greenest City Program.
We also host students from University of Toronto and George Brown to complete research, internships and practicums.
Stewardship and Volunteering: Hands on care of the earth in the gardens, at our events, and projects.
(image of Good Food Market with volunteers)
Sign up for our newsletter or contact sandrale@westnh.org for volunteer opportunities.
We also, at times, based on our capacity are able to facilitate team building opportunities for organizations and corporations. We ask for a donation to facilitate this.
(image of most recent team building)
These are both formal and informal opportunities.