GreenUP’s Ecology Park Nursery Opening Event Sparks the Summer Season of Growing

The GreenUP Ecology Park Native Plant & Tree Nursery hosted its Annual Spring Opening Event on May 20; marking the start of the gardening season for hundreds of local gardeners.

photo courtesy of greenup, facebook.

The Ecology Park Native Plant & Tree Nursery is open every year from the Victoria Day long weekend until the Friday before Thanksgiving.

Ecology Park Nursery is known as one of the best local sources for native plants, with over 200 types of edible and native varieties of plants, shrubs, and trees. This year, GreenUP and Ecology Park featured a self-serve bulk compost and mulch station, as well as being host to the first naturalized playscape in Peterborough for the young and young-at-heart to play on while surrounded by plants for sale.

“The Ecology Park Native Plant & Tree Nursery offers climate-resilient plants that are grown slowly and intentionally for the growing season in Peterborough,” said Vern Bastable, director of Ecology Park and GreenUP’s Landscaping Programs.

The Ecology Park Native Plant & Tree Nursery is located at 1899 Ashburnham Drive, with parking available at the Beavermead parking lot via Marsdale Drive. The Ecology Park Nursery will be open Thursdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. 4 p.m. until closing on Thanksgiving weekend. Interested patrons can visit the website and explore native plants that the nursery may carry online before arriving at the park, where the summer staff will assist in finding the desired plants.

“Investing in native species can reap benefits for decades, creating a legacy of a vibrant, healthy community,” continues Bastable. “Native species have developed complex evolutionary relationships with other native species. They belong here, are a familiar part of the landscape, and they support our health and the health of the ecosystem at large.”

The Ecology Park Nursery is operated by GreenUP, this region’s leading environmental non-profit charity. All proceeds from sales support GreenUP’s environmental programs in communities across the Peterborough region.

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GreenUP Naturalized Playscape Welcomes the Public To Ecology Park

GreenUP welcomes the community to visit Peterborough’s first natural playscape on public lands; celebrating with a ribbon cutting event on Friday afternoon.

A naturalized playscape is one way to introduce children and those willing to unleash their playfulness to natural play in an urban landscape. Photo by Lili Paradi.

GreenUP donors and supporters alongside Executive Director Tegan Moss play around to celebrate the opening at GreenUP Ecology Park. (Left to right: Ian Attridge, Mark Zippel, Tegan Moss, Kim Zippel, Sue Sauve.) Photo by Lili Paradi.

The Keresztesi family plays on the new naturalized playscape at Ecology Park. Photo by Lili Paradi.

Tegan Moss, executive director at GreenUP, cuts the ribbon to signify the opening of the Peterborough's first naturalized playscape on public grounds at Ecology Park, to the excitement of the many children who then ran onto use the playscape. Photo by Lili Paradi.

Thanks to a $52,800 grant from the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Trillium Foundation in 2021, as well as the support of GreenUP donors, the organization was able to fund the playscape.

The climbing structures added in 2022 were designed by Henry Kortekaas & Associates Inc. and constructed by The Little Building Company.

“I hope that when children play on this natural playscape, they feel a stronger connection to their natural surroundings, and are given the opportunity to learn and engage in unstructured, imaginative play,” said Sean Harris, owner of The Little Building Company. “They can test their limits with the unconventional climbing structure, or interact with the playground perimeter, which features rocks and logs for jumping and balancing. The soft texture and irregularities of the locally sourced white cedar offer a refreshing change from the familiar plastic and metal surfaces. When I look at the playscape, I see not only a fun space for children to play and learn, but also an environmentally responsible play area with low embodied carbon cost and no landfill waste at the end of its lifetime.”

The Naturalized Playscape is the fourth of five capital projects that GreenUP plans to complete in Ecology Park.

GreenUp says they are proud of how this project has re-imagined and restored the Ecology Park Children’s Garden.

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Call For Donations After Third Break-In Of The Season At Ecology Park

Ecology Park has been victim of a break in for the third time this season, resulting in the theft of a variety of tools, they announced on social media on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of GreenUp.

GreenUp Ecology Park, located on Ashburnham Drive, features numerous gardens showcasing an array of greenery, including edibles, drought-tolerant, and pollinator-attracting plants.

The park is a place for people of any age to learn about the environment and they often host workshops, summer camps and class trips.

Organizers are asking for donations in hopes to replace stolen tools and improve security measures at the facility to prevent another break in.

The tools that were stolen are imperative to keep operating their native plant and tree nursery.

Donations can be made online, here.

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GreenUP Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Environmental Sustainability and Growth

GreenUP put its growth on display as it celebrated the 30th anniversary with an all-ages event at the Ecology Park on Thursday evening.

Lillian P. (left) and Ellie T. (right) showing off their butterfly wings at the Children’s Garden at GreenUP Ecology Park. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

GreenUP is an environmental organization meant to inspire and empower environmentally healthy and sustainable action in the community according to its website.

“The resilience it takes to get to 30 years for any organization is really incredible,” said Tegan Moss, GreenUP executive director. “I'm really proud of all the people who've done this work for this long and to be a part of it and continuing it for decades yet to come.”

The event featured guided tours, a beanbag toss, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts, a stunt ventriloquist, remarks from GreenUp staff and dinner.

Speeches from the event staff thanked the staff and supporters who have maintained the organization for 30 years.

Funding for GreenUp has come through the city via the Community Service Grant Program, donations, GreenUP store and park services.

“The environment is worth protecting,” said Moss. “We can work together as a community to realize really important reductions in CO2 emissions and the preservation of biodiversity so I'm really excited to engage and empower people in the work that results in those important things happening.”

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GreenUp Celebrates 30 Years Of Environmental Activism With A Birthday Party In The Park

Peterborough GreenUp will be celebrating their 30th anniversary on August 11 from 4 - 7 p.m. at Ecology Park.

Photo courtesy of GreenUp.

GreenUP’s early roots in 1992 began in citizen-lead awareness-raising projects and in cooperation
between different community organizations.

As a non-profit organization, GreenUp offers hands-on environmental education programs, lead inspiring projects that showcase the potential for green, healthy, and active neighbourhoods, and coordinate events and campaigns that enable collaborative action and civic participation.

Their 30 year celebration will begin at 4 p.m. at Ecology Park and is welcome to the public.

Short remarks will be shared recognizing donors, supporters, and partners at 5:30 p.m.

Refreshments and light dinner will follow, and family-friendly programming will continue until 7p.m.

Those interested in attending should RSVP here.

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