Community programs in parks

You can get involved in community stewardship programs in parks throughout spring, summer and fall. This document highlights our activities over the past year (PDF).

Gardens are located at local parks and public spaces, and run by a team of volunteers. If you're interested in connecting with a garden or having a garden plot, please see the Community Garden Council of Waterloo Region Directory. If you are interested in a new garden or volunteering please contact gardens@waterloo.ca and view the toolkit.

Park locations:

Partners in Parks

This program provides an opportunity to make a difference in your neighbourhood park though environmental improvement activities held from May to October every year.

Short-term stewardship activities

Organize a one-time community stewardship activity between May to October.

Short-term stewardship activities include:

birdhouse maintenance and monitoring (PDF)
community planting (PDF)
litter clean-up (PDF)
trail mulching (PDF)

If you're over 18 and interested in organizing an activity, fill out our online form for a short-term stewardship activity one month in advance.

Long-term park projects

Long-term opportunities for park enhancement generally involve ongoing maintenance throughout spring to fall for a three to five year renewable term.

Plan your project now with these application deadlines:

March 31 for a spring or summer project (May 1 – August 31)
May 31 for a fall project (September 1 – October 31)

Follow the these steps to submit your project application.

Select a project of interest:
- community message board (PDF)
- little library (PDF)
- plant and maintain a pollinator garden or vegetated buffer in the park (PDF)
- manage an invasive plant species (PDF)
Review the Partners in Park program guide (PDF)
Contact stewardship@waterloo.ca to discuss a new idea or ask questions

Apply for a long term park project

Community plantings

The City is recognized as a Bee City due to our efforts to support native pollinators and their habitat. During September and October, we invite the community to dig in and plant native trees, shrubs and wildflowers in public parks through our community planting program (PDF).

Get involved! Learn more about native pollinators and healthy habitat, meet new people and help green our community, together.

During events, city staff provide direction, supply tools, and gloves. Bring your own water bottle, wear closed-toe footwear and appropriate clothing for natural areas. Those under 18 years must be supervised by a parent or adult guardian.

Large trees for neighbourhood parks

Neighbourhood Associations or neighbourhood groups can host a park project involving the planting and maintenance of up to 15 trees (10-15 gallon) in your neighbourhood park this fall.

Applications close each year on May 31. View the 2022 community planting information sheet (PDF) for details.

Naturalization plantings in parks

In 2022, our Pollinator Working Group and Friends of Waterloo Park are organizing small community planting events that you can participate in!

Beginning Sept 1, sign up online or email for groups of 10 of more to participate:

September 17 from 9 a.m. to noon - Waterloo Park wildflower and shrub planting adjacent to the upstream lake cell near Father David Bauer Drive
September 24 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. - Bechtel Park wildflower planting in an open meadow at the south end, east of the dog park and across from Bridgeport Public School
October 15 from 9 a.m. to noon - Bechtel Park planting shade trees around the ball diamond

Together, we are greening our community one step at a time.

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Community programs in parks

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Bee City

Waterloo's Pollinator Working Group

Become a Pollinator Working Group volunteer

Community vegetable garden