There is so much happening at the Nature Centre this winter! Read on for program updates and news.
The Centre's fall programs are wrapping up as the frostiness of winter sets in. We can't wait for the snow to start flying with so many pairs of snowshoes in the basement just waiting to be used!
Jon Hayes, our Family Programs Coordinator, was recently on CBC Radio's Here and Now show, speaking with the host about our "Getting Ready for Winter" Family Nature Walk on December 3. If you missed Jon's excellent radio debut, click here, sit back and enjoy!
This fall was our busiest on record, with 2198 children and youth participating in our programs! Over 1500 Kindergarten to grade 12 students from schools across the GTA visited the Nature Centre to explore the wonders of autumn and 126 curious young naturalists enrolled in our Fall Nature Clubs for Kids. Birthday parties were also a big hit, with 260 children attending 18 parties! Family Nature Walks continued to grow in popularity with 270 people of all ages attending 6 walks. We have a steady stream of winter program bookings coming in from teachers and parents, but we aren't completely full yet, so please inquire about any winter programs you are interested in!
Welcome to Mallory Parks, our new Office Assistant, who joined us in November. Mallory is a local resident and holds a Masters of Forest Conservation and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, has a background in environmental education and brings 6 years of experience in office administration. We are couldn't be more pleased to have her on staff!
We have also hosted a number of amazing interns and co-op students this fall, including Western Technical-Commercial School co-op student Chris Saliba, University of Toronto student Larissa Sage, and York University Teacher Candidates Stephanie Sousa, Binyamin Cohen, Frank Ursino. Thanks to all for your hard work and contribution to our eduational programs!
We also want to send a huge THANK YOU to our dedicated fall volunteers - Sarah Rafols and Trevor Horvatin (Afterschool Adventures); Katie Pavely (Knee-High Naturalists); Leah Girardo, Shelley O'Brien and Darin Luscher (Ramblers Hiking Club); Cori Linetsky and Evelisa Natasha (Saturday Morning Club); Baxter Naday, Jack Groombridge and Alec Subero (Family Nature Walks Youth Volunteers) and Stef Hardman, Thea Zuiker and Alexia Dyer (School Programs).
Gone Snowshoeing
Holiday Closures
Please note the Nature Centre will be closed on the following days - December 25, 26, 27, 2011 and January 1, 2, 2012. Staff will be in the office to assist you with bookings or registrations on December 28,29 and 30 but no programs will be offered.
Happy Holidays to all! We wish you and your family much love, peace and joy (and lots of time in nature!) in 2012.
Decorate a Tree for the Birds
Bird Brained Family Nature Fun!
We are excitedly preparing for our 7th Annual "Decorate a Tree for the Birds"workshops coming up on December 17 & 18 at 10am to 12 noon.... in fact, registration is so high this year that we've added another "Decorate a Tree" workshop on December 17 from 1:30 to 3:30pm. Spots are still available, please call us at 416-392-1748 x 2 to register soon before it fills up! If you can't make it or end up last on our waiting list, not to worry - here's a great DIY blog post from last year that will teach you to make edible ornaments for the birds at home!
Winter Brrrrrrrr-irthdays!
Birthday parties at the High Park Nature Centre are perfectly designed for kids aged 4- 10 years who want to celebrate their special day in a planet friendly way exploring nature in Toronto’s most amazing park. We've got 5 fun winter party themes to choose from, including chickadees or snowshoeing. We are now booking weekend parties for winter 2012. For all the details, please click here.
Winter Family Nature Walks
From frosty fairies to charming chickadees, winter family nature walks are the thing to do on a Saturday afternoon! Thanks to generosity of the Toronto Field Naturalists, winter walks continue to be offered free of charge (with a suggested donation of $2 per person if you've got it to give)! The season starts on January 7th, with a Nature Photo Hike! See our poster for all the winter walk details!
Winter Nature Clubs for Kids
Winter is fun in High Park
We still have a few spots in Saturday Morning Club (6-8 years), the morning session of Knee-High Naturalists (3-5 years with a caregiver), Afterschool Adventures (8-12 years) and the At Home in High Park Home- and Unschoolers program (5-10 years). Please click here for more info on the programs and contact us at naturecentre@highpark.org to register.
Nature Day Camps 2012
March Break Camp with Colborne Lodge
The Nature Centre and Colborne Lodge will be teaming up again for March Break Camp 2012! Stay tuned for more information and registration instructions - we will be in touch next week!
Summer 2012 Nature Camps
Keep your owl eyes out for our 2012 summer camp line-up! We'll send out the details during the first week of January so you can start to schedule... and dream of summer!
Questions about our nature camps? Camp Coordinator Sarah Halonen will be happy to help! naturecentre@highpark.org
Warm Up to Winter
Adopt-A-Class Sponsored School Programs
Thanks to the generous support of Pratt and Whitney Canada and the North Face Explore Fund, the High Park Nature Centre is able to offer a new full-day program free of charge (with a full transportation subsidy!) to 7 classes from identified high needs communities across Toronto. Grade 4 students will "warm up to winter" as they are immersed in hands-on indoor and outdoor activities that bring curriculum concepts to life!
Interested in learning how you or your company could Adopt-A-Class (or two!) and send them on a field trip to the Nature Centre? Help us bring urban kids Nearer to Nature today!
Parks Plan
Parks Plan Review - Have Your Say!
In 2010, City Council approved the development of a City-wide Parks Plan based on seven guiding principles: parks and trails as city infrastructure, equitable access for all residents, supporting a diversity of uses, nature in the city, environmental stewardship, place making and community engagement. The Parks Plan will guide the acquisition, development, management and operation of public parks in the City of Toronto over a five-year period. To find out more about the plan and the public consultation process, click here. The city has set up an on-line survey soo you can have your say! The deadline for survey submissions is rapidly approaching on December 16th. The survey only takes about 15 minutes to complete. Please let the City know that parks, natural areas and environmental stewardship matter to you! Thank you for your input!
