About Park People
Park People: Activating the Power of Parks to Improve Quality of Life in Canadian Cities
Park People is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the quality of life in Canadian cities by supporting and mobilizing people to activate the power of parks. The organization believes that parks are essential public spaces that can bring communities together, promote physical and mental health, and enhance environmental sustainability.
Founded in 2011, Park People has been working tirelessly to create vibrant and inclusive public spaces across Canada. The organization collaborates with local governments, community groups, businesses, and individuals to develop innovative programs and initiatives that make parks more accessible, engaging, and sustainable.
One of Park People's flagship programs is the Public Space Incubator (PSI), which provides funding, training, and mentorship for community-led projects that transform underutilized public spaces into vibrant gathering places. Since its launch in 2015, PSI has supported over 50 projects across Canada ranging from pop-up parks to outdoor art installations.
Another key program is Sparking Change - a capacity-building initiative that empowers residents to become park champions in their communities. Through workshops on leadership development, project management, fundraising strategies etc., Sparking Change equips participants with the skills they need to initiate positive change in their local parks.
In addition to these programs Park People also conducts research on park-related issues such as equity access climate change etc., advocates for policies that support healthy green spaces at all levels of government; organizes events like Picnic-in-the-Park series which brings together diverse communities around food music games etc.; offers resources like toolkits guides webinars etc., for individuals or groups looking for inspiration or guidance on how they can get involved with improving their local park system.
The impact of Park People's work can be seen across Canada where it has helped transform neglected urban areas into thriving green spaces. For example:
- In Toronto's Regent Park neighborhood PSI-funded project transformed an empty lot into a vibrant community garden where residents grow fresh produce socialize learn about gardening techniques.
- In Vancouver's Strathcona neighborhood Sparking Change participants worked with city officials business owners artists etc.,to create an outdoor gallery featuring murals sculptures installations.
- In Montreal's Parc-Extension neighborhood Picnic-in-the-Park series brought together people from diverse backgrounds around shared meals music games activities creating opportunities for cross-cultural exchange dialogue understanding.
Overall Park People is an inspiring example of how grassroots efforts can lead to significant positive changes within our cities' public space systems. By activating the power of parks through collaboration innovation advocacy education research engagement it helps build healthier happier more sustainable communities across Canada.
parkpeople.ca
