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Staff Feature – Peel Community Learning

August 22, 2022

Building meaningful programs and spaces that visitors can engage in requires collaboration, strong teamwork, and creativity.

The Community Learning team is proud to have staff members who are always looking for ways to enhance experiences within Peel – including building a traditional Ojibwe Wiigiwaam, delivering family and community programs, and developing a new children’s garden!

Building a Community Garden at The Nature School

The Peel Community Learning team has demonstrated laser focus during the entire development process of the children’s garden, including the delivery of a garden design program to Nature School students, research into building a monarch nursery, and procuring the material needed, as well as the coordination of volunteers and staff for the garden build week, and bringing energy and enthusiasm to the project.

This new garden will be used not only by participants in education programs at Claireville Conservation Area, but also by visitors and families enjoying the park on evenings and weekends.

Designing the Garden with Students from The Nature School

Staff on the Peel Community Learning team came out to The Nature School at Claireville in the spring to work with the K to Grade 3 students to get their input and ideas about what should be in a children’s garden.

Students drew pictures, discussed their ideas, and mapped out where each feature would go.

Peel Community Learning team members work with students from The Nature School students to design a new childrens garden at Claireville Conservation Area

Janelle Richards, Coordinator, Peel Education, Annie Walton, Coordinator, Peel Education, and Jen Ouimette, Coordinator, Community Learning Peel, work with students at The Nature School to design the new garden.

Engaging Conservation Youth Corps in Building the Garden

Conservation Youth Corps participants came to Claireville Conservation Area from July 18 to 21 under the leadership of Janelle Richards, Coordinator, Peel Education, to build the garden.

Conservation Youth Corps volunteers plant trees for the childrens garden at Claireville

High School students from the Conservation Youth Corps program working hard to plant trees for the children’s garden at Claireville under the leadership of Janelle Richards.

TRCA leaders and the volunteer students spent their time digging up grass, planting trees, shrubs and plants, spreading woodchips, building trails, and finalizing the details on the garden plan that was created by The Nature School students.

completed childrens garden at Claireville Education Centre

The completed children’s garden at Claireville’s Education Centre!

Girls Can Too: Building Planter Boxes

Participants in Girls Can Too, led by Jen Ouimette, Coordinator, Community Learning Peel, designed and built planter boxes with built-in benches that were installed into the Children’s Garden.

Planter boxes installed at Claireville Conservation Area childrens garden by Girls Can Too participants

Planter boxes installed by Girls Can Too participants.

Building the Monarch Motel

Working with Vicky An, Program Manager for Monarch Teacher Network (MTN) of Canada, the Peel Community Learning team, along with including members of the Conservation Parks and Lands team, designed and built an outdoor Monarch butterfly enclosure in a day!

This included design, procurement of materials, and finding the best location at Claireville Conservation Area. The “Monarch Motel” will support rearing activities associated with MTN of Canada’s summer training workshops, and will provide educational opportunities for visitors to Claireville.

Peel Community Learning staff work with Conservation Parks and Lands team to build outdoor Monarch butterfly enclosure at Claireville Conservation Area

Peel Community Learning staff Stephanie Andrade, Hayley Tompkins and Laura YatePrada work with Eric Ford from Conservation Parks and Lands to build the “Monarch Motel” at Claireville’s Education Centre.