The City is improving the natural area in Guildwood Village Park by adding a demonstration garden with native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. A pathway and signs with information about urban biodiversity and native pollinator insects will be installed at the entrances of the habitat.
The timeline is subject to change.
Construction complete. The pollinator garden has been constructed and is open to the public. Interpretive signage highlighting information about native wildflowers and pollinator species will be installed in spring 2024.
The City of Toronto has contracted Toronto and Region Conservation Authority to begin construction of the Guildwood Village Pollinator Habitat. Access to the park’s main entrance points and pathways will be maintained, however intermittent short-term closures of trails may be required for movement of construction equipment or material. Construction material will be delivered to the primary staging area south of Guildwood Parkway, and then brought to the secondary staging area at the site. No roads will be closed.
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) staff removed woody invasive species, including common buckthorn, Manitoba maple, Norway maple, and multiflora rose. This work improves the ecological health of the natural area, providing more growing space for native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers, which in turn enhances the natural area’s function as habitat.
Approximately 50 people attended a pop-up event in the park to learn more about the project and ask questions. A dotmocracy exercise (voting activity with dot stickers) took place which presented three proposed trail options for the area. A majority of people indicated that the meandering pathway trail option was their favourite. Additional feedback included:
The City and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) are refining the design and construction is anticipated to begin late summer 2022.
The City planted more caliper trees in the west end of the park and removed more ash trees affected by EAB.
The City removed invasive plants by tarping and mulching the stumps in order to slow regrowth.
Local volunteers helped by cutting and tarping invasive buckthorn shrubs in the natural area of the park.
Local volunteers planted over 300 native trees and shrubs to help restore the natural area of the park.
The City planted 90 caliper trees throughout the park in order to reforest the urban canopy in the park.
The City removed mature ash trees infested by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in the treed portion of the park. A total of 165 trees were removed and 66 ash trees were injected with TreeAzin, an insecticide made from Neem tree seed extracts, to help preserve the trees.
Guildwood Village Park is a 2.3-hectare linear park located at 219 Livingston Rd., near Kingston Road and Eglinton Avenue East. The natural area of the park is being enhanced with a semi-manicured demonstration garden of native plants, shrubs and wildflowers. The new pollinator habitat will include:
The natural area in the park has seen a resurgence of invasive plants and non-native weeds, which will be removed in preparation for the pollinator habitat. The project is led by the City and in partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).
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In 2015, the City removed mature ash trees in the treed portion of Guildwood Village Park due to an infestation of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). One hundred and sixty-five trees were removed and 66 ash trees were injected with TreeAzin, an insecticide made from Neem tree seed extracts, to preserve the trees.
EAB is widespread throughout Toronto, particularly in south Scarborough, and is a forest pest that will kill ash trees unless they are regularly treated with a pesticide. Trees infested by EAB are unstable and dangerous as they can fall at any time.