Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon (Ward 32 Beaches-East York), Chair of the City’s Parks and Environment Committee, joined by Councillor Sarah Doucette (Ward 13 Parkdale-High Park) and representatives from the High Park Nature Centre, today announced a fundraising campaign to refurbish the 86-year-old High Park Forest School to become the High Park Visitor and Nature Centre.
Councillor McMahon also announced a $1 million lead donation from TD Bank Group (TD) towards the project. The donation will support the renovation of the main teaching and gathering space in the building to become the TD Grand Hall. A portion will also support the TD School Visit Program run by the High Park Nature Centre. The campaign has a fundraising goal of $6 million.
“Education on how to protect the natural environment in such a well-loved space in an urban setting like Toronto is crucial,” said Councillor McMahon. “I’m delighted to see this recognized and supported by TD.”
“We are excited to support this initiative as part of The Ready Commitment, which will help create a more inclusive and sustainable tomorrow,” said Andrea Barrack, Vice President, Global Corporate Citizenship at TD. “The centre and educational programming provides an opportunity for the community to come together, to connect with nature, and to help create a more vibrant planet – this is what The Ready Commitment aspires to do.”
The City of Toronto commissioned ATA Architects in 2015 to produce a Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report and Feasibility Study as the foundation to create the new High Park Visitor and Nature Centre. The study proposed accessibility improvements and an enclosed visitor centre wing that will feature exhibits to highlight High Park’s natural and human history as well as public education about the ecology of the park and how to protect it.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the City of Toronto, and to announce TD as the lead donor on this inspiring project,” said Sara Street, Executive Director of the High Park Nature Centre. “To be able to bring the High Park Forest School back to its original roots as a nature-based school is an opportunity that aligns perfectly with our mission. The establishment of the High Park Visitor and Nature Centre under one roof will become a focal point of park life, servicing over 1.5 million annual visitors for generations to come.”
Donations to this project can be made at https://highparknaturecentre.com/2/donate.
The Nature Centre is housed in the historic building known as the High Park Forest School. The site was originally used as an outdoor classroom for children with tuberculosis, and has served many purposes over the years. The High Park Nature Centre moved to the building in 2015.
The High Park Nature Centre is a non-profit charitable organization that has been promoting awareness and respect for nature through outdoor environmental education and park stewardship programs since 1999. The goal of the Nature Centre programs are to inspire a sense of wonder, knowledge and respect for natural systems, to restore human connections to local flora and fauna, to engage children, adults, seniors and families in ecological restoration, and to ensure sustainability of High Park for future generations. More information about the High Park Nature Centre is available at https://www.highparknaturecentre.com/.
TD Bank Group has a long-standing commitment to enriching the lives of its customers, colleagues and communities. In March 2018, TD launched The Ready Commitment, a new multi-year program to help individuals and communities prosper. As part of The Ready Commitment, TD targets $1 billion in total by 2030 towards community giving in four areas critical to opening doors for an inclusive tomorrow – Financial Security, a more Vibrant Planet, Connected Communities and Better Health. Through The Ready Commitment, TD’s aspiration is to link business, products, services, and community giving to help people feel more confident – not just about their finances, but about their future and their ability to achieve their personal goals in a changing world. For further information, visit www.td.com/thereadycommitment.
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