Monthly Archives: April 2012

What’s up with the WCNA …

Published April 24, 2012 | By Ben

“What’s up with the WCNA …” a question asked more frequently of us recently. So we’ll put the upcoming events and dates right up front for easy finding and marking on your home calendars!!

WCNA Parks “Pitch In Week” schedule: Each Pitch In Week event begins at 7:00 PM

Tuesday April 24   Meet at the Parnell Street entrance for the Cindy Drive Park clean up

Wednesday April 25   Meet at the Parnell Street entrance for litter clean up, especially the Teen Hang-out area

Thursday April 26   Meet at the Cindy Drive entrance for the Cherie Road Park cleanup and mulch spreading on the newly               planted trees

Friday April 27  Meet at the Starbuck’s parking area on Scott Street for the Scott to Linwell Street clean up

Saturday April 28   The City wide “Clean Sweep by the Clean City Committee”, starting at Market Square with electronics recycling, battery disposal, displays and entertainment from 8:00 AM to 10: 00 AM. Sign up there for the chosen sites and “Pitch In to Pitch Out” all the winter litter and thoughtless detritus!!

MANY THANKS to all the folks who have been carrying bags and picking up litter these past few weeks. Your efforts certainly are appreciated and the Parks do look a lot cleaner because of your efforts on behalf of us all!!

TUESDAY MAY 8… RICE ROAD NURSERY DISCOUNT SALE DAY … for current holders of a 2012 WCNA membership card, which must be shown to receive the discount. This is the third year of the Rice Road Nurseries discount day for WCNA members, carrying on a welcome community tradition so appreciated at Broadway Nurseries. A grand selection of quality plants at a seriously discounted price is another benefit of the WCNA Membership … please plan on taking advantage of this kind offer by the Nursery owners and staff on behalf of the WCNA.

Tuesday May 15   Our next WCNA Community Meeting   “Gardening 301” … for the experienced gardener, the beginning gardener, the aspiring gardener … a hands-on evening of working your garden this spring and summer. Dividing plants, saving your special plants, garden soil preparation and augmentation, native plant gardening, dealing with bugs, bringing butterflies into your garden … question and answers time with knowledgeable gardeners. Grantham Lion’s Club, Niagara Street at Lakeshore, beginning at 7:00 PM.

WCNA PLANT SALE … Saturday June 2 at 88 Cherie Drive. A fine tiem to find the plants you want at very modest prices … perennials always. And if you are dividing plants in your home garden and have excess, please consider potting them up and dropping them off at 88 Cherie Drive anytime from now  until  Friday June 1.

This plant sale is the WCNA major fun raising event …. with all proceeds going right back in to Park projects. In 2010 the WCNA added a new bench; in 2011 the WCNA purchased Tree identification tags that will soon appear on designated trees in the Parks, this marking a beginning of the tagging of trees … and this year the WCNA plans on  purchasing native bushes for planting in renovated areas by the Creek and also buying native perennial wild flowers to add splashes of colour to be enjoyed  by all users of the Parks.

Watch for the Spring Walks In The Parks” schedule that will be posted soon. Hour long Thursday morning Strolls with knowledgeable WCNA leaders will show you what you might have missed, dissolve the mystery of tree names and the flora of the Parks, what plans are in place for the parks and  what gems are worthy of gentle study and enjoyment.

 

 

 

 

 

The Bunnies are in the Parks…

Published April 5, 2012 | By Ben
          Yes, the bunnies are out in the parks … so Easter has its delivery crews in hand!! Wishing you all a fine Easter with good eats, enough chocolate to satisfy, friends and family with whom to celebrate and all wrapped in good weather.
       Della Trojan and I are doing an informal stroll this AM, beginning in Cherie Road Park and moving up south. Looking at the litter and Creek blockage issues. Thanks to Bob Rideiger and his crews, two major blockages of the Creek near Ina Grafton have been cleared and some trees reduced or removed. But lots of litter remains to be collected. Special attention will be given the Teens’ hangout off Parnell as some neighbours have asked specifically for attention to that area … with offers to volunteer to assist us and I have asked the Clean City Committee to refer volunteers to us to assist whenever they can. The plan is to use the week of April 23 to 28th to accomplish a complete Clean Sweep of all the Parks. I will have a supply of Pitch In Week garbage bags as of this week.
      Looking at possible dates for our Annual Spring Stroll with City Staff. Looking at the week before the Pitch In Week Clean Sweep … and will check with Bob Rideiger, Jim Benson, Stuart Green, Bill Phillips and Dawn Dodge and will let you know what fits for them and hopefully fits for us as well. I will suggest that we do the reverse walk, beginning at the Scott St. end and moving north. You will recall John Hartmnn’s complaint at the last Community meeting that the WCNA doesn’t pay enough attention to that section from Scott through Reality Park … and that’s true … so this is move to educate and satisfy.
      John Hartmann reports that there  ‘was’ a dead raccoon on the pathway between Regent and Scott and hopefully that will be removed today … but the graffiti in that same area has yet to be cleaned or painted over by a City crew … so a reminder will go out today with new photos. The Doggie Station donated by Karl has been cleaned of its graffiti and he has added a new supply of poop bags … and from the evidence in the half full barrels, these bags are being well used.
      RCS has coordinated the development of a new poster that announces the various activities of Community Groups and schedules for Pitch In Week, Earth Day and the events planned for those focus days. The poster is being printed by the City as of yesterday and we get a supply to share with willing stores … I’ll let you know when they are ‘in hand’.
     Della Trojan is joining the Malcolmson group as they add their supply of identity tags to their trees … and she will be the source of all needed information so we can also tag our trees. No date for that activity but TBA soon, I hope. We will need to try and coordinate that activity with Mike Fancy as we would like to mark the GPS location of the tagged trees. Speaking of which, our Cucumber tree near IGGV has been ‘frosted … brown bloom ends already.
     Please remember the Conversation Cafe on Tuesday of next week … April 10, 7:00 to 8:30 PM at the Grantham Lion’s Club. The topic of “Does the Neighbourhood Matter to you?” is pertinent as we seek to increase involvment of friends and members in the Parks and adjacent neighbourhoods. These interesting conversations are fun, pleasant, insightful and a pleasant way to hear what others think as well as  share our own perspectives. A fine way to meet  new folks, think and soak of what a perfect neighbourhood might look like  to you
     The letter to Regional Councillor Bruce Timms in regards to extending the Circle Route/Waterfront Trail alongside Lock One and connecting to Malcolmson and WCNA Trails, has been delivered. This is step “A” of what will probably be a “Z” before action is visible. With Regional dollars and a satisfying plan, we can hope this plan may see fruition within our lifetimes??
     I’m liking the ‘bandwagon’ of litter collection fostered by Jim Finley and his recent embarrassing videos … if you have viewed both videos, you will see the positive enhancement by groups doing the Clean Sweeps!!
And that’s what keeping me off the streets … think bunnies, kids and grandkids!!
    That and the beauty of the renewal …  growth of plants … check out the Weeping Willows,  colour … can’t help but like the wee blue flowers, wee yellow flowers and the splashes of Daffodils that are in bloom … cherry trees in bloom, the smell of newly cut grass … and the happiness of the many. many dogs who show how this fine weather must be enjoyed deeply in the Parks!!

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