Our Annual Plant Sale
Our Annual Plant Sale is happening Saturday, June 1st at its usual location at 88 Cherie Drive from 8:00 AM to Noon.
This is the ideal time to find plants, grown locally, that can add that special item to your home gardens. Most reasonable prices, variety, excellent information from knowledgeable people and helping to fund the many projects the “Friends of Walker’s Creek” … WCNA … undertake in the Parks. In the past, these Plant Sales have purchased park benches, have tagged the various trees, added bushes and plants and continue to make improvements in the Parks for the enjoyment of all.
We welcome donations of potted plants from all as these form the supply that is available for sale. Donated potted plants can be dropped of at 88 Cherie Drive anytime this coming week. Because these plants come from local gardens, you can be assured they are well climatized, have found the local climate and conditions ideal for their growth and so adding them to the garden at your home has the greatest possibility of continued growth and prosperity.
The Plant Sale in 2012 provided over $500 in new funds and we hope this ever increasing income will continue as we look at purchasing special and unique specimen trees to continue to represent the Carolinian forest that was the natural habitat prior to settlement. The Park off Linwell Drive contains the only known example of a “Cucumber Tree” in the Niagara area. There are other such unique and often endangered species that deserve the opportunity to grow and be enjoyed.
The Plant sale is also a great time to meet with the Directors of the “Friends of Walker’s Creek” … WCNA… and share your insights, make suggestions, get excellent advice on local home gardening and be an active part of maintaining and improving the Parks that are such a central delight in Grantham ward.
“Walk in the Parks” Schedule
Thursdays, beginning at 10:00 AM. according to the following schedule, weather permitting:
| Walkers Creek Walks | Malcolmson Park Walks |
| May 30 | June 6 |
| Meet at Parnell Rd. entrance | Meet at the Park entrance off Lakeshore Road |
| June 13 | June 20 |
| Meet at Cindy Drive entrance | Meet at the Park entrance off Lakeshore Road |
| June 27 | July 4 |
| meet at the Cherie Road Park entrance on Cindy Drive (at Walkers Creek) | Meet at the Park Entrance off Lakeshore Road |
Join us for an informative walk through our parks!
Director’s Meeting Schedule
For those that were wondering, here are the proposed dates for Director’s Meetings for the remainder of 2013 …
The Advantage of Membership
The advantage of membership in “The Friends of Walker’s Creek’ comes upon us quickly. The annual plant sale at Rice Road Nurseries happens on May 7th and with a current (2013) Membership card, you are entitled to a 25% discount on your purchases that day only.
Plus the $10 membership fee is in fact a donation to assist in the plans and plantings the “Friends of Walker’s Creek” have coming this summer. Working with the City to keep the Parks natural, to see that new plantings reflect the Carolinian forest and to provide additional facilities, your membership fee is income tax deductible ,with the receipt sent to you prior to filing your income tax return. A veritable bargain. Haven’t joined up yet?? … Use the ‘Contact Us” link on this website’s heading … and get involved!!
MANY HANDS MAKES FOR LIGHT WORK
Thanks to the 23rd St. Catharines Cubs & Scouts, a very successful evening work party saw many trees in the Park protected with added mulch rings. The enthusiasm, energy and happy calls of “I want to do that! “saw a goodly portion of a large pile of City supplied mulch get carried to trees in the South Park by the playground. They arrived ready to work and showed us how much they enjoyed being part of this Park improvement program. They also learned how to plant , setting out a large number of “Joe Pye Weed” plants which will attract and provide nectar, attracting many Monarch Butterflies this summer and subsequent years. To complete that support, Milkweed seeds were also scattered by the young helpers, providing the perfect place for the Monarchs to lay their eggs, assuring more and more butterflies in the Parks.
Many thanks to Dick Thomas who brought these many helpers and additional leaders and parents to this worthwhile venture. And to “Friends of Walker’s Creek” Vice Chair person, Della Trojan for organizing the event, supplying the young “Joe Pye Weed” plants and the Milkweed seeds.
There are still many trees awaiting this protection from the big mowing machines, while also supporting moisture for these trees should we have another dry summer. Watch for additional work party plans and come join in to help.
The Workers Arrive in force!!
Bye bye 2012, hello 2013
A sunny Saturday morning traffic in the Park!!
Definitely signs of Spring on Saturday, a day when the “Friends of Walkers’ Creek’ diligently disposed of the winter’s litter as a partner with “Pitch In Week” efforts across the City, shared the pleasure of walking with children and dogs and with clear direction to proceed into the coming months.
Annual Meeting Report
The successful but late Annual General Meeting on Thursday evening was a time when the review of 2012 was well received, when explanations of how the Parks are monitored and cooperatively attended to by the City Departments and Walker’s Creek Association, plans and hopes were shared as we look to the summer months and we reveled in the pleasure of this string of Parks so available for the enjoyment by all. Among the highlights noted was the planting of more than eighty trees in the Parks last Autumn, the plan for more music events in the coming months, review of the physical Parks with City Staff and Ward Councillors noted concerns with corrections and remediation discussed and planned, including possible solutions for the often wet sections of the Pathways. Sadly the large number of ash trees that are being threatened by the Emerald Ash borer insect was noted and we can anticipate the removal of the many straight, apparently healthy but with evidence of infestation specimens, and this does not auger well for the future. News that the City Accessibility Committee has submitted its recommendations to the City regarding the pathways in Walker’s Creek South (off Linwell) and North ( of Parnell) and making those pathways more readily available to mobility challenged and handicapped visitors, is under active consideration. The return of the same group of Directors was unanimously adopted.
Town Hall Meeting
As a significant part of the Annual General Meeting, Grantham Ward Councillors Bill Phillips and Dawn Dodge shared their views and news at a Town hall Meeting. They urged all citizens to become aware of the proposed new Zoning Bylaw that is being discussed in Open House meetings with Planning Department staff, at various locations cross the City from now until mid-June. Grantham Ward is the largest primarily residential Ward in the City and the changes being proposed will affect the streets, neighbourhoods and what can and cannot be accomplished that will retain the present nature or make changes to that which has become familiar. Bill Phillips also noted that Grantham Ward is home to three community groups, “Friends of Malcomson Eco-Park”, Friends of Municipal Beach” and Walker’s Creek Neighbourhood Association, which will be testing a name adjustment to a more inclusive “Friends of Walker’s Creek” in the coming months. The Councillors expressed their appreciation to these groups who consistently advise, consult and make recommendations that can be considered by the City Council, thereby making sure a citizen’s voice is readily heard.
Of more than passing interest …
Thursday evening, May 2nd, the 23rd St. Catharines Cub Scouts will be lending a hand spreading mulch about the base of trees in Walker’s Creek South Park … off Linwell, by Ina Graftion Gage, beginning at 7:00 PM. These energetic youngsters, with leaders and parents on hand, showed their ability to work hard when involved with Malcomson Park’s Earth Day. Helping the “Friends of Walker’s Creek” add the mulch in advance of the grass moving season , will protect the trees while also adding some protection against another dry summer. All are welcome to assiat, bring your shovel, a bucket or wheelbarrow if you have one and join in the fun!!
Check out the unique “Cucumber Tree” in Walker’s Creek South, near the hump bridge overt the Creek … look up, way up to see the blossoms. This is a very special specimen … maybe the only one in St. Catharines … and was planted a number of years ago by the WCNA. And be sure to enjoy the fresh greenery of the many large Willow Trees throughout the Parks … more than a ‘Breathe of Spring’. Look up in the sky and see the circling Hawks… or are they Turkey Vultures?? More than twenty seen in one area on a sunny afternoon … quite a sight!!
And for those who doubt the existence of fish in the Creek … check out the area behind the Butterfly Garden in Cherie Road Park … and find the fish in the following photo taken a week ago!! (Hint… centre upper … tails out of teh shadows!!)
