If you’ve attended one of Evergreen’s many activities and events then Mike Derblich might look familiar. Mike is one of our volunteer photographers who helps us beautifully capture our human and wildlife visitors. He joined our team over a year ago and we recently had a chance to sit down and talk to him.
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Posted by Christine from Volunteering
By: Sarah Weaver
Sabina Ali is a busy lady. A mother of 4, she’s involved in several initiatives and committees across Toronto including the Thorncliffe Park Women’s Committee, Access Capital Fund, Thorncliffe Park Kindergarten School Design Team, Women at Work and Evergreen.
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Posted by Nate from Public Relations
Beverley & Bill at the Welcome Desk (Photo: Sarah Weaver)
Bill Wilson and Beverley Auburn are two of the friendliest faces that you are likely to see when you visit Evergreen Brick Works. That’s because Bill and Beverley make up part of our Volunteer Welcome Host team. Despite only starting in June 2010, both have left lasting impressions on the Evergreen Staff and the many people who visit the site on a daily basis! Recently we asked them about their volunteer experience at Evergreen to learn more about what motivates them.
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Posted by Christine from Volunteering
By Shah Mohamed, Bike Educator, Evergreen
Bike Advocacy Event, Photos: Brian Liberty
Over 170 attendees braved the first snow in Toronto as they walked, biked or used the Evergreen Shuttle to attend the first Bike Advocacy event at Evergreen Brick Works presented by Toronto Cyclists Union (TCU), 8-80 Cities and Evergreen. Keynote speaker Gil Peñalosa, executive director of 8-80 Cities, talked about designing cities and redesigns that focus on accessibility for all road users.
“Everyone is a cyclist and a pedestrian at some point in the day,” Gil explained, addressing why building functional systems that ensure the safety of everyone is vital.
The afternoon portion of the workshop led by TCU’s Andrea Garcia, director of advocacy and operations, included a wonderful list of knowledgeable speakers.
Dale Duncan, former assistant to Adam Vaughn, provided helpful tips on how to engage your local councilor and build a relationship with them.
Al Rezoski, manager for City of Toronto, spoke on infrastructure changes and how to effectively engage the city in redesign to support a complete streets view point.
Last but not least, Dave Meslin, founder of the TCU, provided some helpful insight on how to leverage all the good things that our new Mayor wishes to do with bikes and infrastructure inside and out of downtown.
Breakout sessions followed with the main event to map actual changes that each of the attending wards would work on implementing this year. Attendees also participated in a trail evaluation through 8-80 Cities to help make the trails more accessible and safe development of the trail routes and access. Group walks and rides to the site were also arranged by CultureLink Newcomers Program, U for Change, Community Matters and the Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office.
Thank you to all who attended and to the partners for making this all come together.
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Posted by Kim from Common Grounds
Attendees gather around chimney court at Evergreen Brick Works
(Photo: Mike Derblich)
On November 12-13th, Learning Grounds welcomed a keen group of landscape architects, teachers, outdoor educators, and programmers from all over the world to Evergreen Brick Works to join the team of Learning Grounds Consultants and staff. It was the second annual All Hands in the Dirt forum on the design and programming of children’s outdoor spaces.
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Posted by Sarah from Learning Grounds
Camp Games (Photo: Mike Derblich)
Evergreen is currently recruiting for Assistant Day Camp Counsellors for our March Break Camp and soon, for summer camps in July and August.
This past August, Sathvik, known at camp as Hawk, volunteered at the Green City Adventure Camp for two weeks, engaging with campers to discover and explore nature at Evergreen Brick Works and the ravines. A high school student at Victoria Park Collegiate Institute looking to help at a camp, Sathvik was captivated from the start and can’t wait until next summer when he can get involved again.
What did you like about volunteering with day camp? I got to learn so much and helped the campers learn too. I’d never had this kind of opportunity to connect with nature, outside of a little gardening at home. It felt more like fun than work and it was amazing to be in this incredibly scenic site right in the middle of Toronto! The only downside was the mosquitoes. It was also great to see how some shy campers or those hesitant to get dirty were right in there with everyone by the end, including me. There was a lot of team-building going on and I also got to see animals and plants in nature.
1 Comment | Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, Volunteer | Permalink
Posted by Christine from Volunteering
A young explorer. (Photo: Evergreen)
Evergreen’s Nature Playground is competing for the Aviva Community Fund and we need your help to succeed. The Nature Playground will provide the opportunity for children to connect with nature at Evergreen Brick Works in the best way possible: through food, play and hands-on learning.
The priority of the Nature Playground is first-hand experience and multi-sensory exploration with an edible landscape, supporting abundant opportunities for eating, cooking, and preserving fresh food. Various terrain and paths will snake through themed gardens and raised beds where plants will be a focus of study, seasonal celebrations and sensory delight.
The gardens in Nature’s Playground will feel like a miniature version of an urban farm and use innovative growing mediums and spaces – a greenhouse, vertical gardens, herb spirals, fruit and veggie hedges and fences will define the landscape.
Bringing together all the elements of Nature’s Playground and acting as a focal point of learning and experiencing is the outdoor bake oven and kitchen. Here, children will be offered an opportunity to learn baking and cooking techniques in a wood-fired brick oven—from baking bread, making pizza, pies, and pastries to all sorts of goods not usually associated with wood-fired ovens.
Help children connect with, play in and learn from nature by voting daily and telling your friends. Vote here: http://bit.ly/ebwKIDS
Follow us on Twitter: @evergreencanada, join us on Facebook.
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Posted by Nate from Public Relations
Don Tapscott takes the stage. (Photo: Cam Collyer)
In the early morning darkness I rode my bike to Evergreen Brick Works for the kickoff session of T.H.E. Series. Author Don Tapscott, Dr. Mike Evans and Geoff Cape took the stage just after 7:30 am to discuss how technology, health and the environment are collaborating to meet societal challenges on a global scale.
The debate got off to a great start when the moderator made the provocative statement that “technology is evil.” Here are some highlights:
Stayed tuned, T.H.E. Series aims to host 4-6 breakfast sessions in 2011 attracting internationally renowned experts to help herald in the green economy and both teach and learn from Canadians at the cutting edge of the green economy.
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Posted by Nate from Public Relations
Liz Stewart and Isabel Wiesenfeld (Photo: Ingrid Mayrhofer)
Isabel Wiesenfeld and Liz Stewart have spent the last four months helping bring Evergreen Brick Works to life in new ways through geology and art. Isabel has been busy researching and writing text for the geology exhibits while investigating new interactive approaches to engage and educate our visitors. In the meantime, Liz curated a photo exhibit about Evergreen Brick Works – past, present and future – portraying the site’s layered history, now on display in the Centre for Green Cities!
Why did they get involved? Both said the energy and innovation at Evergreen right now was a big appeal. For Liz, she was between jobs and recognized the valuable experience of learning new skills in a new industry with new people. For Isabel, she’s applying her university education to a real-life situation.
What’s their experience been like? They’ve really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere in the office and the opportunity to meet new people. For Isabel, bridging the gap between research and the exhibit has been really valuable as she hopes to work in a museum. For Liz, telling a story through pictures has been a great project to develop.
A few memories: “The adventure of finding out which desk I’m using each time I’m in – one time I had to move three times!” ”It was also surprising to see the face of an Evergreen staff person on a George Brown College TTC ad.” ”Evergreen seems to be everywhere!”
What about their other lives? Liz recently started a new job at Harbourfront while Isabel works at making casts of bones and hopes to go to grad school. Cooking, reading and browsing bookstores also fill their time. We wish them the best of luck and look forward to staying involved and seeing what happens.
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Posted by Christine from Volunteering
This has been a busy week!
Evergreen’s Toronto staff have been unpacking in their new office in the Centre for Green Cities at Evergreen Brick Works, our new community environmental centre. We are celebrating our Grand Opening on September 25 and 26. If you are in town, drop by and take a peek at the transformation of the historic Don Valley Brick Works into a place where we can all explore how to live, work and play more sustainably.
Catch up the latest news on the Evergreen Brick Works blog: ebw.evergreeen.ca/blog
We’ll be back to regular posting on this blog very soon!
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Posted by Erin from Communications
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