A National Urban Park for Guelph

Yorklands Green Hub joined a coalition of local organizations in early 2023 to advocate for a new National Urban Park at the Yorklands site under Parks Canada. This coalition includes former members of Heritage Guelph, rare Charitable Research Reserve, the Guelph Hiking Trail Club, the Arboretum, the Wildlands League and the Yorklands Green Hub. A parliamentary petition with 3191 signatures was presented to Parliament January 30th, 2024. Parks Canada has noted our interest and as they develop their policy framework for adding more parks to the initial six that have been designated, they will review Guelph’s intention of interest. In the meantime, we are building grassroots support through our lawn sign campaign and advocating to City councillors to get onboard. What can you do? Purchase a lawn sign and call your City councillors to let them know you support Urban Park Guelph. And become a member of Yorklands Green Hub.

Three criteria are required to be considered a national urban park. They include:

Connecting people to nature

Preserving nature

Advancing healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples

Yorklands Green Hub has been connecting people with nature on the site through our monthly walks and events since 2014. We have been advocating for the protection of this property since our inception in 2013. Since 2021 we have discovered its deep connections to Indigenous history both during modern times and pre-contact. We deeply acknowledge the history of Indigenous incarceration on this site and the harms done to Indigenous people there. In this acknowledgement we strive to advance healing and reconciliation.