November 15, 2014
Landscape Ontario members Earthco Soils and Connon NVK played important roles in helping to make June Callwood Park in Toronto a reality.

The official opening of the park took place on Oct. 4.

The City of Toronto in partnership with the Garden Club of Toronto coordinated the creation of the park.

The park is named after the famous journalist and social activist. “The Garden Club of Toronto was asked if we would be interested in participating in this park as one of our projects. We have often done projects with LO, which committed to participate by asking its members to work with the Club to create the central portion of the park,” said Naneve Hawke, horticulture and design leader of June Callwood Park Project for the Garden Club of Toronto.

The 0.4-hectare park includes a reflecting pool, lighting, granite paving and benches, a hedge maze, bright pink rubberized benches and surfacing, and over 300 varied tree species. A total of over $2.6 million went into creating the park, with in-kind donations from Landscape Ontario and Earthco Soils.

The park has been named one of Toronto’s most exciting new parks. The centre section is filled with 86 crabapple trees.  

Hawke says Connon NVK helped source and supply all the herbaceous perennials for the beds. “Although we are paying for these plants, they have been extraordinarily helpful in our endeavour,” said Hawke.  

The Garden Club requested LO’s help to provide an amended soil for the park. Earthco stepped up with right away, and offered to provide all the soil for the beds. “It was a significant contribution,” noted Hawke.  

“The Garden Club raised money from donors in our community to pay for the trees and plants, and Earthco provided the foundation on which these plants can grow and beautify our city. We are incredibly grateful for its contribution,” concluded Hawke.