Supported by a three-year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Depave Paradise has transformed grey school yards, campuses, churches, downtown properties, and city parks into beautiful green spaces. In the last 18 months,15 depaves have been completed and more are scheduled for completion before year end

Depave Paradise is a (literally) ground-breaking program of Green Communities Canada, delivered with local community partners

Resulting media coverage, including TV Ontario and the US-based Strong Towns Podcast, has helped engage decision-makers and the public in the importance of turning grey cities green. A Peterborough, ON depave was recently recognized by the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association for its positive impact on the city’s streetscape

Since 2012, Depave Paradise has held 43 events, removing more than 8,000 m2 of paved surface and creating greenspaces with help from more than 4,000 volunteers. Each year, these retrofits will divert an estimated 6,000 m3 of water from storm sewers and keep 1,500kg of pollutants out of waterways

If you are interested in learning more about Depave Paradise and how you can become involved, please join GCC for a free webinar on 22 August. More information here and on the Depave Paradise website

Click here to read the full GCNews August edition.