By now you have likely seen the news. Last week, record-breaking rainfall in Toronto caused widespread flooding. Evergreen Brick Works was among the many places in the city severely impacted. It was the worst flood we have experienced since our opening in 2010. For those wondering how they can help, we are accepting donations to help with the cleanup efforts and get the site fully up and running again.

Incredibly, thanks to the dedicated staff and volunteers working tirelessly throughout last week, we were able to partially reopen on the weekend! While there is still a lot of recovery ahead of us, being able to bring the community together for programming like our weekend markets was a big deal. This partial reopening is a testament to the resiliency of both the site and our community.

Support our flood recovery

In this month's edition of Evergreen News, we're also talking about what it means to share our planet with wildlife and plants. Read on for stories, resources, events and more.

road sign that says ''slow, priarie dog crossing''

How did the chicken cross the road? Innovative ways to help wildlife get to the other side

As urban areas continue to expand into wildlife habitats, how do we ensure our animal neighbours can continue to cross the road safely (without needing a driver's license).

Amphibian tunnels. Bee highways. Bird-safe building designs. Innovative city infrastructure is helping us peacefully coexist with our urban roommates. Read our latest story to see some incredible examples in action.

Ask the experts: how does nature play build real-world skills?

We gathered leaders in kids programming from Evergreen, Outward Bound Canada and The Pine Project to find out how connecting with the natural world helps youth build leadership, problem-solving skills and more.

Already convinced of the positive impact of connecting with nature and wildlife? Check out all our children and youth programming happening at Evergreen Brick Works, including camps, clubs, school visits, Weekend Nature Play and more.

Explore children's programming

10 fun and easy outdoor activities for kids

Need ideas to keep your kids outdoors this summer? Have you ever heard of sound mapping or animal sense walks? Read this curated list of tried-and-true outdoor activities from our team of Outdoor Educators.

Connect with nature with these 10 photography tips

You don't need a camera to experience all the incredible flora and fauna around you. But, for some, there’s no better way to focus on the world around us than through the lens of a camera. Capturing nature through your camera lens allows you to slow down, observe the details and capture all the incredible moments.

We reached out to a couple of our talented volunteer photographers and compiled a list of tips that you can use to make the most of your adventures in outdoor photography.

Thank you for your incredible support!

The record-breaking rainfall in Toronto last week (a staggering 100 mm) caused widespread flooding. Evergreen Brick Works was among the many places in the city that were severely impacted.

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to this incredible community for their overwhelming support over the past week. Thanks to dedicated staff, volunteers and those who’ve donated to our flood recovery efforts, we’ve been able to clean-up and partially reopen.

These few days have showcased the resilience of both people and the site. Your generosity and tireless efforts have been nothing short of inspiring.

If you’d like to support Evergreen Brick Works flood recovery efforts, you can make a donation of any size below.

Donate

How we develop our cities around waterways can have massive impacts on flooding. At the Brick Works, not only was the site designed to help manage stormwater, but it was also built with the idea of wet floodproofing at its core. Read more about managing floods with green design at the Brick Works.

Managing floods with green design

Support our reopening this summer by visiting us in person

We're hard at work bringing back all the camps, programs, markets and events that make Evergreen Brick Works so special. Follow along on our website, Instagram or What's on at the Brick Works newsletter for the latest information.

There are lots of reasons to be excited about the rest of the season! From recreation programs, to free outdoor movie nights to our popular Saturday Farmers Market, there's always something happening in the heart of Toronto’s green oasis.

See what's open and what's closed

Out now: Read our 2023 Annual Report!

Just dropped: Our 2023 Annual Report, a look back at the past year’s commitment to transforming public spaces in our cities to build a healthier future for people and our planet. In 2023, your support made so much possible:

- 145,000+ visitors to our Farmers Market, supporting 101 local farmers and vendors
- 7,266 students participated in curriculum-linked outdoor education through our Visiting School Program
- 400+ participants at our 2023 Evergreen Conference (see you again this year at the 2024 Evergreen Conference)

And so much more! Learn all about our work and impact below.

Buy your early bird tickets to the 2024 Evergreen Conference

Early Bird registration for the Evergreen Conference is still open! Secure your spot today to take advantage of discounted pricing for our two-day event on October 9 and 10, 2024.

Featured speakers include Eric Klinenberg, the Helen Gould Shepard Professor of Social Science and Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University; Carole Saab, Chief Executive Officer, Federation of Canadian Municipalities; and Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health, City of Toronto.

Learn more about the conference

Access our newest resource hub!

Outdoor Classroom Resources is a collection of learning materials to support children and youth engaging with the natural world.

Learn more here

Want to work at Evergreen?

We are looking for skilled, passionate individuals to join our growing team. As Evergreen works to build thriving cities that are livable and green, we are dedicated to developing a workforce that reflects the spaces in which we live and work.

Visit our careers page

Group of people talk around boardroom table.

Employee Spotlight

Our Staff Spotlight series shines a light on the voices and perspectives of the incredible Evergreen team. Up next is our Q&A with Lucien Topp, Senior Manager, Digital Marketing.

Lucien shares a few fun facts and explains why this London, England park is his favourite public space.

Help us transform public spaces for people and planet

Be a part of ensuring that our cities are vibrant, green, and bursting with life for generations to come.

Donate

Evergreen's Word of the Month

This is the spot where we break down an overly ‘jargony’ word or term to help bring you into our work of building better public places. We think everyone should be able to join the conversation! Our July Word of the Month is Nature Connections. Check out our City Builder Glossary for more definitions.