The Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC), celebrated the 5th anniversary of the Fletcher’s Creek Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP), by hosting an event this past Saturday October 5th at Fred Klein Park. A beautiful fall day attracted residents to come out for a nature walk, an invasive species pull and a celebratory free lunch!

Participants were able to get up close and personal with a Red-tailed Hawk and a Northern Saw-whet Owl courtesy of Wild Ontario. These birds of prey are rescues. The owl was mauled by an outdoor cat necessitating part of its wing be amputated. Wild Ontario is staffed by University of Guelph biology student volunteers. Sick and injured birds are nursed back to health and, where possible, released back into the wild. Birds like the owl that are too damaged to survive on their own have a permanent home with Wild Ontario where their duties include education on the importance of these higher order predators to the ecosystem.

Participants were also able to engage with community partners including, Reconnect Brampton, Community Climate Council, City of Brampton Community Safety and Well-being Office, Brampton Grow Green, Region of Peel Waste Education and, Brampton Environmental Alliance.

During the brief ceremony, Stavroula Kassaris from the City’s Environmental Planning Department congratulated the CVC and the community stakeholders that have made the Fletcher’s Creek project a success. Melissa Williams, Senior Manager, Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement with the CVC spoke about the program results that have been achieved to date including:

• Hosting 345 public events including invasive species removal, nature walks, coffee and chat sessions, litter cleanups and tree plantings,
• Through these events CVC were able to engage 7,520 community members,
• Planted 5,628 trees and shrubs on both public and private property,
• Worked with over 300 students at Glendale Public School to install a 965 square meter rain garden on school grounds.

Fletcher’s Creek is one of three SNAP projects in Brampton, the others being located in the K, E, and F, sections in Bramalea and in the area along County Court Blvd. The main purpose of SNAP is to provide eco-equity to mature neighbourhoods within the guidance of the 2040 Vision: Living the Mosaic, the Brampton Grow Green Environmental Master Plan and the Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan. SNAP urban renewal actions are custom designed with input from the community to create eco-friendly, climate resilient neighbourhoods. Visit the TRCA website for more information about the SNAP model.