Community building

Editor:

One often hears it takes of community to raise a child. On Saturday the community of Creemore witnessed that it takes a community to build and maintain a park. The Village Green is a perfect example of how a park can be built tax-free andmaintained for the benefit of the entire Creemore community with community participation. Key to the idea was a Creemore Community Foundation who helped organize community consultations, arranged for the TD Bank to donate the private property to foundation and ultimately donate to Clearview, raised funds from over 300 donors including 20 local lead founder donors of over $100,000 or more, and coordinated the many local community builders, businesses and organizations to create the park – no small feat!

Saturday was a day to celebrate the many donors and volunteers to who helped to create this park within the heart of the village. Thanks to the horticultural society for tuning up their spring plantings with fall plants, Otta and his team for preparing a delicious lunch, New Farm for their produce, The Bank Café for their famous carrot muffins, Rural Roots and Jug City for flowers.

Particular thanks goes to Joan Gordon and her volunteers for coordinating the check-in. Amazing help was given by five student volunteers – so wonderful to see youth participation in this project. This entire party celebration was co-ordinated by Jackie Durnford and costs picked up by anonymous donors, again at no cost to the community. Thanks also to Ralph Hicks for his signature sculpture.

I look forward to seeing the park in action under the capable direction of Jeremy Mantesso, the Village Green manager.

Congratulations to the Creemore Community Foundation and the many supporting community members. What a wonderful town asset has been donated to Clearview Township but maintained by the Foundation and the Creemore Horticultural Society.

We look forward to new community projects that will enhance life in Creemore.

Anne Arrell,

Mulmur.