Upcoming Events
Still Time to Support the Oak Ridges Friends of the Environment Fundraiser –please donate now!
The Oak Ridges Friends of the Environment (ORFE) is a totally volunteer organization that works to protect, enhance and celebrate the area’s natural spaces and cultural legacy. Our biggest projects are the annual Oak Ridges Clean Up Day, this newsletter and our website. These are volunteer driven so we don’t have a lot of expenses but we do have some bills to pay.
One of our most important fundraisers is the Baillie Birdathon. Jim and Sharon Bradley cover our parks and green spaces to see how many different species of birds they can find in a 24 hour period one day in May. They are looking for sponsors – either at a flat rate or for an amount per species found (55 last year). Please support ORFE by becoming a sponsor. The funds raised are split between ORFE and Bird Studies Canada, the organizer of the birdathon. All donations of $10 or more are eligible for a
receipt for tax purposes. You can contribute directly over the web to the Bradleys’ efforts at:
www.bsc-eoc.org/support/birdathon/...number=83862
Or you can make your donation by cheque or cash – call the Bradleys at 905-773-7415.
Please help to continue ORFE’s efforts to green our community by making a donation now!
For more information on Bird Studies Canada and the Baillie Birdathon visit: www.bsc-eoc.org
Turtle Alert!!
Turtles are on our roads in June! This is their nesting season and they migrate from lakes and ponds to find a sandy gravel area to lay their eggs – often on the shoulder of a road. Please watch for little bumps on our streets. If you see a turtle on the road, you can help it across but please take it in the direction that it is headed. Otherwise it will just try to cross again.
DOORS OPEN RICHMOND HILL INCLUDING THE LAKE ST. GEORGE FIELD CENTRE – SATURDAY JUNE 12, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Doors Open Richmond Hill provides residents with the opportunity to explore local facilities of historical interest that are not generally open to the public. A wide variety of intriguing cultural, religious and heritage sites will be available for viewing. One of these
is the Lake St. George Field Centre on Bethesda Side Road. This is an historic site that has been transformed into a residential educational facility for students and other groups to study various environmental subjects on this wonderful natural property.
For more information including a brochure with a map showing the location of the open sites visit: www.richmondhill.ca/...pageid=heritage_doors_open_event
Windfall Ecology Festival – Sat. and Sun. June 12, 13, Fairy Lake, Newmarket
Windfall Ecology Centre presents the 9th Annual Windfall Ecology Festival, York Regions largest Environmental and Energy Conservation Exposition! Learn, share & experience live music, local & organic foods, buskers, Kids Fun Zone, Workshops and so much more. It is an outdoor event for the whole family in a beautiful park setting.
For more information visit: www.windfallcentre.ca
Oak Ridges Fair - June 18-20, Sunset Beach Park
Enjoy live bands, a Bavarian Garden, carnival rides, a huge outdoor movie in the park, hot food, cold drinks, sweet prizes, craft show vendors, old classic cars, and much, much more. Admission is free. For more information visit: www.oakridgesfair.com.
The Fair committee and the Oak Ridges Lions Club are looking for volunteers to help with the event. This is a great opportunity for students to earn volunteer credits. Contact the Fair through their web site and the Lions through Don Cook at 905-773-7076.
BIKE THE OAK RIDGES CORRIDOR PARK – TUES. JUNE 22, 7:00 PM
Join the Oak Ridges Trail Association (ORTA) for a leisurely 10 km bike ride from Bayview Ave. to Bathurst St. and back on the Oak Ridges Corridor Park trail. This is a smooth rolling route through former farm land past pretty kettle lakes and wetlands. Meet at the small parking lot on Old Colony Rd. just west of Bayview Ave. No dogs and cancelled if raining. For more information, contact leader Peter Attfield at 905-773-3935.
GROWING AND USING HERBS WORKSHOP – TUES. JULY 6, 6:30 – 8:00 PM, PHYLLIS RAWLINSON PARK
Interested in growing herbs? Make a beautiful herb spiral—an easy and fun way to set up an instant herb garden in your backyard. Learn tips and tricks for growing, harvesting and storing herbs, as well as creative ideas and recipes to put your herbs to good use.
Please note that this event will take place outside. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy footwear. To sign up or for more information, please contact:
Lisa Fisk, Project Manager, Richmond Hill lfisk@evergreen.ca or 416-596-1495 x226.
FESTIVAL OF BOUNTY – WED. AUG 4, 4:00 – 8:00 PM, PHYLLIS RAWLINSON PARK
Meet at 4:00 pm to help set up the zero waste outdoor kitchen then join kids from children’s cooking clubs, their families and volunteers of all ages to help make simple, fresh dishes for a summer feast. Around 6:00 pm share our dishes (farmers and others
welcome!) and celebrate summer’s bounty with kids’ garden activities, stories and community music making. Please bring your own dishes, cutlery, a musical instrument and picnic blanket. RSVPs are appreciated. To do so or for more information, call 905-787-1441 or e-mail jgodfrey@richmondhill.ca.
Note: All hikes and planting events generally take place rain or shine unless there is thunder and lightning.
Ongoing Items
York Region Artists Book of Moraine Art
In 2008, 40 artists from across York Region painted the vast beauty of the Oak Ridges moraine. From over 70 submissions, 20 outstanding images were chosen for an art book. ‘Connecting with Nature, Oak Ridges Moraine' showcases local artists and helps bring awareness of the importance of our environment to the public. The book is still available at the low price of $20 including tax and is available at the Mill Pond Gallery, 314 Mill Street, Richmond Hill on weekends or at Art Of The Matter, in Aurora . Proceeds from this book will be donated in support of the preservation of the Oak Ridges moraine. To preview the art in the book visit: http://gallery.me.com/artcures#100032.
For more information contact them at moraine-art@sympatico.ca
Girl Guides Launch “Bin-A-Battery” Program
Batteries are a great source of power for a variety of electronics but once spent they can pose a major danger to the environment. They contain heavy metals such as cadmium that can leach from landfill into our water sources. Local Guide leaders have received funding from the Girl Guides of Canada to make it easier for Oak Ridges' residents to get rid of spent batteries in an environmentally friendly manner. Simply take your batteries to Home Hardware, the Royal Bank or the Oak Ridges Moraine Library right here in town and deposit them in the battery bin. They will be collected quarterly and taken to Miller Waste where they will be disposed of safely. ORFE congratulates these volunteers on a great community initiative. Any questions or concerns should be directed to: batteriesinor@love.com
