Edmonton celebrates 40 years of program that helps care for city parks

A plant displayed at an information session for the Partners in Parks program on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Darcy Seaton/CTV News Edmonton)

The City of Edmonton celebrated a milestone for the Partners in Parks program, which helps maintain city parks for everyone to enjoy.

The program began in 1985 and encouraged Edmonton residents to care for small neighbourhood parks.

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Forty years later, it has grown into a city-wide community parkland stewardship focused on enhancing and preserving Edmonton’s parks and green spaces.

The program lead said the people who participate in the program are “passionate” and not even the rain on Wednesday could keep them indoors.

“There’s a lot of benefits for volunteers, they get to give back to their community and hopefully grow some friends,” said Catherine Falk.

“Individuals can learn and develop new skills, they get to learn about plants as well as learning how to care and nurture them. They get to be outside and be active, which adds to their physical as well as mental well being.”

When the program started it had 60 volunteers, with a goal of 100. In 2024, there were 309 volunteers taking care of more than 600 green spaces.

Some of the work volunteers do includes:

• removing litter;
• weeding shrub beds;
• planting non-invasive annuals and perennials;
• watering plants;
• mulching; and
• soil amendment, such as adding mulch or compost.

“There’s a lot of environmental benefits, including building our biodiversity and helping out with climate resilience as well, especially if you’re planting native plant species, it actually gives back habitats for our local insects and birds,” Falk said.

More information on the program, including how to sign up, is available on the city’s website.