Subwatershed Celebrations a Success 

This spring, we partnered with the Friends of Medway Creek (London and Middlesex Centre) and the Mill Pond Committee (Dorchester) to bring two celebrations to these communities.

First up was Celebrate the Mill Pond on May 25 at Dreamland in Dorchester. Unfortunately, there was a lot of rain and thunderstorms that morning so we pushed the beginning of the event to 11:30 am when the weather cleared to a beautiful day. Despite the late start, over 100 people were in attendance and took part in many activities.

The community really came together and put on a fabulous event. Thanks to Rosie’s Streetery for bringing their food truck! There were many activities including: 

• Native plantings around the Mill Pond (UTRCA) 
• Yoga in the park (On the Mat Yoga) 
• Guided hike (Mill Pond Committee) 
• Community drumming circle (Sheila Horrell) 
• Garden art project – children painted stakes that were put around the plantings to offer extra protection 
• Dorchester report card information and environmental pledge booth (UTRCA) 
• Native fish and mussel demonstrations (UTRCA) 
• Archaeology dig for kids (Museum of Ontario Archaeology) 
• Beekeeping activity (Middlesex Oxford Elgin Beekeepers Association and Big Sugar Farm) 
• and more crafts, games and activities! 

 A big thank you goes out to TD Friends of the Environment for providing funding for this event!.

On June 8, Celebrate the Medway picked up the festivities at the Museum of Ontario Archaeology in London. Luckily, the rain held off, resulting in a beautiful, sunny day and an amazing turnout with close to 500 people in attendance.  

Fifteen community partners kept visitors busy by running activities, including:

• Seed ball making (Bird Friendly London)
• Birds of prey shows (Canadian Raptor Conservancy Inc. )
• Medway Creek report cards and environmental pledge booth (Friends of Medway Creek)
• Seed science (London Children’s Museum)
• Colouring pages and button making (London Environmental Network)
• Scavenger hunt (London Public Library)
• Resist painting with natural dyes and objects (Molly Grundy)
• Clay impressions (Museum of Ontario Archaeology)
• Bug investigation sheets (Nshwaasnangong Child Care and Family Centre)
• Drumming circle (Sheila Horrell)
• Casting game (Thames River Anglers)
• Clothespin butterfly craft (Thames Talbot Land Trust)
• Guided hikes (Thames Valley Trail Association)   
• Aquatic species at risk and flood modelling activities (UTRCA)
• Tabletop insect investigation (Whitehills Childcare and Family Centre Fox Hollow)

Those attending could snack on treats from Oliver’s Frozen Treats, Big Bite, and Donut Diva. Thank you to our funders for this event, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and Enbridge, for helping to bring environmental education to the Medway Creek community.