Strathcona Heights community planter bench built

Fatimazahra Mounfaloti

The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre received $10,000 in funding from Green Communities Canada in July 2023, thanks to which Strathcona Heights was able to achieve a community-led greening initiative where a group of resident seniors had identified the need for more seating and greening in the neighbourhood.

SHCHC worked closely with multiple stakeholders, including the Ottawa Community Housing Community Development team, OCH Volunteering and Engagement team, and GCC, to orchestrate a series of events, including two bench-building events where the Ottawa Community Housing volunteering and engagement team dedicated a group of more than ten individuals per event to construct the neighbourhood’s benches.

Taking place in various locations around the Strathcona Heights neighbourhood, these events led to some impressive results: a structural bench with four planters has been built in Lori Heath Park to accommodate parents accompanying their kids to the park for play.

Four more benches with two planters each have been constructed near the seniors’ main building at 721 Chapel, answering both a need for more accessible seating and neighbourhood greening. All the planter benches were planted during the latest event involving more than 20 volunteers who started the day with a neighbourhood clean-up before sharing a meal and working together around the greening initiatives.

This community-led greening initiative could not have taken shape without the supportive efforts of our community partners and resident leaders. SHCHC Community Development and Engagement team is looking forward to more community-led projects!