Back to SearchThe City is looking to the public for input on how it will manage its gardens, floral displays and other horticultural assets in the years to come.
After consultation with stakeholder groups and the public City staff have prepared a draft Horticulture Management Plan for presentation to City Council. The plan’s primary goal is to outline directions for improvement and evolution of horticultural assets while ensuring they are maintained in a way that is both financially sustainable and environmentally friendly. The City operates and maintains hundreds of horticultural assets ranging from floral displays to pollinator gardens and beehive locations to community gardens.
“We want to ensure we maintain our reputation as the Garden City for all our residents while embracing a new focus on environmental sustainability and financial viability,” said Community, Recreation and Culture Services Developmental Horticultural Technician Ilyse Norton. “The Horticulture Management Plan is looking to develop a sustainable strategy to guide the City into the future. There are a host of opportunities for us to use native species and create naturalized areas that retain the beauty of a floral bed without the intensive resource inputs some of these displays require.”
Based on 10 guiding principles — including environmental sustainability, championing native species, community partnerships and sustainable investment — the plan outlines 54 short-, medium- and long-term action items.
While the plan outlines some opportunities to convert some resource-intensive displays into environmentally friendly naturalized areas, it also identifies high-traffic prestige areas for continued plantings focused on a more manicured presentation.
The public is invited to visit stcatharines.ca/HorticulturePlan by March 17 to read the draft, ask questions to staff and provide feedback before the plan is presented to City Council.
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