Pomona Mills Park Conservationists

Established in 1999 through the City of Markham’s Adopt-a-park Program

The Pomona Mills Park Conservationists is an adopt-a-park group founded in 1999 by Valerie Burke and Dr. Ann Fowle (deceased in 2004) in order to help restore and rehabilitate the natural heritage of the East Don River corridor within Pomona Mills Park in the Thornhill Heritage Conservation District. The group has worked in partnership with the City of Markham, the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and the community.

Since the year 2000, several local residents have joined this adopt-a-park group to organize community spring plantings and litter clean-ups. As a result, hundreds of native shrubs, trees, and wildflowers have been planted and several hundred bags of litter have been collected by volunteers of all ages.

In 2001, the Pomona Mills Park Conservationists was instrumental in rallying the community to request the Town of Markham to protect a two-acre parcel of meadow tableland from development. The meadow is located behind St. Volodymyr’s Catholic Ukrainian Church and is officially named Thornhill Meadow. In response to the community outcry, the meadow was acquired by the City as a western link to Pomona Mills Park. A bridge was installed over the East Don River and a pedestrian pathway now connects the historic core of Thornhill Village to Pomona Mills Park.

The Pomona Mills Park Conservationists have worked to enhance Thornhill Meadow with native wildflowers, milkweed, bird and bat houses. Residents enjoy seeing Monarch butterflies, bees and other pollinators as they walk along the serene, natural walking path.

The Pomona Mills Park Conservationists welcomes your participation. You can find us on Facebook.

For more information please contact:
Valerie Burke
Co-founder
valerie12burke@gmail.com