Email icon Back to Search

Reading and spending time outdoors are two great passions for residents, and Loyalist Township is excited to invite local partners, students, and community members to the grand opening of the Babcock Mill Reading Garden on October 23rd, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. This new space is part of the Township’s commitment to sustainable community development and creating green spaces for everyone to enjoy!

The reading garden project started in March 2023, when students from Mr. Kevin Collin’s Grade 6/7 class at Odessa Public School presented sustainable and civic engagement project ideas to Loyalist Township Council for implementation consideration following their class’ participation in the Imagining My Sustainable Community (IMSC) program. The IMSC program was led by No. 9, a local organization of professional architects, artists, and designers whose goal is to empower student groups to craft scaled models representing their visions for a sustainable future.

After months of planning and site visits, students formally presented three sustainable community projects to Council on October 23, 2023, including the reading garden. The students’ advocacy and plans garnered Council’s approval of the plan, which was later set to be completed in 2024 as part of the Odessa West Infrastructure Upgrades project.

“The Babcock Mill Reading Garden project represents a tangible step towards a more sustainable and inclusive Loyalist, while aligning with the Township's Parks and Recreation Master Plan and ResiLienT Loyalist Township Climate Action Plan,” said Mayor Hegadorn. “The project also showcases the potential of youth-led initiatives in fostering sustainability and civic engagement within our community. The Odessa Public School community should be proud of their students for seeing this project through.”

The reading garden is nestled in beside the historic Babcock Mill with a beautiful view of the park trail, and river featuring benches for shaded reading and relaxing.

 Join Loyalist Township Council and Odessa Public School for a celebration of community, sustainability, and the joy of reading on October 23rd, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. The event will feature guest speakers, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and refreshments.

Dan Hendry, Loyalist Township’s Climate Action Coordinator, adds, “We are thrilled to announce that our project has been awarded a $10,000 grant by Tree Canada, made possible through CN’s EcoConnexions From the Ground Up Program. This grant supported the creation of the Babcock Mill Reading Garden, where students, teachers, and the community came together to build this green space, including a Little Library crafted by local student Austin from Ernestown Secondary School.”

For more information about our sustainability projects and how this project came to fruition, visit our Imagining My Sustainable Community Projects page.