It’s springtime in Muskoka and with the warmer weather residents often turn to thoughts of butterflies and blooms.
Heeding the call of the David Suzuki Foundation, two Baysville residents were before Lake of Bays council on June 1, hoping for council buy-in to help support pollinators such as butterflies in the community.
Michelle MacIsaac and Tcherina Zylstra told council they had recently become David Suzuki Foundation Butterflyway Rangers and were hoping to see more pollinator-friendly patches of native wildflowers planted around the village.
Their proposal would start by enlarging the Baysville Community Centre park adjacent to the library and create a raised box garden at the Autumn Leaves Seniors Centre. With support, they said they could expand those efforts.
“Wild pollinators such as butterflies and bees are crucial to human survival. Climate change, development and widespread pesticide use are compromising their habitat and food sources. The Butterflyway Project aims to help people step up efforts to help pollinators find food and shelter,” noted the pair in their written submission to council.
The Butterflyway Project was founded in five Canadian cities in 2017 and volunteers were recruited to plant and promote native wildflower gardens throughout their communities to support bees and butterflies
MacIsaac and Zylstra were hoping for a donation of $750 from council to help them with the project, which they said would also educate children in the community about pollinators and their importance. They said they would cover any overruns.
The custom cedar raised-box garden they proposed for the seniors’ centre would cost roughly $473, including the time and materials to construct the box, as well as the liner and compost. Their cost included HST but there was no cost for the plants as they would be purchased and planted by the horticultural society, explained MacIsaac.
The garden by the Baysville Library would cost about $560 with HST, and would include two yards of triple mix/mushroom composite blend and all the plants.
“My business, The Humble Pie Butter Tart Factory, will contribute by using funds donated by patrons to our ‘Pay It Forward’ program supporting local community initiatives. Tcherina’s business, Season 2 Season Garden Market, will help by offering a discount on the cost of plants and materials,” noted MacIsaac. The pair were hoping to embark on the small project on Pollinator Week, from June 21 to 27.
They would use native plants such as Creeping Phlox, Butterfly Weed, Stonecrop, Echinacea, Daisy, Liatris, Lavendar, Beard Tongue, Iris, and Butterfly Milkweed.
Councillors voiced their support for the project, but some expressed concerns with donating $750 of unbudgeted funds towards it. They asked that other community groups pitch in with the cost and the maintenance so it would not fall on Township staff. In the end, they agreed to donate “up to $250” towards the project.
At the meeting, Lake of Bays Mayor Terry Glover said councillors were in favour of the idea, “it’s more about the maintaining of it is a big one and the cost that is unbudgeted because you can imagine, you know, we get people all the time coming to ask for money and if the Town ran that way, you know, we wouldn’t be prudent… we have to answer to all our residents.”
MacIsaac said the gardens would be low maintenance and they would work with community groups to see who could maintain the one by the library while also looking at ways to bring their costs down.
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