Many of Niagara's citizens are unaware of the park and green space called the Glenridge Quarry Naturalization Site.
Located at 1860 Sir Isaac Brock Way, just off Highway 406, even fewer are aware of the award-winning and historic efforts that went into creating the current park.
Earlier today, Acting Commissioner of Public Works Catherine Habermebl acted as master of ceremonies in recognizing those efforts and the people who made it happen.
"We are here to celebrate and recognize the members of a committee whom more than 30 years ago helped turn this site into a beautiful naturalization site. The Glenridge Landfill Citizens' Committee formed in 1984 as a response to environmental issues attributed to the Glendrige Quarry landfill site," she said.
Habermebl explained, "The Glenridge Landfill Citizens' Committee was formed by a group of citizens in 1984 as a response to environmental issues attributed to the operation of the Glenridge Quarry Landfill Site."
In 1989, this committee was renamed the Glenridge Landfill Liaison Committee.
Former members of the committee, Ms. Maureen Barker, Mrs. Mary Lorimer and Mr. Bryant Prosser attended to receive recognition and take part in the unveiling of a park bench memorializing the committee.
"The Committee included representation from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Niagara Escarpment Commission, citizens residing in the area of the Landfill, St. Catharines City Council and staff, the City of Thorold and Niagara Region," said Habermebl.
Over the years the naturalization site has been recognized with a number of awards, including the prestigious First Place and Gold Award at the International Awards for Liveable Communities in Spain. Additional awards were received from the following organizations:
- American Planning Association
- American Society of Landscape Architects
- Ontario Public Works Association
- Canadian Urban Institute
“For nearly 20 years, the members of the Glenridge Landfill Liaison Committee stayed actively involved and worked with the Ministry of the Environment, the City of St. Catharines, the City of Thorold, The Niagara Region and The Niagara Escarpment Commission, to address the environmental concerns and provide a vision for the former quarry and landfill, turning it into an award-winning naturalization site and park that we see here today," Habermebl explained to the gathering.
Regional Chair Jim Bradley, who was Minister of the Environment from 1985 until 1990 and from 2011-2014, added, "Today, we gather to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of a group of private citizens to address the environmental issues attributed to the former Glenridge Quarry and Landfill site. Your efforts to raise awareness and advocate for solutions to the environmental challenges posed by the landfill site helped bring together provincial authorities, municipal representatives and community stakeholders to work collectively on addressing and reducing the issues of the landfill."
“Now, thanks to in large part to the vision of the committee, the site is a public space to be enjoyed by families," said Bradley. "With community support, a troublesome landfill was turned into a usable asset. I want to join in commending them for the outstanding work they did, the persistence that took place and their ongoing interest.”
Councillor John Kenny was there on behalf of Thorold City Council and stated, "The naturalization site is of significance not only to the City of St. Catharines but many of the citizens of Thorold as well. The citizens of Thorold would like to thank you for all your work."
Former St. Catharines Mayor Tim Rigby, who was involved from the beginning, explained to the crowd, "What most people forget is that this facility was recognized as a world-class environmental cleanup and development into a park that was worthy. We should all be very proud of that, but more so, (proud of) the committee that worked at it, the diligence of staff to make sure the work being asked of them was done, and the legacy that we now have we can all enjoy."
In 2016, the Glenridge Landfill Liaison Committee formally disbanded as the site remains within the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks regulations since the landfill closed.
