The news of the donation came this past Monday in an announcement made at the farm by Councilor Norm Kelly (Ward 40 Scarborough-Agincourt), chair of Toronto's Parks and Environment Committee, and Andrew Sorbara, vice-chair of the Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation (the City foundation that receives support for City parks projects).
The donation comes at an especially important moment for the city-run farm; its future has been in jeopardy since 2011 when a city-sponsored KPMG report suggested the city cease the farm's funding.
Located at 201 Winchester Street, Riverdale Farm has long been a Toronto institution and is the only place in Toronto where the public can visit farm animals for free and all year round.
In response to pressure to do away with the farm, the Riverdale Farm Coalition successfully pitched a business plan to city council: the farm will slowly become self-sufficient, subsisting off donations and fundraising, while the city continues to fund them, at a decreasing rate, through the transition.
The Weston Foundation donation, as well as the money raised in the community, will go directly to newly formed Riverdale Farm Stewardship Group in their effort to achieve long-term stability for the farm.
"We are confident that this donation will go a long way toward building a sustainable funding base for this important community resource," said Cynthia MacDougall, Chair of Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation at the press conference. "We thank the W. Garfield Weston Foundation for this generous support."
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: City of Toronto