TRCA Awarded 2020 Brownie Award for The Meadoway

November 25, 2020, Toronto, ON – Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is thrilled to be this year’s recipient of the prestigious “Reach Out” Brownie award for The Meadoway.

Founded by the Canadian Urban Institute, the Brownie Awards recognize innovative rehabilitation efforts by organizations focusing on under-utilized and underdeveloped spaces by remaking them into projects that contribute to healthy communities. The awards are an annual celebration of the outstanding work in remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites across Canada.

The “Reach Out” award is for excellence in communications, marketing and public engagement. It recognizes TRCA’s collaboration with Toronto design firm Perkins&Will to develop tools to help tell The Meadoway story during its ongoing implementation. The resulting Visualization Toolkit includes experiential elements such as augmented reality, animations, videos and conceptional renderings: a high-tech, compelling visual identity and narrative used to engage with local communities and bring The Meadoway to life.

A conceptual rendering of Ellesmere Crossing from The Meadoway Visualization Toolkit
A conceptual rendering of Ellesmere Crossing from The Meadoway Visualization Toolkit.

“It’s an honour for TRCA to be recognized for its innovation and dedication to building a thriving greenspace for residents of the City of Toronto. It has never been more important for people to be outside and connect with nature. The revitalization of this space, including a multi-use trail through-out a hydro corridor, will transform the way people move in the city.”Jennifer Innis, Chair of TRCA’s Board of Directors

“Meaningful communications and community engagement play such a critical role in the ongoing and future success of The Meadoway. As the lead funder of the initiative, our Foundation applauds TRCA for its tremendous efforts to work with the many communities surrounding The Meadoway to ensure it meets the needs of, and is celebrated by, local residents. Congratulations to TRCA and Perkins&Will for this well-deserved award.”Tamara Rebanks, Chair of Weston Family Foundation

The Meadoway connects users to the natural environment, with more than 200 hectares of turf grass being transformed into a thriving meadow, creating biodiverse habitat for native plants, pollinators and wildlife. When complete, the 16-km multi-use trail will travel across Scarborough, connecting Rouge National Urban Park with the East Don trail system leading to the Toronto downtown core. The Meadoway will also connect 70 schools, 34 neighbourhoods, and 15 parks and will provide a critical connection between Toronto’s ravine system.


About Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
With more than 60 years of experience, TRCA is one of 36 Conservation Authorities in Ontario, created to safeguard and enhance the health and well-being of watershed communities through the protection and restoration of the natural environment and the ecological services the environment provides. More than five million people live within TRCA-managed watersheds, and many others work in and visit destinations across the jurisdiction. These nine watersheds, plus their collective Lake Ontario waterfront shorelines, span six upper-tier and 15 lower-tier municipalities. Some of Canada’s largest and fastest growing municipalities, including Toronto, Markham and Vaughan, are located entirely within TRCA’s jurisdiction.

Media Contact:
Michael Tolensky
Chief Financial and Operating Officer
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
416-706-9093 | michael.tolensky@trca.ca