Trees 4 Peterborough Plants 515 Trees in Wedgewood Park

Peterborough, ON – Volunteers and community partners spent Saturday, September 20, 2025 planting more than 500 trees in Wedgewood Park.  

More than 100 volunteers turned out to help plant trees in the park at 1535 Fairmount Blvd. The tree planting initiative, which saw 515 native tree species planted around the park, is part of the Trees 4 Peterborough initiative that includes contributions from RBC Dominion Securities, The Excelsior Group, Merrett Home Hardware, Super 8 Peterborough, and East Side Mario’s.  

The Rotary Club of Peterborough and Peterborough GreenUP also supported the project to enhance the City’s urban forest canopy.  

Community volunteers, including students from local high schools, rolled up their sleeves to dig in.  

Earlier this summer approximately 250 Ash trees were removed from Wedgewood Park due to Emerald Ash Borer infestation.   

Donations to Saturday’s event include the following:     

• $10,000 from RBC  
• $5,000 from The Excelsior Group  
• $2,500 from Super 8 Peterborough  
• Equipment from Merrett Home Hardware  
• Lunch provided by East Side Mario’s   

Quotes:   

“Trees 4 Peterborough has made a tremendous difference in strengthening our urban forest and creating greener, healthier spaces across our city. Saturday's tree planting at Wedgewood Park is another wonderful example of how this program brings people together to make improvements in our neighbourhoods. I would like to thank our sponsors, including RBC, The Excelsior Group, Merrett Home Hardware, East Side Mario’s and the Super 8 Hotel for their support for this event. I would also like to thank all the volunteers, including Councillor Kevin Duguay, the Rotary Club of Peterborough, GreenUP and the many student and community groups who came out to plant trees at this wonderful event,” said Councillor Lesley Parnell, Trees 4 Peterborough Founder.  

“I want to sincerely thank everyone who came out to Wedgewood Park to take part in the Trees 4 Peterborough planting. This project will have a lasting impact on our community for years to come. These new trees will grow to provide shade and environmental benefits for generations, and that is due to the time and energy our residents, partners, and volunteers provided today,” said Councillor Kevin Duguay, Peterborough Rotary Club volunteer coordinator.   

“This is an investment in the health and vitality of Wedgewood Park and this neighbourhood. These trees will help create a welcoming space for families and residents to enjoy for years to come. We are proud to see our community come together through the Trees 4 Peterborough program to make such a lasting contribution to our ward,” said Monaghan Ward Councillors Matt Crowley and Don Vassiliadis in a joint statement.   

“At RBC Dominion Securities, we are committed to helping our communities thrive by supporting initiatives such as the City of Peterborough’s Sustainable Community Project. This project aligns to our existing commitment to greening communities. Since 2020, we have planted 25,000 trees through Tree Canada’s National Greening Program, as our way of saying thanks to our clients who have switched to paperless statements,” said Graham Culp, RBC Dominion Securities Branch Director.  

“GreenUP is proud to join with the City of Peterborough and RBC Wealth Management for the fourth annual Trees 4 Peterborough planting event. Trees are powerful allies in the face of the climate crisis, offering clean air, cooler neighbourhoods, and healthier communities. We thank the many partners and volunteers who are helping to restore and protect our city’s urban forest,” said Teagan Moss, Executive Director, GreenUP.