StoryWalk: bringing the library outdoors!
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Vaughan Public Libraries and Public Works teams introduce a combined reading and trail adventure
A new story is waiting to be told at select City trails! Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) and the City’s Public Works portfolio are bringing the library outdoors with StoryWalk – a global program that promotes literacy, health and exercise in communities around the world.
As citizens walk along select City trails, they will discover large panels showcasing colourful pages of nature-based children’s books. With each step, the story unfolds one page at a time in this immersive and interactive experience, launched on the heels of Canadian Children’s Book Week, which ran from Sunday, May 2 to Saturday, May 8. This is the perfect opportunity for residents to get active outdoors with their little adventurers – while staying close to home!
StoryWalk is available along the following public trails:
Ward 1 – Lawford Park
- Book: Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox by Danielle Daniel
Ward 2 – Nort Johnson District Park
- Book: If You Hold a Seed by Elly MacKay
Ward 3 – Mackenzie Glen District Park
- Book: It’s a Mitig! by Bridget George
Ward 4 – Sugarbush Heritage Park
- Book: Stego-Cumulus by Hilary Leung
Ward 5 – Marita Payne Park
- Book: My Forest is Green by Darren Lebeuf and Ashley Barron
All five books are written by a diverse range of Canadian authors with each story focusing on aspects of nature, such as the plant growth cycle, cloud watching, animals or urban forestry. VPL partnered with several Canadian publishers to bring the StoryWalk program to Vaughan.
If visiting a trail in your area, use the hashtags #LoveVPL and #PlayVaughanLocal on social media and share pictures and videos of your outdoor fun with your community.
When visiting a StoryWalk trail, the City reminds residents to follow public health guidelines, including physically distancing at least six feet (two metres) from others, wearing a mask or face covering if distancing cannot be maintained, and thoroughly washing and sanitizing hands for the safety of everyone in the community.
Nature Backpacks
VPL is also offering Nature Backpacks for three-week loans. There are seven different themed backpacks, all containing materials to enhance citizens’ adventures through Vaughan’s nature. Each pack includes a safety messaging sheet, trail guides, activity sheets, activity books and themed stories.
The seven themed backpacks are:
- Explore Outdoors: a general nature backpack
- Buds, Blossoms and Leaves: wildflowers, shrubs and trees
- Things with Wings: birds, butterflies, bees, moths and dragonflies
- Who’s Been Here?: animals, tracking and animal evidence
- Creepy Crawly Critters: slugs, spiders, bugs and centipedes
- Splish, Splash, Splosh: aquatic habitats and organisms
- Winter Outdoor Fun: having fun and exploring nature during the winter
Residents can register to reserve a Nature Backpack for curbside pickup at their local library on VPL’s website by using the search bar.
Those who feel unwell and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19 should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on COVID-19, including physical distancing tips and advice from Public Health officials, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19.
To receive the City’s latest updates as they happen, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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