Category: Volunteer

Yale alumni return to Sorauren for 12th year of gardening

Photo of 7 volunteers, 5 adults and two kids, resting on park boulders after a morning of shovelling mulch and wood chips under a blue sky.
The Yale Day of Service is held on the same day around the world by chapters of Yale alumni.

It’s a tradition begun 12 years ago (!) when Yale University alumni in Toronto were looking for a volunteer activity to align with the Yale Day of Service held every May around the world. This year another beautiful morning greeted volunteers who spent a few hours helping to beautify the Fieldhouse garden and mulch park trees.

Our thanks to the alumni and their young family members who have grown over the years. You can see some of them featured in the Sorauren Park 25th anniversary documentary, The Story of Sorauren Park.

Watch for more volunteer opportunities and be sure to sign up for the Sorauren Park News newsletter and follow us on social media @SoraurenPark.

Thanks again to Parks, Forestry and Recreation for the mulch and wood chips.

Rink ready for freezing temps

Wide-angle photo (in black and white) showing volunteers setting up the rink boards on the snow-covered baseball diamond.
The “island” separates the two rink pads. Flooding begins once consistent below-zero temperatures dignify the weather forecast.

The all-volunteer Sorauren Hosers Rink Crew, veterans and newcomers alike, erected the boards for the natural ice rink on a snowy Saturday. Now the waiting begins for at least a week of consistent below-zero temperatures to begin flooding.

The rink, located on the baseball diamond, will feature two inter-connected skating pads. The Hosers take turns flooding, with a different crew dedicated to each day of the week. Flooding takes place at 9 pm every night when conditions allow. Learn more about volunteering.

The rink is a collaboration between the volunteers, Friends of Sorauren Park, and Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, which provides the permit, water and equipment storage.

Our great local sponsors provide support for equipment upgrades, communications and volunteer appreciation. Thanks to our 2022 Season sponsors:

Volunteers lay out the perimeter of the natural ice rink on the snowy baseball diamond in Sorauren Park
Triangular buttresses hold up the 2 x 8 boards forming the perimeter of the rink. The buttresses are spiked into the ground to hold everything in place.

Get your cool park t-shirt and support the Friends

Quantities limited, get yours today! Makes a great gift.

Support the non-profit, community-powered Friends of Sorauren Park with your purchase of a cool Friends of Sorauren Park t-shirt! All proceeds support free programming in the park and the projects of Friends of Sorauren Park.

Shirts are $25 and available in the sizes below. Purchase through our online Square account, and pick up your t-shirt at the Sorauren Park Farmers’ Market every Monday 3 – 7 pm at the park.

Adult sizes available (while quantities last): XL, L, M, S, XS

Youth sizes available (which quantitites last): L, M, S, XS

Purchase your park t-shirt now!

Questions? Contact us.

Friends of Sorauren Park AGM June 3

Drone shot showing Sorauren Rink, snow-covered park and town square, the linseed building and Toronto skyline in the background including CN Tower

The non-profit Friends of Sorauren Park will hold its Annual General Meeting this Thursday, June 3 at 7 pm via Zoom. If you’d like to participate, please contact us at feedback@soraurenpark.com and we will send you the link.

The AGM will feature the annual reports from the Chair and the Treasurer for 2020, the park’s 25th anniversary. Except for the natural ice rink, the pandemic shut down most regular FOSP activities. In 2020 FOSP pivoted by focusing on virtual programs such as the self-guided Trees of Sorauren Park project. The year was anchored by the Sorauren Stories video series, including the special Sorauren Park 25th anniversary documentary. Another highlight was the Family Park Portraits fundraiser, and the opportunity to hire two summer students (continued again this year) with support from donors and the Canada Summer Jobs grant program to undertake all this work.

As well, FOSP continued to advocate for the Wabash Community Centre, completing its own community consultation program and supporting the City’s ongoing consultation efforts.

Sorauren sports registration starts March 11

Kids soccer takes place on the wide open fields of Sorauren Park under the park's big sky
The City in partnership with the Sorauren Sports Association offers soccer and t-ball in May and June.

Registration for kids soccer and t-ball starts March 11 through the city of Toronto website and other means. The popular programs are run in partnership with the community-based Sorauren Sports Association. The city also runs tennis programs and, in the Sorauren Park Fieldhouse, early-age Adventure Camp, supervised play programs, and adult pilates through the summer.

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