A youth-led environmental group and 14 properties across St. Catharines were honoured Monday for helping the Garden City live up to its name.
The City of St. Catharines presented its Green Leader Award to The Green Herons and recognized 14 properties for outstanding landscaping and beautification efforts during its annual Trillium Awards celebration on Monday, Nov. 2, according to a City of St. Catharines news release.
The Green Herons, a group of young environmental advocates dedicated to protecting natural spaces and native species across Niagara, received the Green Leader Award for their commitment to environmental stewardship and community greening.
Among their efforts is a new pollinator garden at Johnson Park in St. Catharines, featuring a range of native plants that provide habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The group also runs its own native plant greenhouse, sourcing and growing plants in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and Carolinian Canada's In the Zone program.
The Johnson Park project received support through the City's Community Gardens Funding Program, and The Green Herons will continue to maintain the garden.
"The Green Herons are a wonderful example of how people of all ages can make a lasting difference in our community," said Ilyse Norton, the City's Trillium Awards coordinator. "Their passion for protecting native species and creating healthier natural spaces is inspiring. The pollinator garden at Johnson Park is something the entire community can enjoy, and it will continue to benefit our local environment for years to come."
The Green Leader Award recognizes an individual or community organization that has made a significant contribution to greening St. Catharines while inspiring others to do the same.
Properties honoured across all six wards
The Mayor's Award, the highest honour recognizing the best overall front-yard landscape among this year's nominations, went to 2 Leicester Court. The homeowners transformed their front yard into a natural garden filled with flowering perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs and mature trees, including pollinator-friendly plants.
"What makes this year's Mayor's Award winner so special is how everything works together to create something truly beautiful," said Mayor Mat Siscoe. "It's a great example of the care and creativity residents put into their properties. Across St. Catharines, these efforts do more than beautify individual homes. They bring pride to our neighbourhoods, inspire others and help make the Garden City such a special place to live."
The Community Choice Award, determined through an online vote by residents, was presented to 43 Dalhousie Ave. in Port Dalhousie.
Twelve additional properties received Civic Beautification Awards, recognizing outstanding front-yard landscaping in each of the city's six wards.
The 2026 Civic Beautification Award recipients are: in Merritton Ward, 52 Pinecrest Ave. and 13 Colonel Lyall St.; in St. Andrew's Ward, 42 McDonald St. and 22 Henrietta St.; in St. George's Ward, 56 Garnet St. and 5 Stanmary Dr.; in St. Patrick's Ward, 56 Court St. and 47 Kernahan St.; in Grantham Ward, 22 Thompson Ave. and 28 Spring Garden Blvd.; and in Port Dalhousie Ward, 9 Mackie St. and 123 Dalhousie Ave., Unit 104.
"Every year, we're impressed by the time, effort and creativity residents put into their gardens and landscapes," Norton said. "The Trillium Awards are an opportunity to celebrate that dedication and recognize the many ways residents contribute to a greener, more welcoming St. Catharines."
More information about the Trillium Awards is available on the City's website.
