Grants to help locals look after our green spaces


Released 23/08/2019

The ACT Government is providing new grants to encourage local residents and volunteer groups to adopt a local park to help the community care for our urban spaces.

“The Government is investing in what we love most about the bush capital; our parks and green spaces,” Minister for City Services Chris Steel said.

“The Adopt-a-Park program is designed to encourage more Canberrans to get involved with their community by maintaining local parks, with grants to help local groups care for open spaces in their area.”

Minister Steel said that volunteers play a major role in caring for our parks and green spaces in the ACT and the program would support existing volunteer groups and also encourage new ones to develop.

“Volunteering is a great way to support urban open spaces, but it is also a chance to get out and meet new people and foster a stronger sense of community. For many people, volunteering is an opportunity for social engagement with their neighbours.”

There are currently 35 active groups registered with the Urban Parks and Places volunteer program, providing over 2,000 hours of volunteer work in the 2018-19 financial year alone.

There are two categories of grants, one for community events and another for community based activities. Members of the community can apply for up to $20,000 to help support stewardship and neighbourhood activities relating to urban assets over the following year.

“We are looking for applications that create and promote dynamic volunteering opportunities in Canberra to care for urban parks and places,” Minister Steel said.

$360,000 in grants is being made available, in addition to an investment of $135,000 between the Molonglo, Southern, and Ginninderra catchment groups to support stewardship and public education activities.

Some of the items grant funding may be used for include:

  • Consumable products e.g. plants, personal protective equipment not already supplied by TCCS
  • Tools and equipment
  • Specialist contracted expertise e.g. landscape designer
  • Small scale infrastructure e.g. benches

There will be two community information sessions held for the Adopt-A-Park Community Grants program. They will be at the Gungahlin Library on Wednesday 4 September and at the Tuggeranong Library on Tuesday 17 September.

“We’ve seen the benefits of this program in other Australian cities and I hope that this funding can help bring Canberra communities together to care for their local open spaces and make Canberra an even better place to live.”

For more information, or to apply for an Adopt-A-Park grant visit www.tccs.act.gov.au

Establish an ‘adopt a park’ scheme to increase amenity and usage of local open spaces is an initiative in the Parliamentary Agreement for the Ninth Assembly.

- Statement ends -

Chris Steel, MLA | Media Releases

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