To celebrate Earth Week, GM Canada president and managing director, Kristian Aquilina, Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter, and members of City Council came together to memorialize the official land donation of McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve and Fenelon/Venus Park to the Oshawa community.
The ceremony was marked by planting a native Hackberry tree near McLaughlin Bay’s waterfront trail, said a city statement.
In 2019, GM Canada announced more than 90 acres of land would be donated to the city to protect wildlife, preserve marshland, and enable residents to enjoy its rich greenspace for years to come.
The donation included:
- 87 acres of McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve, providing links to the Waterfront Trail and additional trails within Darlington Provincial Park and Oshawa Second Marsh
- Approximately three acres of Fenelon/Venus Park, a neighbourhood park located just east of Park Road between Wentworth and Phillip Murray Avenue
Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter thanked GM Canada for its valued partnership and commitment to the Oshawa community.
“GM Canada has deep roots in Durham Region dating back to when Colonel Sam McLaughlin began building vehicles here in 1908, and we’re still proudly headquartered in Oshawa alongside the iconic Oshawa Assembly and Operations plant and McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track,” said Aquilina. “We’re proud to give back to our local community and solidify our commitment to sustainability through this historic land donation.”
The McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve features almost seven kilometres of walking trails and viewing platforms and is in close to proximity to the Waterfront Trail, Darlington Provincial Park and Oshawa Second Marsh (a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) and Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). Collectively, the area is home to numerous species of plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects.
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