Thank you to all of the volunteers who showed up to plant native trees and shrubs along Chilligo Creek and Schiedel Pond on April 25th.
 
With your support, and the support of donors and community members, this 14 acre site will now encourage wildlife diversity and provide people in our community with a place to enjoy the natural outdoors. Of note, this project is the result of many years of planning following the removal of a dam in the former community of Fisher Mills near Beaverdale and Chilligo Roads. A sawmill and dam were first built on the creek as far back as 1835. Over the years the mill also made flour, animal feed, dog food and pellets before shutting down for good in 1985. When the dam was removed in 2000, Fisher Mills Pond drained away, resulting in better water quality and more fish in Chilligo Creek, which began to flow freely. However, the dried up pond needed excavating. The newly created pond closest to the bridge has been renamed Schiedel Pond in honour of the two largest private donors to the project, Schiedel Construction and the GreenHorizons Group of Companies, owned by the Schiedel family. Other major contributors included area residents, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Stantec, the Hiff family, the city of Cambridge, our three Rotary Clubs and the Grand River Conservation Foundation. The final step was to plant native trees and shrubs to encourage wildlife to return to this important site. Below are some photos from our productive day. Thank you to all, young and old, who showed up to lend their helping hands. If you haven't had a chance to see our work, be sure to pay Chilligo Creek a visit. You won't be disappointed.