Greening Barton Street

One plant at a time, Barton Street East was beautified.

A dedicated group of staff from St. Matthew's House and eager volunteers rolled up their sleeves to bring life to an urban area dominated by asphalt and concrete.

St. Matthew's House, an important part of the north central city that supports seniors, children and vulnerable members of the community, was chosen by the Green Cities Foundation to be the first #GreenMyCity project in Hamilton. The Green Cities Foundation is a Canada-wide initiative to connect plants and people for a greener, healthier urban climate.

The green thumb brigade planted trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and added mulch to beds and playground areas at St. Matthew's House. They also distributed plants to Barton Village neighbours, and built an accessible pathway for the Community Gardens at nearby Birge Park.

Barry Gray is a Hamilton-based photojournalist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: bgray@thespec.com