A version of this article originally appeared on HaltonHillsToday Sept. 3. It has been updated to reflect a change in location.
Halton Hills Climate Action (HHCA), Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet (GASP) and Seniors for Climate are teaming up to hold an event they believe will inspire others to stand up for Mother Earth.
The Halton Hills Eco Fair and Community Climate Rally will take place on Tuesday (Oct. 1) from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. While it was originally planned for Dominion Gardens Park, due to today's wet weather, organizers are relocating the fun to St. George's Anglican Church at 60 Guelph St., Georgetown.
The goal is to provide attendees and passersby with one message: hope.
“I think a lot of people know what's going on, but they feel paralyzed or immobilized,” Jeannine d'Entremont of HHCA said. “We believe that there are all sorts of solutions, and there are all sorts of things going on in terms of clean energy and sustainable energy all over the world.”
GASP member Daisy Radigan echoed her colleague’s remarks, adding she wants to motivate people to action.
“We remember how smoke from forest fires filled the air last summer, and how floods have impacted families and businesses in our area this summer,” she told HaltonHillsToday.
“Our world and our country are facing unnatural disasters. More people and places are hurting every day."
The gathering is designed to be one of optimism and education.
A band will play environmental tunes, and those in attendance will learn the “Sing for the Climate” song.
Educational boards run by several community groups will boost environmental awareness. There will be a protest element alongside the education as the gathering will be marching, if weather permits, to oppose what they see as anti-climate policies.
The event won’t be all serious education and discourse. It will also include crafts for young attendees.
“We want it to be a multi-generational kind of thing. It’s called Seniors for Climate, but we want to involve people of all ages,” d'Entremont said.
Seniors for Climate is a national group that wants to, according to its website, “build a Canada-wide community of seniors to create a liveable future.” They have local chapters in almost every province.
They chose Oct. 1 to coincide with National Seniors Day in Canada.
The HHCA has been especially vocal in opposing Premier Doug Ford’s push for creating Hwy. 413 as well as the government's sprawl development plans. GASP has acted in partnership with HHCA on many of the same issues, including youth-led grassroots rallies called Fridays for Future.
Radigan will be co-hosting the Eco Fair alongside Georgetown District High School youth Matthew Tyhurst.
For more information about the groups involved, visit Gasp4Change.org, HaltonHillsClimateAction.com and SeniorsForClimate.org.
