HUMBER COLLEGE UPDATE

The metaphors of rebirth this time of year are indicative of the change around us as the desolate winter turns into the nourishing spring. Hopefully, the rain will soon change to warmer weather and sunshine. At Humber Lakeshore, changes are plentiful as we continue to build a strong foundation and provide the best possible learning environment for our students. That work includes creating a sustainable future for our wider community.

In April, Humber College was named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the seventh year in a row by MediaCorp Canada. The award recognizes employers that lead the nation in making environmental values part of their organizational culture. We are working hard to advance low and zero-carbon, sustainable and resilient infrastructure on our campuses with a plan to reach net-zero by 2050.

We continue to innovate as we design and build the 370,000 square-foot zero carbon Humber Cultural Hub at our Lakeshore campus. When completed, this building will be one of the most sustainable developments in Canada and a showcase for global best practices in sustainability and energy efficiency.

I encourage you to learn more about how Humber is addressing sustainability and learn how you too can take action in building a more sustainable future for future generations.

The GARDENS Pod Project started in 2016 and was originally conceived as an idea to build various planters to create a larger community garden. However, limited access to land meant the advisory council had to look at various options. Through this process the Pod Project was born.

The pods are raised planter beds, approximately four feet by four feet in size, that are spread throughout the community. Planting takes place every May and pods only use organic practices, meaning there are no chemical fertilizers or pesticides used. The end goal is to donate the produce harvested in each pod to the Daily Bread Food Bank, LAMP CHC Good Food Market, or to people within the South Etobicoke community that need it. Both exhibitions are open to all visitors free of charge, hours and location can be found at LakeshoreGrounds.ca.

Informing Social Innovation at Humber

The Faculty of Social and Community Services asked the wider community to participate in a Social Innovation Survey to inform, shape and advance Humber’s Centre for Social Innovation. You can find the results of the survey on our website at humber.ca/csi.

The Centre of Social Innovation will be part of Humber’s network of Centres of Innovation (COIs) which is pioneering a new model of education that brings together interdisciplinary teams of faculty, students, and partners to solve complex, industry-relevant problems.

The planters need regular watering and maintenance throughout the season and a collaboration of providers and volunteers support growing the fruit and vegetables. Throughout the season, harvest pick-up days are planned, and at the end of the season a celebration is held for all our providers and volunteers.

It is an amazing project that helps bring our community together, while addressing issues of food insecurity. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit The Pod Project webpage at GardensLakeshore.ca.

Bottling up the past Humber’s COIs foster experiential learning opportunities for Humber students and prepare them to become the innovative and strategic problem-solvers of tomorrow. Collectively, the COI Network bridges the gap between innovation and application, concepts, and commercialization.

If you are interested in getting involved with social innovation at Humber, I encourage you to connect with Stephanie Byer, manager of International and Strategic Initiatives in the Faculty of Social and Community Services. She can be reached at stephanie.byer@humber.ca.

The Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre is excited to announce the opening of a new exhibition: Bottled Up – The Secrets of Prohibition Era Etobicoke. We are even more excited to be able to welcome the public back to the Centre as of May 2. Discover some of Toronto’s worst-kept secrets from a time of speakeasys and an obscure connection to an underground alcohol ring.

While you are visiting, view the Scene & Unseen cards in person at the Third Floor Gallery. Displayed to the public for the first time, these artefacts capture masked memories of well-known locations in South Etobicoke. JUNE MACDONALD-JENKINS

Sr. Dean Faculty of Social and Community Services Principal, Lakeshore Campus