On Environmental Day, friends, relatives and tenants of Project Amik housing complex in East Toronto, planted a redbud tree at 3 p.m. on Saturday June 7, 2008.

About 60 people gathered together to plant the tree in memory of Paul Prevost a committed Amik volunteer who was well liked among his fellow tenants, men and women.

Project Amik (Beaver in Ojibwa language) affordable housing located at 419 Coxwell Avenue was officially opened on October 17, 2002 by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario James Bartleman. Developed by Frontiers Foundation under the City of Toronto’s “Let’s Build” program, it provides 75 rental apartment units to families, singles, seniors and disabled individuals.

Tree planting at Amik - groupAmber O’Hara played her Native drum and Marco A. Guzman Vice-President of Amik Board of Directors welcomed Paul’s relatives and made brief remarks on Paul’s contribution of a whole range of good news. Marco pointed out that Paul was proud of his Metis heritage and also indicated that this tree was the third one planted honouring Frontiers Foundation Inuit volunteer Dennis Inglangasuk from Aklavik, Northwest Territories who served in Bolivia, and Ojibwa Operation Beaver volunteer James Buchanan who helped to build houses in the NWT. Jacqui Wronski Secretary-Treasurer of Project Amik Residents Committee said the prayer after the tree was planted. In the beautiful prayer, Jacqui gave thanks for so many of our residents past and present who have gardened, landscaped, shoveled snow, built our rest benches, cleaned, cut grass, and produced social events to make Amik a shining prototype of what Canada needs.

Sharon Johnson, on behalf of Prevost family expressed her heart felt thanks to everyone who made this possible. It was a proud moment for his father and 11 relatives to have his son’s memory kept alive this way. Sarah Jane Kendall, Amik Manager; Shawn Lenglet and Russel Krebs, President and Vice-President of Project Amik Residents Committee were also in attendance.

Safe and green environment is of universal concern, thus the redbud tree planting was an excellent opportunity to celebrate voluntarism, respect the ecology and promote cleaner urban environment in East Toronto.