COMING SOON: ST. JACOBS BUTTERFLY TRAIL
The St. Jacobs Butterfly Trail unites businesses and green spaces along the Village of St. Jacobs main street to celebrate the rural community’s vibrant past and future, through art, nature and historical points of interest.
Walk the King St. Trail of stainless steel butterflies, gardens, and signs and learn about the importance of native plant species and the vital role pollinators play in our ecosystems.
Statues
Designed and Manufactured by Weber Fabricating are decorated with marbles by members of the Community, Businesses, Township and BIA. The marbles are a tie to the Marble Quilt monument on the head of the Health Valley Trail.
Gardens
Designed and planted by St. Jacobs Country Gardens the pollinator gardens surrounding the butterfly statues are a mix of native plants that support bees, butterflies, bats, moths and other pollinator insects.
Garden Stonework provided by Creative Landscape Designs.
Butterfly Trail Locations
Front Court
Cedar Gardens - CHANGE
Cedar Gardens - Toy Soup
West Hachborn Courtyard
East Hachborn Garden
Click here for a map of all locations.
This project is SUPPORTED by the My Main Street program, the Canadian Urban Institute, and the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).
BUTTERFLY WAY PROJECT
In The Village of St. Jacobs
Pollinators positively affect all our lives, supporting wildlife, healthy watershed and more - let's SAVE and CELEBRATE them!
Wild pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and insects are crucial to human survival. The Butterflyway group of St. Jacobs encourages the planting of native wildflowers that support local bees and butterflies in our community and connect with others throughout the province and country. Insects are in decline and every patch of wildflowers, big and small, can help bring them back! We can all do our part to help our ecosystem. When we take care of nature, we take care of ourselves, and each other!
Throughout St. Jacobs and across Woolwich, people are doing their parts. Volunteer organizations, businesses, individuals, and home gardeners are planting food, native plants, and pollinator-friendly to support pollinators, people, and the planet. Here is a peek at some of the public-facing spaces that are creating pathways for pollinators – thank you Way Makers!
Locations of Butterflyway Pollinator Gardens:
Canoe 2
Northside & King St.
This container garden is filled with native plants for pollinator health and people’s enjoyment. This was a community project of painting and planting made possible by generous donations from our sponsors.
Just off the beaten path, it is next to the river and fishing has space to rest or picnic, and sits across from another shaded parkette, Snider Park.
WCHC Sunshine Community Garden
Woolwich Community Health Centre, 10 Parkside Drive
This pollinator garden is people-friendly with benches and walking paths in the shape of sunbeams. It features all native plants that have been donated, planted, and cared for by centre support and volunteers. The pollinator garden helps boost the nearby community food garden too.
Pollinator Pitstops
King St. Bridge Planters
As you cross King St, notice the wooden planter boxes that line the bridge and enhance the view of the river and railway viaduct in the distance. These pollinator- friendly plants make great pitstops for travelling friends. Looking out over the river you’re likely to see cranes, ducks, geese, and people fishing.
Pollinators, People, Pizza
Those Pizza Guys, 9 Front Street
This team removed and replaced half of the lawn with a tasty pollinator and people-friendly garden. Native plants, herbs, a large shade tree, benches, and small surprises for playing fill this garden with deliciousness. It also complements the colourful St. Jacobs Mural and the Tomato Silhouettes mural nearby; it’s a little something for everyone.
Health Valley Trail Head
Park and Trail HVT Entrance, 19 Water Street
This pollinator garden and the trail system has been planted and maintained by the Township of Woolwich and Trees for Woolwich. At the entrance, you’ll find a pollinator patch, an information booth, the Marbled Quilt sculpture, and a new bike pavilion. There’s more to see along the riverfront path as you travel.
King Street Pollinator Pitstops
Pollinator Planters, King Street Businesses
Lining King Street and storefronts are pollinator-friendly planters and garden boxes. Filled with annuals for colour and diversity, these pitstops provide nectar and pollen for pollinating friends.
Without Change, there’d be no Butterflies
CHANGE Lifestyle & Apparel, 1380 King Street
This B-Corp store created a patio for everyone including pollinators. Native plants create a patio hotspot with space to savour the sun, flowers, and visitors. On the rooftop is a hearty native pollinator patch for flying friends to rest, nest, and feed.
Queensway Gardens
St. Jacobs Library and Gardens, 29 Queensway Drive (at Spring Street)
This space was completed in 2022 to convert parking and empty space into a community space including a pavilion, seating, and gardens that include pollinator-friendly trees and plants. Large plant boxes are filled with colourful, pollen-rich annuals that honour the “Song of the Harvest Moon” mural.
Monarch Station and Outdoor Garden
St. Jacobs Public School, 72 Queensway Drive
This garden is a labour of love and a learning centre. It is ever-changing with teachers’ and students’ nurturing, development, and additions. It includes a Monarch Way station, native plants, trees, and seating.
Schaner Park
Isabella Street, South at Train and Artefacts
This parkette garden is nestled in front of the Waterloo Central Railway home base and next to Artefacts. It includes pollinator-friendly trees and plants, an entry arbour, and benches.
Artefacts has a wealth of pollinator-friendly plants lining the drive and front yard interspersed with reclaimed finds looking for a home.
Home Hardware Community Garden
This community garden spans over an acre, with 34 family plots and 1/3 of the garden farmed for Woolwich Community Services Food Bank and organizations like Meals on Wheels. It is lined with pollinator-friendly plants to boost the ecosystem and food production.
There are lots of home-based gardens, containers, and spaces too. If you have a garden space you’d like to be considered or included in our home or community list of Way Makers, please email us at stjacobswoolwichbutterflyway@gmail.com