Najeeb Siddiqui (Left) and Michelle Delaney (Right), co-project leads of the Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers. (Miyuki Wong/Toronto Observer)
Neighbours of all ages come together and get their hands dirty
Among all the high-density residential areas, two communal gardens in Thorncliffe Park bring the colour of nature into a space that used to be full of concrete and construction.
“It is truly a magical space for children, as they learn how lively nature can turn wasted space into something meaningful,” said Najeeb Siddiqui, director of restoration and project leader of Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers (TPUF).
TPUF is a space for neighbours of all ages to come together and get their hands dirty, as they experience urban farming and ecological restoration.
“Our garden is full of young people who want to learn about nature, contribute to their community and make their home a better place,” said Michelle Delaney, TPUF executive director and project lead.
Watch: Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers’ founders on how the communal gardens grow. Story continues below
Free produce for participants
The main focus of the program is to address food insecurity. The farm grows a variety of fresh and organic produce, including tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, zucchinis, garlic and much more.
In past seasons, about 1,360 kilograms (3,000 pounds) of produce were distributed amongst volunteers and community members for free.
The garden is also a place for organized community events such as harvest parties, art or wood workshops, poetry, and environmental stewardship. The events provide further opportunities for the community to come together.
“The garden has become a part of the community and neighbourhood, a representation of the Thorncliffe Park,” Delaney says.
Delaney, who is a law clerk and long-term resident at Thorncliffe Park, started the project in 2014 when she and another resident took the initiative to transform two-third acres of unused land on the residential property into a community garden.
The garden grew bigger, taking up more space as more vegetables were planted. The need for more help became evident.
In 2020, an inseparable partnership journey started with the help of social media.
Siddiqui, a program manager at The Hospital for Sick Children and an enthusiastic gardener, contacted Delaney via Instagram. With 40 years of experience, the underutilized lawns and other neglected natural spaces were transformed into a vibrant pollinator garden now maintained at TPUF.
Siddiqui and Delaney became best friends, and their bond has led them to gardening every weekend. With busy full-time jobs, the garden is a place they come to relax and be in the company of their neighbours.
“I enjoy getting my hands dirty, feeling the soil, and this does not tire me out,” Siddiqui says.
Youth volunteers helping out at TPUF on May 16, 2026 (Miyuki Wong/Toronto Observer)
Connecting with nature and each other
TPUF is a hyper-local and experiential learning space that provides an opportunity for community members to connect with nature and with each other. In the past year, 90 youth took part in “Green Team Leaders,” a dedicated program that aims to provide them with urban farming skills and also to receive volunteer hours required for high school.
Watching youth volunteers learn and grow from the program makes both co-project leaders feel proud. “Sometimes, I am wowed at how much they are interested and not on their cellphones, but instead they choose to go outside,” Delaney says.
“We live in a place without a backyard, and green space is limited,” Delaney says, emphasizing the importance of having green spaces to reconnect with nature, especially in a neighbourhood like Thorncliffe Park, where people have distanced themselves from spending time outdoors to simply enjoy nature.
Siddiqui hopes that one day, more small-scale gardens like this can be recreated in other parts of the city.
“Those wasted spaces around large buildings and urban areas can be converted into places that support all this life around them,” he says.
Everyone is welcome to participate in the TPUF events. The gardens located at 53 and 71 Thorncliffe Park Dr. operate every weekend from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. from April to October. For more information, visit the TPUF website.
This series, in partnership with Centennial College, shines a light on the people, organizations, and ideas strengthening communities across Toronto. Throughout the year, Centennial College journalism students are reporting from across the city, surfacing stories that celebrate local leadership, strengthen neighbourhood connections and inspire more people to take part in the communities they call home. Read more stories here and learn more about the partnership here.
Toronto Foundation supported Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers through a Free to Play grants, a 2025 Toronto's Vital Signs grant and also included the organization in its 2026 Good to Give Guide.