WILD FAUNA NEEDS OUR COMMUNITY — Message from Amanda

A message update from the owner of Wild Fauna Nature Play, Amanda

Over the last few weeks, the Wild Fauna team have shared pieces of what has been happening behind the scenes at Wild Fauna Nature Play. Today, I want to share where we are going next — and ask our community to stand beside us.

As many of you know, Wild Fauna was recently told that we could no longer operate from our current Base Camp location because of zoning and planning requirements.

This has been incredibly difficult to navigate but we are working on it.

For years, we have worked to be transparent, ask questions, communicate with the City, and make sure we were operating appropriately. Wild Fauna is not simply one location. We are a mobile, community-based outdoor program that has operated throughout Clarence-Rockland, using different natural spaces and bringing children outside to learn, explore, connect, take appropriate risks, build confidence, and simply be kids.

Having a Base Camp gave us a home base. And we are not ready to give up on it.

💚 Our next goal is to speak at the City of Clarence-Rockland public council meeting on September 9 — and we are asking our community to join us.

We want Council to see the people behind Wild Fauna. The families whose children have found a place where they feel like they belong. The community members who believe children need access to outdoor play. The educators, neighbours, local businesses, supporters, and residents who believe programs like ours deserve the opportunity to work WITH our municipality to find solutions.

You do not need to have a child enrolled at Wild Fauna to stand with us.

You do not need to speak. Sometimes simply showing up matters.

I want to walk into that meeting knowing we are not standing there alone.

Our goal isn't to be there to create conflict. Our goal is to have a conversation, to ask questions, to advocate for Wild Fauna, to understand what needs to happen next and, most importantly, to find a path forward that allows us to continue providing outdoor programming for children and families in our community.

🌲So this is our call to our Wild Fauna community:

If Wild Fauna has made a difference to your family…

If you believe children deserve more opportunities to learn and play outside…

If you believe small local organizations should have a chance to work toward solutions…

Or if you simply believe what we are building is worth protecting…

Please join me on September 9th at 7:15pm at the Clarence Creek Arena (upstairs)

For now, please save the date, share this blog and help us fill that room.

Wild Fauna has never just been about a piece of land. It is about the children. It is about community. It is about connection. It is about giving kids somewhere to be wild, curious, capable, messy, brave, and completely themselves.