A Green Legacy For Our Parks

About this project

Green Legacy is a community-supported initiative that helps grow and restore Burnaby's green spaces, in line with the goals of our Urban Forest Strategy.

A generous $500,000 donation from local philanthropist Ken Shinozaki, recipient of Burnaby's Outstanding Citizen of the Year–Kushiro Cup, launched this tree planting and forest restoration initiative in two Burnaby parks.

The landmark donation includes $350,000 for the planting of more than 150 trees at Central Park and $150,000 to kickstart forest restoration at Halifax Park.

Together, these projects will help grow and protect Burnaby’s urban forest, creating cooler, greener and more resilient neighbourhoods while enhancing quality of life for residents now and for generations to come.

What’s happening now

Phase 1: Central Park – Green Legacy Announcement

In 2025, our team planted over 150 new trees at Central Park along the north end, enhancing one of Burnaby's most popular parks and strengthening the urban tree canopy for future generations.

Phase 2: Halifax Park – Green Legacy Challenge

Following Mr. Shinozaki's generous $150,000 donation, we're launching a community matching campaign with a goal of raising a total of $300,000 to restore the existing forested area at Halifax Park. The work entails environmental studies in 2026 and full restoration in 2027, including invasive species removal and native tree planting to improve the long-term health and resilience of the forest.

Help grow the Green Legacy fund   

Why should I contribute?

City funding covers essential services and maintenance of our parks. Community-driven contributions help accelerate projects, enhance restoration efforts and support additional planting that may not otherwise be possible.

As part of the engagement that informed our Urban Forest Strategy, we learned that community members wanted more opportunities to be directly involved in supporting stewardship activities. The Green Legacy Challenge offers a high-impact opportunity for residents to contribute directly to the growth and restoration of Burnaby's urban forest.