Dozens of butterflies took flight at 544 Bridgeport on July 11, marking a special day for a garden that began with one tenant’s vision.
Tenants and neighbours gathered to celebrate the new Butterfly Garden and release 50 Painted Lady butterflies. The community event also featured live music, face painting, crafts and hot dogs.
Dottie’s dream takes root
At the centre of it all was tenant Dottie Joyce, who dreamed up the Butterfly Garden, applied for a City of Kitchener LoveMyHood grant and helped turn her idea into reality. Dottie, along with other Bridgeport tenants and Beyond Housing volunteers created the 20-by-17-foot Butterfly Garden in May 2025.
During the celebration, which she planned with the support of Community Support Worker Sue Martin, Dottie even took to the stage to perform.
Making change happen
For Dottie, the garden is about more than creating a beautiful outdoor space. She hopes it will provide habitat for butterflies and other pollinators while bringing people together and inspiring children and adults to care for the natural world.
“I got this grant to help the butterflies and to build community,” Dottie says. “We must do our part as keepers of the Earth to help save creatures from extinction. It’s up to us to make the change happen.”
Growing community together
We’re grateful to Dottie and her team who gave their time and energy to build the garden and make the celebration happen. Huge appreciation goes to the City of Kitchener for funding this resident-led project through LoveMyHood. Thank you as well to everyone who joined us for the Butterfly Release and helped make the celebration so successful.
From planting gardens to releasing butterflies, tenants at 544 Bridgeport are showing how, when people share an idea and work together, they can create something that benefits their whole community.
