Innovating, educating and collaborating to open green doors for the future.

Yorklands Green Hub aims to create a self-sustaining environmental education, demonstration, and research hub at the former Ontario Reformatory/Guelph Correctional Centre site in Guelph, Ontario.

Yorklands Green Hub brings together organizations, businesses and people of all ages and interests – to learn, work, share and innovate, with the common purpose of caring for our land, food, water, cultural heritage and our overall well-being. If you are interested in making this dream a reality, join us by becoming a:

Or sign up for our mailing list.

*At present, we do not have charitable status and we are unable to issue receipts. With your support we are building up our programming to achieve status in the future.*


One of the ways Yorklands is caring for this land is through our partnership with Urban Park Guelph to establish a National Urban Park at the OR Heritage Conservation District (OR/GCC) lands.

Looking for a gift idea or want to de-stress with a relaxing activity? Try Colour Yorklands, our colouring book which includes beautiful drawings by local artist, Irene Hanuta.

The following videos have been made possible thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).  The OTF is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. OTF awarded $108 million to 629 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario. Thanks to the OTF grant Yorklands Green Hub continues to encourage people to support a healthy and sustainable environment and the conservation of the natural world.

Susan Ratcliffe Takes You on a Tour of the Yorklands Site.

Biodiversity at Yorklands

Learn about the biodiversity at Yorklands from wildlife biologist Matthew IIes.

Matthew IIes has a Masters of Science in Restoration Ecology & a Bachelor of Science in Ecology. You can find him on Instagram at wild_m.iles. The videographer, Donovan Bestari is a mixed media artist based in Guelph. To learn more about him and his work, visit his website at: https://donovanbestari.format.com/

The “Biodiversity at Yorklands” event noted 45 species on June 25th 2020 7-9am.

Click ebird.org/view/checklist to see the full list.

Yorklands Blue Dot Trail

Donovan Bestari filmed this gorgeous video of the Yorklands Blue Dot Trail at the former OR/GCC. It illustrates the natural beauty of this location and invites you to get out and explore the trail.

Donovan is a photographer and mixed media artist based in Guelph. As a recent graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Image Arts specializing in Integrated Digital, he uses photography, film, graphic design and other digital media throughout his work. To learn more about him and his work, visit his website at: https://donovanbestari.format.com/


To see a complete index of the YGH Green Door Newsletters, please click here: Green Door Newsletter Index – Yorklands Green HubYorklands Green Hub


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