Tributes & Memoriams
Honour someone you care about by making a gift of nature. A contribution to our conservation lands is a lasting gift that helps to maintain and enhance our green spaces now while conserving them for the enjoyment of future generations. All gifts are eligible for a charitable receipt for income tax purposes, and we would be happy to send a card informing the honouree or their loved ones of your thoughtful tribute.
Tribute Trees
Trees play an important role in our environment. Among other things, they provide shade and cooling, hold pollutants and carbon, and provide food and habitat for our birds and other species. Planting a tree is the easiest thing we can do to improve our quality of life now and for
future generations.
With a gift of $125 you can support a native tree and shrub planting project on conservation lands in the Hamilton watershed and have your donation recognized in the Beckett Forest in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area.
Your donation will be put to work at our next tree planting project wherever trees and shrubs are needed on conservation lands. This means that we can’t tell you exactly where trees or shrubs will be planted with your donation. We also don’t place individual markers or plaques in front of trees or shrubs planted through the program. We do it this way to plant as many trees and shrubs with your support as possible and ensure your donation has the biggest possible positive impact for conservation.
You can make a gift of a Tribute Tree at any time by clicking here.
Tribute Benches
Opportunities exist in most HCA Conservation Areas to pay tribute to a person(s) or occasion with a bench. Bench sites are pre-selected by Conservation Area staff and are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. If you have a particular site in mind we will do our best to accommodate your wishes but cannot guarantee that it will be approved. Please note that there are no bench locations available for dedication in Dundas Valley Conservation Area, the Hamilton-to-Brantford Rail Trail, or Confederation Beach Park.
What can you commemorate:
- Memory of a loved one
- Birth of a child
- New citizenship
- Wedding anniversary
- Graduation of a student
- Retirement of a special person
- Valued employee or volunteer
Terms and Conditions:
The donation of a Tribute Bench is subject to the following Terms and Conditions.
- Donation of bench is a voluntary gift to the Foundation to provide a new or improved amenity on land owned or managed by Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA).
- The bench is intended for general use by users of the Conservation Area. No flowers or other forms of memorabilia may be attached to, or left on the ground around the bench. HCA reserves the right to remove and dispose of all memorabilia found attached to, or laying on or around the bench.
- The Foundation will guarantee the maintenance and upkeep of the bench for a 10-year period.
- The bench remains the property of HCA and the donor retains the exclusive right for a period of 10 years to have a commemorative plaque placed on the bench.
- At the end of the 10-year period, HCA and/or the Foundation reserves the right to remove the bench. In this instance all reasonable efforts will be made to contact the donor to inquire about continuing the bench program by assisting with the necessary maintenance or replacement costs. We ask that the donor update contact information with the Foundation as necessary.
- Location of bench can be changed if necessary due to Conservation Area improvement, or maintenance costs determined to be excessive by Foundation or HCA staff.
- Access to bench location remains subject to any applicable Conservation Area admission fees and access is not guaranteed due to circumstances that may include area closures.
- Bench can be removed at Foundation/HCA discretion if the plaque dedication causes significant distress to or conflict among Conservation Area visitors.
Cost of the Bench and Plaque installed:
The cost of the bench selected for the Tribute Bench Program is $3,000. This fee includes the bench, engraved plaque, installation, and maintenance for 10 years. A tax receipt for your donation will be provided.
How to participate:
Requests for commemorative benches are accepted year-round and benches are placed in the Spring and in the Fall. Sites are pre-selected by Conservation Area staff and are filled on a first-come-first-served basis. If you have a particular site in mind we will do our best to accommodate your wishes but cannot guarantee that it will be approved. One on-site meeting may be held with the applicant and an HCA representative as to the best location suitable in the Conservation Area selected.
Bench Construction:
Benches are constructed from cedar planks that are mounted onto two metal legs.
Tribute Plaque:
A tribute plaque is mounted into the top cedar plank and can fit up to 4 lines of text.
How to dedicate a Tribute Bench:
Please contact:
Email: foundation@conservationhamilton.ca
Tel: 905-525-2181
A signed Tribute Bench Agreement must be completed in full and submitted along with your donation before a bench is installed and dedicated. We will notify you at that time of the approximate timeline for installation.