Hi, neighbor.
If you live near Duncan Creek Park, you know this trail is more than just a path. It’s the route our kids take to school every morning. It’s where our seniors find a quiet place for their daily walk, and where we all go to catch our breath and enjoy a moment of natural beauty.
Often, we “take for granted” this peaceful backyard of ours. But the safety, the tranquility, and the vibrant nature we love don’t stay that way by accident. They require an eye that notices and a hand that cares.
That’s why we’re coming together.
We are the Friends of Duncan Creek. We believe that when we look after the park, we are looking after the heart of our neighborhood.
Let’s get together for the Spring Cleaning?
Protecting our “Home”:
The Duncan Creek Park and its surroundings are the backdrop of our family lives. We want to keep this space safe, clean, and beautiful for everyone who walks these trails.
Building a Legacy:
From the birds in the trees to the water in the creek, this ecosystem energizes our community. We are here to ensure that the next generation inherits a park that is even better than the one we have today.
Connecting Neighbors:
The trail connects three schools and hundreds of homes. We want to use this shared space to connect us as people, sharing the stories and the history of the land we walk on every day.
Active Care:
We organize regular clean-ups and the health of the ravine. We don’t just walk by—we take action to keep our environment healthy.
Community Storytelling:
We believe every resident is a character in the story of this place. We document and share the beauty of our ravine through the eyes and voices of those who live here.
Presence & Awareness:
We stay connected with local leaders to ensure our ravine remains a priority for the city.
Nature has always been there for us. Now, it’s our turn to be there for the Park. This isn’t just about a park; it’s about the quality of life for our families. Whether you’ve lived here for decades or just moved in, there is a place for you in this story.
Join us. Become a Friend of Duncan Creek.
To oversee and protect the Duncan Creek Park ecosystem by fostering a deep sense of belonging through community-led storytelling and active environmental stewardship.
To bring an understanding that Duncan Creek Park is a living legacy where nature flourishes and every resident feels a personal, documented connection to the land.
Narrative: We treat the ravine as a living character. We don’t just clean a park; we tend to a sanctuary of memories.
Belonging: By sharing our stories, we turn “public space” into “our place.” Every neighbor, from every background, is part of this chronicle.
Generational Legacy: We act as the bridge between the ancestors of this land and the generations yet to come.
Active Witnessing: We observe, document, and protect the wildlife and flora that share our urban home.
Hi, I’m Marco Novaes | Father, Visual Storyteller, and Sower of the Friends of Duncan Creek initiative.
With 30 years in graphic design and photography, I’ve learned that every image needs a story. Communications taught me the craft, but fatherhood gave me the purpose: ensuring the next generation inherits a world worth storytelling.
Legacy & Stewardship | As a 4th-generation farmer from a century-old lineage, land stewardship is in my blood. Through Friends of Duncan Creek, I invite you to join me in this sowing; together, we can ensure our waters run clear and our stories grow deep for generations to come.
Modern Narrative | Currently refining my craft at the University of Toronto’s Storytelling program, I bridge visual precision with environmental stewardship. We don’t just inherit the land; we protect the stories it will tell for those who come next.
Protecting the park is our duty. Telling its stories is our nature
I feel a deep sense of pride in living here, but it’s not the “show-off” kind of pride—it’s a quiet gratitude. The real gift of Duncan Creek Park is that it remains a hidden gem, the kind of place that hasn’t been rushed by the city. Since it isn’t a crowded or famous park, we still have the rare privilege of walking through it in total peace, at our own pace.
It was only by walking these trails that Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” finally made sense to me. It’s more than just watching the landscape change; it’s about having the silence necessary to actually listen to the place. When you slow down and truly pay attention—to the rhythm of the water, the way the light hits the trees, the shifting sounds of the brush—you stop being just a passerby and start becoming part of the story. You allow the park to be part of you.
For those who practice faith, prayers are a way of speaking to God or the universe. For me, walking along the creek has the same effect, but instead of speaking, I listen. Whether you call it a higher power or simply a deep connection with the world around us, there’s a sense of something much greater present in this stillness.
Living here is a constant reminder of how lucky we are. In this small, hidden patch of nature, we can simply be, observing life unfolding at its own natural pace and feeling that we truly belong to this land. In return, the least we can do is nurture this friendship. It’s about being a Friend of Duncan Creek.
This website is home to my work. On Social Media, I share the process, conversations, and the moments in between.
This work starts with a conversation.
You can reach me by email or Instagram DM.
