Champ des Possibles
A urban park maintained as a community project turning abandoned industrial areas into natural biotope. In spite of the small size, quenched between tall office buildings and railroad tracks, over 400 species of plants and animals have been reported.
How to get to Champ des Possibles
A 10 minute walk away from Metro Station Laurier. From the Metro Station walk North on Avenue St. Denis until the bridge. Walk along the railroad to the left until you arrive at the park.
Photos
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What to See Here
A place where you can look for many different small creatures like butterflies, bees, grasshoppers and spiders. The only place where I was able watching house sparrows invading a park area. In late spring, birds can bee seen often. Less common though during the rest of the year. There are a few bushes with berries and on one occasion we counted 4 different bird species simultaneously enjoying the berries.
Observed Animals by Season
| Species | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Robin (Turdus migratorius) | x | - | - | - |
| Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) | - | x | - | - |
| Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) | x | - | - | - |
| Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) | x | - | - | - |
| Eastern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) | x | - | - | - |
| House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) | x | x | - | - |
| Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) | x | - | - | - |
"x" indicates the species was observed, while "-" indicates no observation. Lack of observation doesn't necessarily imply that the species is absent. Data is derived from our park visit journals.
Observed Flowering Plants by Season
| Species | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bird's-Foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) | x | - | - | - |
| Canada Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) | - | x | - | - |
| Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) | x | - | - | - |
| Common Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) | - | x | - | - |
| False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) | - | x | - | - |
| New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) | - | x | - | - |
| Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) | x | x | - | - |
"x" indicates that the species was observed flowering, while "-" indicates no observation. The absence of observation doesn't necessarily imply that the species was not flowering. Data is derived from our park visit journals.
Photography Tips
Recommended places for macro photography are the Southern entrance or Northern exit. The area is small though and you can cover it in a short 5 min walk looking for the best place.
Mostly though a good place for flower photography and macro photography of small critters. During summer and autumn, the place is full of insects and spiders looking for food or being prey for others. You will be able to get macro shots of spiders, bugs and beetles, butterflies and bees and bumblebees. Large trees and nearby buildings provide shadow during sunny days preventing overexposed highlight spots.