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Projects to green Bay Street and heat Victorian homes using ultra-modern technology were two that received grants from Live Green Toronto last week.

The Bay Corridor Community Association received $25,000 for its Bay Street Bio-Swale project in which members want to transform the Bay Street corridor, between Wellesley and Grosvenor streets, into a clean air neighbourhood by introducing street vegetation, stormwater harvesting, alternative power sources, and encouraging the return of native flora and fauna.

"The thing that has always been visible is dead or dying trees on Bay Street," said Norman Waite. "It's always been an issue and we've always wanted to do something about it."

Waite is one of the members of the project. While the design details have yet to be finalized, the plan is to use high-tech soil and drainage methods in planters to help trees thrive on the street. Kathryn Holden, another member of the team, said trees are constantly being planted, but they also die because of the inhospitable environment.

"The problem with the trees that are currently in this location is that the soil is bad," she said.

The sidewalk along that stretch of Bay Street is wide enough to accommodate pedestrians and planters closer to the road. The idea is to have the planters double as seating and to install lighting to create a friendlier environment.

"We're trying to make it as tree friendly, people friendly as possible," said Florence Chung, another member of the project. "When I see trees I see a neighbourhood and I see people who want to walk along Bay Street."

The total cost for the project is estimated at $400,000 so the group still needs to do additional fundraising.

The residents of Laurier Avenue in the Cabbagetown area also received $25,000 to investigate the feasibility of retrofitting 22 century-old Victorian homes with geothermal heating and cooling to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce costs by more than 50 per cent.

Geothermal utilizes the natural heat present in the ground during winter to provide efficient indoor heating and it uses the coolness present in the ground during summer to provide efficient indoor cooling.

Douglas Worts, one of the leads on the project, said the feasibility study will look at the financing options for the project, replacing the current road surface with a permeable surface and examining where and how holes would be drilled. One drill hole would have to be done for each of the homes.

Worts said if all goes well work could begin next summer or fall. Financing is key as the systems could cost anywhere from $25,000-27,000 per home.

"We're feeling great about it. It's really at the right time," he said. "It's part of a synergy of things that are happening in the city."