THUNDER BAY -- After a successful first year on the grounds of the Lakehead Adult Education Centre, the Lillie Street urban garden will see more growth in the coming season.
The 2.25-acre site operated by Roots to Harvest already includes nine large tilled blocks, community garden space, a seed production garden, a greenhouse, and a walk-in cooler and storage unit.
This year's plans include:
- expanded vegetable growing spaces (from three blocks to five)
- strawberry bed
- completion of apiary and introduction of honey bees
- new outdoor classroom space including a gazebo and washstand area
- complete year-round greenhouse in partnership with NAN
- develop school garden plots
- involve newcomers to Canada in growing food
- incorporate credit/coop programming opportunities for adult education students
An update presented to the Lakehead District Public School Board, the owner of the greenspace, describes how "decades of sod growing" at the Victoria Park yard have been transformed to a base for youth employment, community outreach and student engagement.
The report outlines how local businesses and agencies, neighbourhood residents, volunteers and nearby schools are interacting with the project in a variety of ways.
Erin Beagle, the executive-director of Roots to Harvest, says one measurement of success is the Seasonal Horticultural Outdoor Worker program, which focuses on individuals facing multiple barriers to employment. Last year eight youths aged 18 to 30 were employed for 20 weeks.
In an interview with Tbnewswatch, Beagle said the program moved participants closer to obtaining sustainable livelihoods, giving them access to skills, knowledge and resources "to be able to make healthy decisions" and meet their own needs.
Beagle said the urban garden's outcomes can also be measured on its ability to share knowledge with participating groups.
"Last year, for example, we had Nishnawbe Aski Nation with their food symposium, we had Western University students, we had numerous businesses that came to volunteer, as well as service clubs," she noted.
Beagle cited, as well, the importance of the community garden spaces.
"We had 16 gardeners from the neighbourhood, and really from all walks of life to participate in that space." Additional community garden plots will be made available this year.
When the Lillie Street project was first announced, some area residents objected to having what one city councillor said they perceived to be "a farm in the city."
Opinions, however, quickly changed. Beagle said "the community has totally embraced this as being good and valuable work...the community gardeners really began to 'own that space' and speak up for it."
She recalled hearing from people who admitted to initially opposing the project, but subsequently "did a 180," saying they hadn't realized at first what it was all about.
"The feedback that we've gotten is that it's been an improvement" on the use of the greenspace. "We're happy for that but we continue to work with the community," Beagle said.
Roots for Harvest also operates a smaller garden on the grounds of the Volunteer Pool Community Centre in the Grandview area of the city.
