THUNDER BAY -- The search for a new Roots to Harvest community garden is over.
Roots to Harvest executive director Erin Beagle said the organization is entering into an agreement with the Lakehead Public Board to use the green space in Victoria Park.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity for Roots to Harvest to expand into a newer and bigger space that takes us to the other side of town,” Beagle said.
“We partner really closely with Lakehead Public Schools and the Adult Education Centre over there. We are already doing weekly programming in the kitchen.”
This location will allow Roots to Harvest to engage both the students and the community around Victoria Park.
The garden will have to develop overtime because there’s two acres and developing a garden space this size will take more than one season.
Beagle said they plan to start developing the space in early May by working with the community showing them designs and plans, especially, the neighbours surrounding the park.
At first Roots to Harvest officials were reluctant to relocate to the other side of the city because all of the organizations operations were in Port Arthur.
“It was easy for logistics and efficiencies, but as we thought about it a lot more a lot of our participants are from the other side of town,” Beagle said.
“The community has helped us purchase a van couple of years ago, so we will be able to go back and forth a lot more easily.”
With the new location situated at the Adult Education Centre, Beagle said, it has those pieces they need for it to be an ideal location.
“It has access to washrooms, water and even access to some classroom space for the summer – it’s kind of like a super urban farm that gives us the support we need.”
The site will be home to all the public school children and Roots to Harvest’s other program, which hires 18 to 30-year-olds for employment experience.
Beagle said the official announcement will be made at next month’s Annual General Meeting, which should include a garden plan.
