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Garden plots to grow sense of community

Neighbourhood project near Crescent Park offers place for green thumbs to get involved.
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Community garden plots are up for grabs near Crescent Park Elementary.

Vicki Brydon

Special to Peace Arch News

Along with the arrival of spring comes anticipation for the new growing season.

Trees are budding, flowers are pushing their way skyward and gardeners are anxious to get their hands dirty.

For many residents, condo or apartment living usually doesn’t allow for gardening, but thanks to Alexandra Neighbourhood House in Crescent Beach, a new community garden is accepting applications for this year’s plots.

“After much planning and overcoming a few major delays, we are finally ready to start building the garden beds,” said Neil Fernyhough, manager of community projects at Alexandra Neighbourhood House.

“This project began in 2013, and through the hard work and patience of a dedicated group of volunteers, we will hold our very first growing season this year.”

The inclusive organic garden is being built on a one-acre site at 128 Street and 25 Avenue, just behind Crescent Park Elementary, and has received funding grants from the federal government and Peace Arch Hospital & Community Health Foundation.

With a goal to nurture intergenerational contact and co-operation, of the 58 garden plots available, 46 will be raised beds (10-foot-by-five), 10 will be wheelchair-accessible beds (four-by-eight) and two will be designated for Crescent Park Elementary students to learn about horticulture alongside other gardeners.

“This really is a community outreach and engagement project,” Fernyhough said. “All gardeners will be required to volunteer a minimum of eight hours per year, and that work can involve a number of activities from general maintenance to acting as a garden steward – chairing meetings, co-ordinating work parties, soliciting donations, managing social media, organizing community events and pairing up new and experienced gardeners to facilitate education and support.”

With a third of the one-acre site dedicated to the plots, the rest of the land is being rehabilitated with native species, interpretative signage, bird houses and, hopefully, bee hives.

“We’ll be holding volunteer work parties to prepare the site and build the infrastructure,” Fernyhough said. “The first one is the weekend of April 16 and 17, and that will consist of laying the gravel and wood chips for the walkways, building the wooden frames for the plots, filling in the soil and building the tool shed and compost area.”

The cost for a seasonal plot is $35 ($20 for Kiwanis Park Place residents) and volunteers will get first dibs, with the remainder of plots assigned by lottery prior to the May 1 opening. Priority will be given to South Surrey and White Rock residents and Fernyhough thinks most gardeners will likely live within walking distance, though there is some parking available.

“One of our principles is that community gardens should be a neighbourhood activity,” he said.

Another aspect is providing organic local sources of food.

“Community gardens provide an opportunity for education on food and food production in general. From composting to growing to cooking and preserving food, and back to composting again.”

From encouraging physical activity and social connection to improving emotional health, the benefits of community gardens are numerous. And the best part for many is a refrigerator filled with fresh fruits and vegetables that they grew themselves, all summer long.

For info, visit www.alexhouse.net, call 604-535-0015 ext. 236 or email communityprograms@alexhouse.net