Community Gardens

Community gardens are a relatively recent innovation.  And when you consider the changes that have occurred in the country over the last century, one can readily see why that should be.  By way of example, in 1921 over half of British Columbia's population lived in a rural area.  Today, only 14% of the population lives in a rural area (1).  While in years past the majority of people would have had access to large outdoor areas for vegetable gardening, that is no longer so:  with apartment buildings and condominiums being ever increasingly popular housing choices, people's ability to garden is increasingly limited.

If you should be one of the many who do not have a backyard amenable to growing vegetables, you should be aware that most cities now have community gardens.  A community garden is a common plot of land worked by multiple people; most commonly each gardener works their own plot within the garden.  And it can be more than what you think:  some gardens have been carved out of waste areas, and in the densest cities. even built on highrise rooftops.

Stratford Community Garden - August 2, 2013

The town of Stratford, PE (population 8,574) built our first community garden this spring.  Funded by the town of Stratford, the Walmart Evergreen Fund and the Stratford Area Watershed Improvement Group, an open sunny area across from Cotton Park was transformed into a garden.  At the beginning of June, ground was broken and slightly raised plots varying from 6'x12' all the way up to 10'x40' laid out.  Bark mulch for the walkways, raised taps and hoses for watering, and a parking lot, and the garden is all set to go.  And go it has - vegetables and flowers have sprung up throughout, including large plots planted for the local Food Bank.

Stratford Community Garden - August 25, 2013

1) http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/demo62g-eng.htm