Wednesday October 30, 2024 | LANGFORD, BC [Posted at 11 am, updated at 11:22 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The first community garden in Langford is in the works.
The land is being leveled and some water supply and fencing has been installed.
The goal is to have the first garden plots for growing vegetables and fruits up and running for the 2025 spring/summer growing season.
The community garden site is within Porcher Park on Wren Road in central Langford. There is older housing nearby as well as newer high-density condos and townhomes.
Policy development:
Meanwhile, the City of Langford is developing their community garden policy. As a growing municipality, Langford aims to see well-organized and well-managed food-growing spaces as guided by their policy.
Community gardens in Langford will be operated and managed in partnership with the support of third-party groups, by contract with the municipality.
Development is underway at the food-growing garden space at Porcher Park in central Langford. Tucked within a park that includes natural forest, the community garden development at Porcher Park already sees leveling of the land, some water source preparation, and fencing.
Committee meeting:
The community garden policy was discussed at last night’s Community Advisory Committee meeting chaired by city councillor Keith Yacucha. Councillors Colby Harder and Mark Morley also sit on the committee along with several appointees from the community.
There was generally one concern raised during committee discussion, having to do with premises security. Any challenges in that regard would be worked out between the city and the contracted partner.
The policy was developed, in part, by reviewing what other municipalities are doing with their community garden infrastructure and processes.
Three Langford residents made favourable comments about the community garden policy and the progress of development at Porcher Park.
Community garden benefits:
Community gardens are an opportunity for residents — particularly those without a yard at their home location — to grow fresh healthy food. Fresh produce if grown properly has optimal nutritional value.
There is also a sense of personal accomplishment and a sense of community by growing food alongside others in a community space.
Community gardens provide an opportunity for both those in need of growing food (for economic or health reasons) and those who have leadership to offer in this area.
Funding:
Once a community garden is up and running in Langford, the ongoing costs and operations will be the responsibility of the contracted partner group or agency.
With the favourably-long growing season here on south Vancouver Island, the active production of food at the garden can take place at least between May and October, if not nearly year-round.
For this first community garden at Porcher Park, city council had set up a budget line item of $40,000 in 2024 to cover the start up costs (planning, land preparation, and basic operational setup).
===== RELATED:
- Mid-summer UFRIS panel explores urban food growing, emergency storage (July 28, 2024)
- Preparation for Langford’s first community garden gets rolling (April 1, 2024)
- NEWS SECTIONS: LANGFORD | ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY | FOOD SECURITY
