Commitment needed for fruit orchards to move ahead
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
A garden is one thing, but an orchard is completely different, and for the city to move forward with allowing community groups to cultivate such an idea, there needs to be a genuine interest, according to a recently released report.
Similar to the city’s various community garden projects, a recent staff report analyzed the opportunity of allowing similar projects, but for fruit trees. And while the projects appear similar in principle, the execution and maintenance are a much different matter.
“Successful projects require ongoing commitment from community groups and volunteers dedicated to the development, stewardship, harvesting and ongoing maintenance of the orchard,” the report reads.
In recent years, Oshawa has seen successful community gardens springing up across the city, including locations on Mary Street, Legends Centre, the Oshawa Community Health Centre, the Salvation Army and, most recently, a new location in the works adjacent to Lakeridge Health.
Incorporating a community orchard with these types of gardens would be the “natural fit” the report reads, but there are several things that need to be taken into account.
An orchard would require a much longer commitment, at least 10 years, for the project to see any kind of success as fruit yields generally don’t occur right away. As well, any lack of maintenance could result in disease and failure of the project.
“Before moving forward, a community group must come forward indicating their interest and commitment to the long-term management of a community orchard,” the report reads. “Public consultation should be undertaken to gauge public interest, community and neighbourhood support for the project.”
And while the report was simply received for information by councillors, Ron Diskey, Oshawa’s commissioner of community services, says the city is very open to moving forward and allowing a community group to work on such a project if there is an interest to do so.
“We would like to entertain this at community gardens and other locations that are suitable,” he says.