New community garden in north Oshawa

There is a new community garden in the city’s north end.

Oshawa City Council recently approved a new community garden which will be located at the South Field of the Oshawa Executive Airport.

A Field Community Garden Committee will be formed to operate the garden on a volunteer basis.

The new community garden will be part of the city’s Community Garden Program.

According to a city report, a background study of the South Field Master Plan in 2018 identified that a garden was operating informally within the South Field Study area, located just southwest of the Ontario Regiment Museum. The report notes that the garden has been operating on the land informally for approximately 20 years.

“The preferred land use option at the South Field is to maintain status quo ensuring that the South Field use continues to be for public uses such as recreational, museum, and community garden,” reads the report.

City staff approached members of a local gardening organization, We Grow Food, to determine their interest in assuming responsibility for managing the garden, however, they indicated they were unable to add the new garden into their program.

Local gardeners involved with the garden approached the city expressing their interest in formalizing the garden through the city’s garden program.

“The gardeners have expressed their deep desire to continue to be self-sufficient and to operate in accordance with traditional gardening philosophy, which reflects the unique features of the garden while respecting the surrounding area and land uses,” the report continues.

Members of the Field Community Garden Committee will be recognized as volunteers of the city, enabling the city to extend coverage under its Municipal Liability Insurance Policy.

The report states costs to construct and install a garden sign and repairs to the access laneway will be covered in the 2021 Parks Operation budget.

Mary Street Community Garden at Northview Park and Harmony Community Garden at Delpark Homes Centre both operate as allotment gardens under the city’s garden program. Members pay a nominal fee to the Garden Committee for their plot.

According to the report, these gardens are, for the most part, self-sufficient and operate through plot fees, donations and in-kind support.

Furthermore, the City also has a separate licence agreement with We Grow Food to operate communal neighbourhood gardens at Cordova Park and on vacant lands at the corner of Albert and John Street, known as the South Patch, Pepper Patch, and Berry Patch.

The gardens operate as communal gardens through volunteers of We Grow Food to assist in planting, maintaining and harvesting of the gardens.

The gardens are open to local residents and the harvest is provided back to the community.

Each garden provides fresh produce to local food banks and engages the local community to raise awareness on food security, while contributing to the health and well-being of its members and the community.