SUNDRE – The proverbial seeds that were planted almost 10 years ago and subsequently germinated to become the Sundre Community Garden continue to grow.
Following the organization’s annual general meeting late last month at the Sundre Community Centre boardroom, plans are now being considered to look at adding at least one more plot for a local greenthumb.
“We hope for at least one,” said Renate de Bruijn, community outreach coordinator at Greenwood Neighbourhood Place, adding there could possibly be two provided there’s enough space to accommodate them both.
“There’s one spot at the south end that has a big tree trunk there which is kind of in our way with mowing and (maintenance),” de Bruijn told the Albertan.
“If that’s in the way, we might as well build another plot on top of it so we can use the space instead of tripping over the trunk all the time,” she said.
Demand certainly seems to persist for the plots, all 28 of which are consistently spoken for every season. And the recent annual meeting indicated the community’s support is not waning.
“We had six people show up. That’s actually more than previous years, which was good to see,” de Bruijn said, adding she knew of a few others who had also wanted to attend but were unable to.
“There’s definitely more interest this year than other years,” she said. “We were always kind of full and had the odd plot that at the last moment did not rent out, but I have eight people on the wait list right now.”
As there remained a substantial amount of snow at the site when she spoke with the Albertan, de Bruijn said the plots had not yet been allocated but added she anticipated that process would be getting underway later this month.
“The returning plot holders, they mostly keep their own plots … they’ve put their soil and compost in the way they want it, so they like to keep their plots,” she said.
There are also those who plant certain varieties in the fall, such as garlic, in anticipation of the following season.
“Some people grow chives in their plots, and they just overwinter,” she said.
The community garden, which is located in a green area surrounded by trees immediately adjacent the Sundre hospital’s main parking lot, first opened in 2015.
The project was made possible through a partnership between the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society and Alberta Health Services, which contributed $3,000 through its Thrive for Wellness program, as well as federal funding from the New Horizons for Seniors Program to the tune of $25,000.
Asked whether the organization was in need of any additional helping hands, she said, “We might ask some kids from The Den (Sundre Youth Centre) if they want to volunteer and we also have the option to get some kids through May Queen.”
Their help could prove instrumental in building the new plot and shovelling in soil, a tasking physical effort that’s not exactly suitable for the senior gardeners and volunteers, she said.
Her only concern as the season approaches is arguably commonly shared across a province facing the possibility of severe drought this summer.
“Hopefully, you know, the drought stays away and we can use the water that we used to use,” she said, expressing appreciation for last year’s donation of water by a local company.
But barring the most extreme restrictions, allowances are anticipated for gardens.
“We’re not just washing our vehicle,” she said.
“We’re growing food.”
