City of Powell River councillors heard a presentation about the prospective establishment of community gardens at Powell River Recreation Complex and JP Dallos Park, but sent the matter back for further study.
At the city council meeting on April 29, parks, recreation and culture director Ray Boogaards pitched the prospect of community gardens, recommending allocation of $55,058 from the climate action reserve fund for construction of two facilities.
Boogaards said Powell River has a great opportunity for residents to participate in community gardens.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of community resilience, the interest in local food security and growing food locally,” said Boogaards.
Community gardens are an excellent way of getting people together, according to Boogaards.
“Community gardens provide plots of land the public can use to grow food for a small rental fee,” he said. “They also provide many benefits that go well beyond food security.”
Boogaards said the parks, recreation and culture department pushes active lifestyles.
“Many people will spend hours and hours at the community gardens, just to be outside, to work on their gardens, and also socialize,” he added. “Effective community gardens will have a similar impact in the community as block parties that council has funded in past years. Again, it brings people together.”
Boogaards said staff has provided three possible options: Willingdon Beach South, the old outdoor pool site at JP Dallos Park and the recreation complex, across from the skate park next to the parking lot. Staff recommended just the recreation complex and JP Dallos Park.
The proposal is for 20 raised garden beds at each site, with each garden bed three by eight feet in size. The proposal also calls for the beds to be raised to three feet to ensure easier access for participants with mobility issues.
Boogaards said there was recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic that there is a limit to spending. He said council may wish to consider putting in the gardens at the recreation complex, starting small.
“We recognize the importance of reducing our capital projects as a way of saving money and this is one option,” he added.
Mayor Dave Formosa said he couldn’t see how it would cost $23,000 for raised beds for gardens at one location. The budgeted cost for just the raised beds at each location came in just under $23,000.
“What am I missing?” asked Formosa.
Boogaards said the plan calls for beds at a maximum height, but it could be scaled back if that was council’s wish.
Formosa said the cost seemed high for him.
He said if council is only going to consider one location, he thinks JP Dallos would be the more central of the two locations. Boogaards said he was open to any suggestions.
Councillor Maggie Hathaway said nobody is going to argue that community gardens aren’t a great thing. She said she just wondered if the timing was off.
“I would like to relook at this down the road,” said Hathaway. “It’s a great idea but the timing might not be so great.”
Councillor Jim Palm said it’s all about the timing. He said he could see going ahead with one site, but not two. He added that there had previously been a community garden in Powell River that went “belly up.”
“We all know the value of community gardens but when I look at this overall cost, when you crunch the numbers of $55,000, on the number of square feet of gardens on 40 beds, 20 at each site, you’re looking at $56 a square foot for soil. That, to me, doesn’t add up.”
Councillor Rob Southcott said that during recent weeks, people have been going into grocery stores and seeing empty shelves, which has had an impact. It has reminded people of food security, he said.
“There is a global food system we depend on,” said Southcott. “We import approximately 97 per cent of our food into this community. I have had real anxiety about the volatility of that.
He said the integrated community sustainability plan, written about five years ago, is strongly in favour of community gardens. He said, however, that delaying the proposed community gardens does not present much of a challenge because people can garden in the winter here.
“We have kind of missed the window for this summer anyway, so we can safely delay on this,” said Southcott.
He said he would like to know there is community support for this, so the city can have confidence the money will be used well.
Councillor CaroleAnn Leishman said the matter had been brought forward to the climate change mitigation and adaptation committee, and she concurs with her council colleagues’ comments. She said she agrees that more needs to be done, in consultation with local groups.
“The community gardens really need a community group or designated champion who really is bringing that together,” said Leishman.
She said she would be in favour of looking at one site to start with.
Councillor Cindy Elliott said she liked the concept but said the audience needs to be established before building anything.
“It would be better to have community buy-in,” she said.
Councillor George Doubt said when he first thought about the idea, he was quite excited. He said there is a food crisis and growing local food is going to make a big difference. He added that he is growing as much food as possible in his backyard.
“I don’t think, however, that this proposal as we see it would get support from council as it sits now,” said Doubt. “The price is a little too high. It looks like there is time to do more planning. I appreciate the report and think it’s an exciting idea but it needs more work.”
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