With recognition of Earth Day on April 22, the City of Charlottetown is pleased to announce the launch of a new Community Garden Framework intended to guide how the City works with and supports community groups leading the implementation of community gardens in Charlottetown.
“Community gardens are an important component of a resilient food system and a healthy community,” says Mayor Philip Brown. “These spaces provide opportunities for residents to grow their own food, build community, and spend more time outdoors, all of which contribute to better physical and mental wellbeing.”
The Framework is composed of three parts: a Community Garden Policy, adopted by City Council on April 11, an application process for community gardens seeking City support, and a Community Garden Handbook, intended to guide community groups through the process of starting a new community garden.
Community groups seeking City parkland for a new community garden can submit an Expression of Interest through the City’s website. After consultation with City staff, groups will submit a formal Community Garden Application, which will include considerations such as assessing resource needs, the collection of community support, and drafting a site plan.
The
Community Garden Handbook contains more details on navigating this process and can be found on the City of Charlottetown website.
“We know there are many amazing champions in Charlottetown who are currently running a community garden or are looking to start one. This Framework will help us to better support these initiatives and promote the creation of more community gardens in Charlottetown,” says Councillor Terry Bernard, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee.
The building and operation of community gardens in Charlottetown must be led by a community organization or a group of dedicated volunteers but the City will support these initiatives in a variety of ways including in-kind use of the land, access to water where a source of City water is available, and a small annual stipend.
Community gardens operating or planning to operate on non-City owned land are now eligible to apply for formal partnership with the City. If in accordance with the City of Charlottetown Community Garden Policy, these gardens will be eligible for a small annual stipend.
This work was one component of a project completed in partnership with Immigrant and Refugee Services Association PEI that was funded by the PEI Alliance for Mental Wellbeing. An additional component of this project was a collaboration with a group of newcomers to Canada to create a community garden in J. Frank MacAulay Park which will open this spring.
The new Community Garden Framework will complement the City’s ongoing work to promote food growing in Charlottetown, including ongoing support for Desbrisay Community Garden, the City’s Community Vegetable Planter Program, and a set of City maintained edible orchards.
To download the Community Garden Handbook or for more information on the Community Garden Framework and community gardens in Charlottetown, visit
charlottetown.ca/gardens or contact
[email protected]