Organization hopes to provide more fresh produce to beneficiaries
The university has given the CSA Food Bank permission to construct a small garden on the land behind its headquarters on the north-eastern corner of Gordon Street and South Ring Road. The approval brings the Food Bank one step closer toward its goal of being able to offer fresh, locally sourced produce to its on-campus beneficiaries.
The Food Bank has wanted to construct its own garden for a number of years, but a viable proposal has only recently been developed. On Nov. 2, the Food Bank held a workshop to solicit ideas from the community about what they would like to see in a future garden. Days after that workshop, Food Bank representatives met with the Vice President of Finance and Administration, Don O’Leary, to officially present their idea for the garden.
According to Tyler Valiquette, the CSA’s Local Affairs Commissioner, O’Leary was impressed with the idea and gave the Food Bank the go-ahead for the garden.
The CSA currently leases the Food Bank building from the university, and while the lease includes the green space extending to South Ring Road, changes to all campus land use must be approved by O’Leary’s office.
The future garden will be located on the flat patch of land closer to the adjoining CSA Bike Centre. In order to regulate soil quality and ensure that the garden is transportable, the garden will be built on five or six raised beds. The portability of the beds was one of the main selling points, according to Valiquette.
“I think they liked the idea that it’s portable,” said Valiquette. “If [the administration does] come up with some plan for that land, we’re able to move [the garden] very easily.”
While the university did not give the Food Bank any specific restrictions, Food Bank co-ordinators are being careful not to be too ambitious right away.
“We’re giving ourselves restrictions because we don’t know just how much volunteer support we’re going to have,” said Valiquette, adding that he’s not too worried, given that the Food Bank has traditionally been very popular with students. The Food Bank is also hoping the garden will give volunteers a more exciting way of helping out, according to Brittany Skelton, the Food Bank Coordinator.
The Food Bank hopes to employ the expertise of landscape architecture students, engineering students and agriculture students – many of whom are already involved with the organization – to assist in the design and construction the garden. The Food Bank wants to have the beds constructed by April 2014.
Produce from the garden will be prioritized for Food Bank beneficiaries, but all students will be encouraged to participate in supplementary gardening workshops. The CSA Food Bank assists some 450 members of the university community annually.