Community Resource Centre

Yesterday's Garden

The Powell River Community Resource Center opened in September of 2007, and the idea to set up a demonstration garden in the grassy unused back lot became a reality just 2 months later. The idea itself was inspired by the Cityfarmer Compost Demonstration garden located in Vancouver B.C (cityfarmer.org).

Funding was applied for and received from the Federal Government for a Service Canada program to provide “on the job training” that would incorporate life skills and employability skills for under-employed youth through the creation of a demonstration garden, workshops, work experience and community consultation. Six youths and two facilitators were hired through Career Link and the 5 month program aptly named “Groundworks” began.

One of the first steps undertaken by the project participants was to consultat with the community in order to identify what role or purpose the garden might have in relation to the CRC and the community. Consultation meetings were advertised as widely as possible and held at different times and different days to encourage maximum participation of interested parties. Feedback was solicited from the local Agricultural Association, the Farmer’s Institute, and the local Food Security Project co-ordinator as well as business representatives, community organizations and individuals. It was decided that the main purpose of the garden would be to serve as a demonstration facility rather than a production garden because there is already an adequate amount of growing space available in the Powell River region for  growing food.

The Project participants and volunteers who generously donated their time and expertise mapped out and designed the space to be used, and built the necessary infrastructure such as fences, gates, raised beds and trellis supports. Leftover materials were used to construct the ‘smoke pit’ shelter, tool and equipment shed, and the recycling and woodpile area. The soil was initially quite poor and shallow so building it up in the raised beds and in the garden in general was another important component of creating a usable garden space. Seaweed was collected from the beach, local farmers’ animal stalls were ‘mucked out’ for manure, and cardboard, hay, soil, and fertilizer were donated and layered in beds and added to existing soil.

Other donations included wood chips, building materials, sand, gravel, plants, cash, gloves, discounts on raingear, as well as time, expertise and advice. Staff members of a neighbouring business donated money for fruit trees. Clover and alfalfa were planted as cover crops in the orchard area. A black plastic composter was bought and set up, and a workshop was held to explain how to use it. A larger wooden composter was also built by a volunteer.

A workshop was held by a local builder to construct a timberframe structure which was originally intended to have a ‘living roof’ with cachement barrels to collect rainwater to be placed around the perimeter. Participants of the workshop paid a fee for the course and the instructor donated part of his time so that the project managed to pay for itself. This structure has since been converted into a small greenhouse.