Our garden committee was established in January of 2025, following initial planning for the project over the previous six months. Beginning as an initiative to fulfill a University requirement by a student, the project grew to incorporate so much more with the help of community volunteers. This committee has been a joint project between the Westend Seniors Activity Center and members of the community. Forwarding this idea of a community garden through a public information session in late January of 2025 yielded positive feedback, with many attendees expressing their support and willingness to set time aside to make this project happen. It was the dedication of community members and their willingness to form a committee that allowed us to move forward (in addition to the generosity of grant funds contributed by other organizations).
We are currently facilitating 9 community members directly through our garden rental beds and providing volunteer and connection opportunities to volunteers from our activity center. As a whole, we are also providing further opportunities for connection between community members in Terra Losa, Edmonton (population of ~2000 from the 2012 census), and raising awareness of the benefits that a community garden can create.
The driving force behind this garden project is to support the sustainability of the overall community. Giving individuals the ability to grow food can help improve morale around food security and long-term community wellness. Aside from this, we hope to improve community connection and social well-being by bringing together individuals with like-minded backgrounds to create something creative and valuable.
In addition to facilitating social connection, physical activity, and food security, it has been a high priority to provide the opportunity for community members to access a garden space, as many homes in the local neighborhood do not have space for gardens (i.e., condominiums, cooperatives, etc.). Many of the community members that our organization has interacted with have expressed interest in gardening, but have mentioned that they do not have the space. Our organization hopes that this newly established community garden will help to mitigate this concern and better the lives of community members.
For an extended time, the garden space behind the Westend Seniors Activity Center building has been an empty space; aside from a few shrub beds, the area has been underutilized. The initial mention of creating a welcoming space in that area received positive feedback, with many community members mentioning that they have had this idea for many years!
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