WSCR Community Hub & Garden
Some important resources for you:
Below are several useful links for members who have joined the community garden.
COVID-19 Action Plan and Guidelines for Safe Gardening
WSCR Community Garden Handbook (Rev. 5/20)
Identification Guide for Alberta Invasive Plants
2020 Garden registration is open to all members – APRIL 13 UPDATE
Calgary Horticultural Society has posted the following guidance on community garden operation for 2020. We will provide updates
as we receive any additional information.
Will Community Gardens be able to operate?
Posted April 2, 2020
The guidance we are receiving right now from our City Neighbourhood Partnership Coordinator is they can if the risk mitigation strategies are followed:
Risk mitigation strategies:
All gatherings that are proceeding because they don’t meet the restriction criteria, including weddings and funerals with less than 15 people (this number is subject to changes, check alberta.ca and calgary.ca for the most current information), should follow these general risk mitigation strategies:
People who are sick with a fever or cough must not attend (even if symptoms appear to be mild or resemble a cold)
Recommend anyone at high risk of severe disease not attend the event
Reduce the number of participants or change the venue to allow for physical distancing
Stagger the time of arrivals and departures
Provide packaged refreshments instead of a buffet
Increase access to handwashing stations or alcohol-based sanitizer
Frequently clean surfaces that are touched often
Promote personal protective practices (hygiene etiquette, staying home if ill)
Offer virtual or live-streamed activities instead of in-person events
Change the event program to remove activities that increase the risk of disease transmission, such as those that require physical contact between participants
Will the Covid-19 pandemic close community gardens on City of Calgary lands?
The City’s reply to S. Phillips’s inquiry (posted on March 30, 2020).
“Great to hear from you. Good questions about community gardens. So far there are no closures of community gardens on the CA lands.
According to our Calgary Parks, Park Water Management will still be working towards activating all of the community garden sites by the May long weekend. Garden groups should encourage their members to practice suitable social distancing in order to start prepping their individual gardens. Group garden bed preparations or planting events should be avoided.
I advise that you’re able to continue taking rental payments for beds. Posting signs at the garden site about safety and social distancing, as well as informing your renters that group bed preparations/planting events should not occur. Additionally, it may be beneficial to let renters know that policies regarding community garden during this unusual time may change over time, and to please be patient and stay posted as we navigate new ground together.“
150 lbs. of vegetables donated to Calgary Food Bank
Read more about our bountiful harvest from the philanthropic beds this year. Thank you to the team who volunteered to manage the beds from planting through harvest.
Making our Garden More Beautiful
On your next visit to the Garden, you will notice that the central bed on the left side of the walkway has received a major facelift. With over 30 shrubs, grasses and a weeping caragana tree, this will surely grow into a beautiful feature of our Hub & Garden. A heartfelt thanks to Mary, Anna and Kevin for planning and planting the bed. The next step is to plant the bed on the right side of the walkway as you enter the garden later this week. Thanks to Gertie for planning this bed. This project would not have been possible without the generous support of our local COOP store.
Gardening with Heart!
Adam, Anisa, Elizabeth, Isla, Holly, Manny & Scott
Under the Sunday morning sunshine, our philanthropic bed team gathered to plant carrots, onions and potatoes. When the beds are ready for harvest, the crop will be donated to the Calgary Food Bank and Inn From the Cold. Thanks to the team and COOP Store Manager, Scott James and COOP Produce Manager, Manny Duvette who volunteered to help us!
Warm sunshine for our Pumpkin Hunt
Our young gardeners searched for pumpkins in the garden and received stickers to decorate their pumpkins and some Hallowe’en treats. Thanks to Blair Poyntz of Blair’s No Frills for donating the pumpkins for this event!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks to Pierre Gagnon and Kevin MacDonald who braved the snow and cold to complete the installation of our entrance sign to the garden!
Remember to renew your bed before October 31 if you want to be guaranteed the same bed for 2019. We have almost half the beds renewed already! Renew Now
82 lbs. of potatoes, onions and beets were harvested and donated to Calgary Food Bank from our philanthropic beds.
Thanks to Mary MacLeod, Gertie Hegholz, and Karla Gibson for digging up the harvest from the philanthropic beds! The vegetables were sorted, cleaned and donated to the Calgary Food Bank. Mary has set a goal of achieving a 100 lb. harvest next year!
Thanks to Karla and Matt Gibson for volunteering to label all of our tools!
Celebrate the Official Opening of our Community Hub & Garden on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 9:45 a.m.
Join us on the patios for our Official Opening. It’s been a wonderful first growing season! Vegetables are ready for harvest. Our volunteer teams have been keeping the site and sheds looking tidy all season. Nine benches will be installed in the coming weeks. It’s time to celebrate! The speeches will begin at 10 a.m. and we promise to keep it short. There will be refreshments and time to socialize. Hope to see you there! Thank you to Tim Horton’s for donating the refreshments.
We welcome the community to enjoy this beautiful space alongside the many gardeners who rent beds.
Below are several useful links for members who have joined or who are interested in joining the community garden.
WSCR Community Garden Handbook for 2019
Identification Guide for Alberta Invasive Plants
Garden Angels
If you would like to be involved in our gardening community, without renting a bed, we would appreciate some “garden angels” who would help with the planting and maintenance of our philanthropic beds. The harvest from these beds will be donated to Calgary Food Bank and Inn From the Cold. Please email communitygarden@wscr.ca to let us know that you can help!
