COMMUNITY GARDENS - NOTES FROM RECENT COMMUNITY MEETING

These are unedited brainstorming notes taken at the October 17th. open community meeting to discuss the opportunity for creating in Sam Smith Park a "community vegetable garden" and a "transformational healing garden". A map and additional information was previously posted on this blog. 

Two committees will be meeting shortly to take these concepts further.

It is understood that the City is considering funding a water-main link and a surrounding fence for the vegetable garden. Applications to the City are currently being made and it is hoped that the projects will start next spring.
The next Community Garden Meeting will be Thursday, November 7th 7-8:30pm. Location LAMP CHC 185 5th Street.  Anyone interested is welcome to attend.

Community Brainstorming Suggestions - Healing Garden

• Reflect a place where people can talk about social and environmental issues 
• Sculptures representing healing from abuse. Wood carvings. 
• Flowers, plants, lighting, rocks
• Sacred medicines, or medicinal: cultural, tea, smudging, etc 
• Expand commemorations (remembrance of people) in the garden
• Objects/features that establish hope. Telling a story
• Symbolism 
• Fun Fact: Lakeshore psychiatric hospital used to have a green house in the exact same spot (as the healing garden is going to be) back in the day
• Can help people who are hurting and needing to heal 
• People of the community can help choose plants 
• Symbolism should be the focus so that no one feels that their personal trauma was not significant enough 
• Should consider plants that attract certain animals: ie. Birds, bees, butterflies 
• Place for workshops: for students and people hurting 
• Music in background: wind chimes, drum 
• Inspiration and hope that comes out of growth- a garden does this 
• Daily garden (treat big things in small ways) 
• Pressure on/from community to expand gardening 
• City funded garden 
• Garden to reflect the beauty and resilience of people undergoing transformation 
• Connected with 26 countries that will be represented 
• Our planet needs symbols that show we care about our communit 
• Texture, color, site, fragrance 
• Drums for people’s use- could be kept in the gatehouse when not in use. Gatehouse people connecting with healing garden people. 
• Waterfall-white noise, calming 
• Cover space? Meditations? 
• Can also think of a garden of different spaces and paths- one space invites you into another. Different spaces with different functions within the garden. 
• Labyrinth, hand sculpture wall (survivor monument project)

Community Brainstorming Suggestions - Produce Garden

• Both individual and communal plots (2/3 individual, 1/3 community?)
• Communal plots can end up selling produce to community
•  Section for teaching children
• Different types of gardens: butterfly meadow, herb garden, kitchen garden, field trips from daycares/schools
• Area for workshops-Gazebo, pavilion
• Campbell soup to possible contribute
• Raised beds for seniors-correctly measured plots for accessibility issues) Lots of literature/resources for seniors and gardening.
• Use recycled materials, collecting rainwater to cut down on city water, permeable paving which has storage underneath to collect water-environmental sustainability