Growing together

Garden to build community spirit

A NEW GARDENING initiative in Willowdale will feed mouths, educate the community and allow neighbours to get to know each other, say local residents.

Located in a vacant lot adjacent to the historic John McKenzie House near Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue, volunteers spent the day on May 23 planting Parkview Neighbourhood Garden.

“We’re taking a piece of city land that was not doing much, and we’re creating something interesting and beautiful there,” said Filion, who got the idea for the garden after reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan. The book is about how local food is beneficial to communities and the environment.

Rhubarb, lettuce, beets, corn, zucchini, tomatoes and a variety of fruit, such as raspberries, will grow in the garden, which is composed of four planting beds.

Filion said four gardening experts will work with 50 volunteers weeding, watering and harvesting the food.

Irene Relph, one of the volunteers on the project, said the garden will bring people together while feeding hungry mouths at the same time.

“Many people in this neighbourhood, in condos and apartments, do not have access to fresh produce,” she said. “And perhaps if they could get out there and grow things and give back to the community, if we can, it would create community purposeness and togetherness.”

Volunteers also plan to sell the fresh produce from the garden at a stand out front, with the proceeds going back into the project.

The city funded the garden as part of the Clean and Beautiful initiative.

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