Vancouver Community Gardens

The Vancouver Community Gardens are a group of community gardens located around the Vancouver area. Vancouver citizens involved in Community Gardens pledge to support the farm (via money, land or labour) and in turn receive a portion of the goods produced for personal use. Vancouver has over 75 community gardens in city parks and school yards.[1]

Davie Street community garden Vancouver BC Canada

Process of becoming a Community Garden in Vancouver

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The process of becoming a community garden involves an expression of interest application to the City of Vancouver. In order to be considered a community garden, the garden must grow crops for personal use, there must be a community development program and must increase biological diversity and educate the local community about food production.[2]

 
Cypress Community Garden Vancouver BC Canada

The city also supports the development of the community gardens by helping groups establish and run community gardens, help locate suitable land, make agreements to use the land, and develop environmental education programs.[2]

Once approved, the community is allowed to operate the community garden according to the guidelines set by the City of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Government

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Farms and food processing businesses can apply to receive financial funding and support (up to 85% of projects) from the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture through its Growing Forward 2 Program.[3] [4] Urban Beekeeping was included in the urban agriculture bylaw as acceptable in the year 2005.,[5] while this law changed to include backyard chickens in 2010.[5] Based on these policies, the City of Vancouver is now working toward achieving a goal in which 25% of the city's landscape is garden/farm land for edible produce.[5]

Benefits of Community Gardens

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Community gardening, East Vancouver

Community Gardens have been shown to enhance nutrition and physical activity and promote the role of public health in improving the quality of life.[6] The gardens have also been associated with community building and reduced crime rates. These results vary by city, however there are some important key elements that are common among successful community gardens.

  • Leadership and Staffing: The city should provide adequate staffing and resources for the community as requested. This is especially crucial in the initial stages where the land is being transformed into a garden
  • Volunteers and Community Partners: The involvement of the community is vital for the garden to thrive. This usually comes in the form of diverse volunteers from residences, schools, or businesses.
  • Skill-Building Opportunities: Gardening workshops provide opportunities for residences to develop skills in leadership, community organizing, cultural competency, and program planning.

Products Produced by Vancouver Community Gardens

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The Climate of Vancouver is moderate and typically rainy; this allows for a large number of fruits and vegetables to be grown throughout the year. The following is a list of products available to various Community Gardens in Southwest British Columbia:

Vegetables

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Dec-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Aug Sept-Nov
Beets Asparagus Artichokes Artichokes
Brussels Sprouts Beets Green Beans Beets
Cabbage- Red; Green Broccoli Beets Broccoli
Carrots Carrots Broccoli Brussels Sprouts
Kale Cauliflower Cabbage Cabbage
Leeks Celery Carrots Carrots
Onions Swiss Chard Cauliflower Cauliflower
Parsnips Fennel Celery Swiss Chard
Potatoes Kale Corn Corn
Rutabaga Lettuce Swiss Chard Celery
Squash Mustard Greens Cucumbers Cucumbers
Turnips Onions Fennel Fennel
Peas Garlic Garlic
Potatoes Kale Kale
Radishes Leeks Leeks
Rhubarb Lettuce Mustard Greens
Salad Greens Mustard Greens Lettuce
Spinach Onions Onions
Squash Parsnips Parsnips
Tomatoes Peppers Peppers
Turnips Potatoes Potatoes
Zucchini Pumpkins Pumpkins
Rhubarb Radishes Radishes
Rutabaga Rutabaga
Salad Greens Salad Greens
Shallots Spinach
Spinach Squash
Tomatoes Tomatoes
Turnips Turnips
Zucchini Zucchini

[7]

 
2010 Davie Street community garden tomatoes

Fruit

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Dec-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Aug Sept-Nov
Apples Gooseberries Apples Apples
Kiwis Saskatoon berries Apricots Blueberries
Pears Strawberries Blackberries Crab apples
Blueberries Cranberries
Cherries Grapes
Crabapples Kiwi
Cranberries Melons
Melons Pears
Nectarines Plums
Peaches Prunes
Pears Strawberries
Plums
Plums
Prunes
Raspberries
Rhubarb Saskatoon Berries
Strawberries

[7]

Chickens and Eggs

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While, in 2010, it became legal for individuals and communities to raise backyard chickens in Vancouver, certain guidelines do need to be followed.

  • A maximum of 4 hens (no roosters), 4 months or older, is allowed per lot is allowed.
  • Ducks, turkey, fowl and livestock are not allowed.
  • Eggs, meat and manure cannot be used for commercial purposed (must only be consumed/used by group or individuals heading the garden).
  • Backyard slaughtering is not allowed.
  • Hens must be registered with the city. Registration is free and can be done online.

[8]

 
Backyard chicken coop with green roof

Honey

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A number of Vancouver CSAs now involve or specifically focus on beekeeping and honey production. Organizations like Vancouver Honey Bees, Hives for Humanity and Strathcona Beekeepers focus specifically on supplying urban community gardens and community centres with the supplies needed to engage in Urban beekeeping.[9] [10] [11]

List of Community Gardens in Vancouver

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  • organized alphabetically

Gardens in City Parks

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Community Gardens in Vancouver City Parks
Name Location
Adanac Park Adanac St and Boundary Rd
Beaconsfield Park East 16th Ave and Slocan St
Brewers Park [approved] East 26th Ave and Victoria Dr
Cambridge Park (Wall Street) Cambridge St and Wall St
Cambie Park 500 West 54th Ave
Charleson Park 999 Charleson
China Creek North Park (Means of Production) East 6th Ave and St Catherines St
China Creek South Park East 10th Ave and Clark Dr
Cottonwood Malkin Ave, between Chess & Raymur St
Guelph Park (Brewery Creek) 2390 Brunswick St
Jonathan Rogers Park (Elisabeth Rogers) West 7th Ave and Manitoba St
Kingcrest Park East 26th Ave and Knight St
McSpadden Park East 5th Ave and Victoria Dr
Mount Pleasant Park West 15th Ave and Ontario St
Nelson Park 1030 Bute St at Nelson St
Pandora Park East Hastings St and Nanaimo St
Riley Park East 30 Ave and Ontario St
Riverfront Park East Kent Ave S and Chandlery Pl
Robson Park East 14th Ave and Kingsway
Sahali Park East 8th Ave and Fraser St
Slocan Park [approved] East 29th Ave and Atlin St
Stanley Park Robson St at Lost Lagoon
Strathcona Hawkes Ave and Prior St
Tea Swamp Park East 15th Ave and Sofia St
Woodland Park 705 Woodland Dr

Gardens on City Land

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City land can include some community centres and personal properties (households/apartment complexes).

Community Gardens on Vancouver City Land
Name Location
Arbutus Victory East Blvd,between West 50th to 57th St
Cedar Cottage Community Garden Under Skytrain near Hull St and Victoria Dr
Chester's Field Community Garden Chester St and East 37th Ave
Cheyenne 2755 Cheyenne Ave
China Creek Housing East 8th Aveand Keith St
City Hall Lawn Garden West 10th Ave and Cambie St
Copley Commons Copley St and Vanness Ave
CROWS Point Community Garden Vanness Ave and East 24th Ave
Cypress Community Garden West 6th Ave and Cypress St
Dundee Community Garden 5395 Dundee St
Horley Community Orchard 2753 Horley St
John McBride Garden West 1st Ave and Wylie St
Kerrisdale East Blvd and West 60th Ave
La Cosecha East Broadway and Clark Dr
Ladybug East 8th Ave and Commercial Dr
Maple Community Garden West 6th Ave and Maple St
Means of Production East 6th Ave and St Catherines St
M.O.B.Y Commercial Dr and East 11th Ave
Pine West 6th Ave and Pine St
Horley Community Orchard 2753 Horley St
John McBride Garden West 1st Ave and Wylie St
Kerrisdale East Blvd and West 60th Ave
La Cosecha East Broadway and Clark Dr
Ladybug East 8th Ave and Commercial Dr
Maple Community Garden West 6th Ave and Maple St
Means of Production East 6th Ave and St Catherines St
M.O.B.Y Commercial Dr and East 11th Ave
Pine West 6th Ave and Pine St
Purple Thistle Gardens 1200 Parker St,1100 Vernon Dr, and 1100 Charles St
SEFC Community Garden 215 W 1st Ave
SPEC Cambie Communal Garden West 10th Ave and Cambie St
Still Creek Community Garden Kaslo St and East 28th Ave
UP! Elgin East 37th Ave and Elgin St
The Village on False Creek West 1st Ave and Columbia St
World in a Garden 7249 Cypress St

References

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  1. ^ "Join a community garden in your neighbourhood | City of Vancouver". Vancouver.ca. 2020-02-21. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  2. ^ a b "The page you're looking for can't be found | City of Vancouver". Vancouver.ca. 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  3. ^ "Farm Folk City Folk". www.farmfolkcityfolk.ca. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Strengthening Farming Homepage". www.agf.gov.bc.ca. Archived from the original on 27 October 2005. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  5. ^ a b c "Urban agriculture strategies and guidelines in Vancouver | Food Secure Vancouver". foodsecurevancouver.ca. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  6. ^ Twiss, Joan (2003). "Community Gardens: Lessons Learned From California Healthy Cities and Communities". American Journal of Public Health. 93 (9): 1435–1438. doi:10.2105/ajph.93.9.1435. PMC 1447988. PMID 12948958.
  7. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-07-14. Retrieved 2022-02-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Learn the rules for backyard chickens, and register your chickens with the City | City of Vancouver". Vancouver.ca. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  9. ^ XZW (2020-02-07). "Strathcona Beekeepers". Strathconabeekeepers.blogspot.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  10. ^ "community beekeeping | VANCOUVER HONEYBEES is a community-based initiative dedicated to the sustainable management of bees and beehives in urban areas. Providing local bee stock, cedar topbar hives, educational opportunities, and support with natural beekeeping". Vancouverhoneybees.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  11. ^ "Hives for Humanity teaching beekeeping in Vancouver's poorest district | Honey Bee Zen". www.honeybeezen.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
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Community Supported Agriculture: