WHEREAS on June 19, 2017 the Downtown Community Neighborhood Association (DCNA) partnered with Equal Grounds Community Garden (EGCG) and volunteers from both associations, along with students from central public school, installed Brantford's 33rd garden (at the time) the at Central School located at 135 George Street; and
WHEREAS the school expansion in 2020 required the community garden to be removed; and
WHEREAS this garden not only provided food for the downtown community but created a safe place for those to turn to, it built a community of passionate community members who tended to the garden a sense of belonging and it provided the students at central public-school with education, pride and accomplishment as they helped implement, tend to and harvest the seeds at the end of season; and
WHEREAS food insecurity is at an all-time rise before the pandemic and certainly as continued to rise during and after the pandemic; and
WHEREAS the DCNA goal is to alleviate food insecurity for downtown members and for 222 children that are fed through Gifts of the Heart along with the 45 families we support during the week. The gardens provides hope, community, belonging and a place to turn to for food; and
WHEREAS both the DCNA and the Gifts of the Heart are committed to ensuring no food goes to waste and will work together with the downtown community to tend to the gardens and rescue all un used food before it spoils to break down and process in order to use in our children's lunches; and
WHEREAS recent playground upgrades provides the DCNA with an excellent location for re-establishment of the community gardens that were lost in 2020; and
WHEREAS the DCNA through EGCG will complete and submit the application form to the Community Garden Committee (2023 deadline April 1, 2023) and, if approved, enter into a Community Garden License Agreement for the 2024 growing season; and
WHEREAS to accommodate the proposed community gardens, appropriate water servicing complying to City Standards is recommended;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
- THAT following approval from the Community Garden Committee, City Staff BE DIRECTED to construct a park service complete with meter chamber and parks service box; and
- THAT City Staff BE DIRECTED to engage and retain appropriate professional Contractor and to fund these costs, estimated to be $25,000, from the Council Priorities Reserve RF0558.