Canada: 10-acre community garden in rural Waterloo Region sprouts up to combat food insecurity
There are about 1,000 people currently waiting for garden space in urban areas across the region
By Seyitan Moritiwon
The Record
June 12, 2023
Excerpt:
“(The) community garden is seen as being really important from a health benefits standpoint, but also from a social benefit,” Jones said. “We’re facing a lot of food insecurity. We’re facing the risk of people feeling disenfranchised. And life is so hard.”
There are about 1,000 people currently waiting for garden space in urban areas across the region, according to the Waterloo Region Community Garden Network.
In a May 2022 article in the Waterloo Chronicle, Jones talked about upwards of 98 gardens across the network that operate independently and autonomously for the most part, with about 1,500 people.
He said the regional garden network works with local municipalities and groups like KW Urban Harvester and Young City Growers to expand the number of community gardens and increase opportunities for people who want to grow food.
In the fall of 2022, the garden network rented 10 acres of land at 1418 Notre Dame Dr., Petersburg from the owners of the land and then rented those acres of land to about 15 groups and individuals.
