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Published by City Farmer, Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture


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Report on Community
and Allotment Gardening
in the Greater Vancouver Region

April 1997

In partial fulfillment of:
Community Economic Development 404-5
Prepared by: Norm Connolly ID 93301-9731
nconnolly@dean.apsc.ubc.ca (Norm Connolly)

Prepared for:
Professor Mark Roseland, Simon Fraser University
and Michael Levenston, City Farmer
cityfarm@unixg.ubc.ca




A Survey of Community Gardens in the GVRD
April 1997

Scroll to the right to see more gardens.

City VancouverVancouverVancouverVancouverVancouver VancouverVancouverVancouverVancouverVancouverVancouverVancouverVancouver RichmondRichmondBurnabyBurnabyBurnabyBurnabyNorth VancouverNorth Vancouver West VancouverWest VancouverCoquitlam/PoCoPort CoquitlamSurrey Langley - DistrictLangley - CityNew WestminsterNew WestminsterDelta
Garden Name Strathcona Cottonwood Fraser Street Rogers Park Robson Park McSpadden Park Maple Street Cyprus Street Kitsilano Arbutus Victory Gardens University of British Columbia Universal Garden Banfield Pavilion Mole Hill - Nelson Park Richmond Allotment Garden #99 Backlands Study Area Northeast Burnaby Burnaby Allotment Garden Simon Fraser University North Burnaby Moodyville Queen Mary Navvy Jack Argyle West, Argyle East Colony Farm Elks Park Dunsmuir Gardens Walnut Grove Langley Family Services Queensborough - Port Royal Queensborough - Ewen Avenue Delta Recyling Society
Location South of Prior Street, west of Hawks Avenue South of Strathcona Park, along Malkin Avenue 7th Avenue and Fraser Street Between 7th and 8th Avenue, west of Manitoba Street St. George Street, between Kingsway and 13th Avenue South of 4th Avenue and West of Victoria Drive Adjacent to Arbutus rail ROW off Maple Street Adjacent to Arbutus rail ROW off Cyprus Street On city-owned lot on 6th Avenue west of Maple Street Between Arbutus rail ROW & East Boulevard, south of 49th Avenue Next to UBC Commons Block & Fairview Family Housing West of Heather Street, between 10th & 12th Avenue City block bounded by Pendrell, Comox, Bute, & Thurlow Street 10711 Palmberg Road, north of Steveston Highway Between Highway 99 & No. 5 Road, South of Blundell Road Beaverbrook Crescent, north of Stoney Creek Community School 5500 block of Meadow Avenue off Byrne Road ? Northwest corner of Pender Street and Ingleton Avenue North side of 1st Street, east of Lonsdale Avenue Corner of West Keith Street & Chestefield Avenue 200 Block of Bellevue Avenue, along waterfront and BCRail ROW Two sites: 1460 Argyle Avenue, 1534 Argyle Avenue, along waterfront Next to parking lot at end of Colony Farm Road Eastern portion of Elks Park along Mary Hill Road Blackie Spit Park at Semiahmoo Bay, southeast of Dunsmuir Road Along Walnut Grove Drive next to senior secondary school South of Douglas Crescent along 207th Street Eastern tip of Lulu Island, east of Furness Street North of Ewen Avenue, east of Lawrence Street 7046 Brown Street, Tilbury Industrial Park
Site visit and photo survey Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes . Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes . Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Interview with garden organizer . Yes Yes . Yes . Yes Yes Yes . Yes Yes . Yes . Yes Yes . Yes Yes Yes . . Yes Yes . Yes Yes Yes . Yes
Key contact information on file Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes . Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes . Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes . Yes
Type of garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Regional allotment garden ? Local community garden Regional allotment garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden Regional community garden Local community garden Regional community garden Local community garden Local community garden Local community garden ? Local community garden
Organization responsible for garden Strathcona Community Garden Society Strathcona Community Garden Society Mount Pleasand Neighborhood Gardeners Urban Diggers Urban Diggers Urban Diggers Maple Community Garden Association Cyprus Community Garden Association Kitsilano Community Garden Association ? University of British Columbia Vancouver General Hospital Horticultural Therapy Program Mole Hill Living Heritage Society Richmond Allotment Garden Association City of Richmond, Horticulture BC, and Farm Folk City Folk Northeast Burnaby Community Association Burnaby and Regional Allotment Garden Association ? Heights Neighborhood Association Moodyville Community Garden Association Queen Mary Community Garden West Vancouver Parks & Recreation Department West Vancouver Parks & Recreation Department Colony Farm Regional Park Community Gardens Society Port Coquitlam Community Gardens Society Dunsmuir Garden Group Rotary Club of Langley and Township of Langley Langley Family Services Queensborough Special Programs Committee ? Delta Recyling Society (DRS)
Non-profit organization Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Planned Planned ? Yes Planned Planned Yes ? Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Yes ? ? Yes Yes Yes Planned Yes Planned ? Yes
Stage of development Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Operational Development Operational Operational Operational Planning Planning Operational Planning Operational Operational Operational Development Operational Development Operational Operational Development Operational Operational Planning Operational Development Planning Operational
First growing year 1985 1991 1988 1994 1996 1995 1990 1996 1986 ? 1979, 1991 ? ? 1978, 1987 ? 1991 1975 ? 1997 1976 1997 1982 1992, 1993 1997 1996 1975 1997 1996 1998 ? 1996
Size of site 3.6 acres ? 100' x 122' ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 5 acres ? 3 acres 75 acres ? ? ? 60' x 100' 1 acre 2 acres ? ? 7 acres ? 3 acres ? ? ? ? ?
Previous land use on site Industrial landfill, park buffer Landfill and city yard works Private lot, then City park reserve City park land, next to community centre City park land, next to tennis courts City park land, next to tennis courts Reserve land owned by City Reserve land owned by City Residential lots managed by Vancouver Parks Department Reserve land owned by City University of British Columbia Family Housing Currently uses extended care ward & rooftop space Back yards and laneway in Nelson Park neighborhood Private land within Agricultural Land Reserve Agricultural Land Reserve Land owned by Trans Mountain Pipelines Agricultural Land Reserve ? Private lot, then vacant property held by City for development Private lot, then vacant property held by City for development Vacant City land next to Queen Mary Community School Land held by BCRail, Parks Deptartment, & Bellevue Apartments Vacant residential lots now managed by City Parks Department Agricultural Land Reserve, now part of GVRD Regional Park system Municipal park land Municipal park, private farm before Park area on slope overlooking tennis courts Meadow behind Langley Family Services Former industrial lands now being developed as residential development BC Hydro Utility ROW Vacant portion of lot occupied by DRS
Maximum number of plots 290 45 55 55 45 18 81 70 - 80 48 ? 84 ? ? 110 ? 100 374 99 40 28 Planned 1998 26 56 420 42 100 50 13 70 ? 24
Current number of members 200 60 ? ? ? ? ? ? 40 ? ? ? ? 95 ? ? ? ? ? 29 ? ? ? 55 26 ? ? ? ? ? ?
Average size of plot ? 10' x 12' 10' x 12' 8' x 10' 8' x 9' 8' x 8' 3' x 12' 3' x 12' 8' x 14' ? 8' x 10' ? ? 50' x 20' ? 10' x 10' 50' x 20' ? 10' x 10' 11' x 30' Planned 1998 ? ? 10' x 25' 10' x 12' 30' x 30' 8' x 8' 8' x 8' 6' x 10' ? 10' x 10'
Annual plot fee 5$ 5$ 10$ 10$ 10$ ? 15$ 15$ 20$ ? 15$ ? ? 40$ ? 20$ 40$ ? 10$ 26$ ? 25$ 50$ 15$ ? 25$ ? 15$ ? ? 25$
Membership fee 10$ 10$ n/a 5$ n/a ? n/a n/a n/a ? $10 deposit ? ? 5$ ? 5$ deposit 5$ ? n/a 40$ ? n/a n/a 10 ? 10 ? $15 deposit ? ? n/a
Empty plots None None None None Yes ? None Yes None ? None ? ? None ? Yes None ? None None Yes ? ? Yes Yes None N/A None Yes Yes Yes
Waiting list Yes Yes Yes Yes No ? No No Yes ? Yes ? ? Yes ? No Yes ? Yes Yes No ? ? No No Yes N/A ? No No No
Organic growing requirements Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory ? Mandatory ? Planned Encouraged ? Mandatory Encouraged ? Mandatory Optional Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory Mandatory ? Mandatory
Composting facilities on site Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes ? Yes ? Planned Yes ? Yes Yes ? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Planned Yes Yes Planned Yes Yes ? Yes
Free plots available for other non-profit groups Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes ? ? Yes Yes Planned No ? Yes No ? Yes Yes Yes ? ? Yes Yes Yes Planned Yes Yes ? Yes
Common area ammenities Orchard and bee hives; common herb garden; children's play area; greenhouse and tool shed, wildlife habitat and wetland; Kiwi arbour and Asian garden; fruit and nut trees; wildlife habitat; Environmental Youth Team garden; tool shed Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Fence; children's garden; allotments for Boy Scouts; common herb garden and picnic area Free plots available for local community groups and primary school Provides vegetables and herbs to community food kitchen; 5 plots reserved for physically or mentally challenged; Free plots available for local community groups and primary school Wheelchair accessible garden for physically challenged; plot for Dubrulle Cooking School; plot set aside for Food Bank ? ? ? ? Planned garden will continue to be part of horticultural therapy program; garden will be open to hospital patients and staff, as well as residents of surrounding community Integrated with planned Special Needs Facility, Community Daycare Facility, and Dr. Peter Hospice and Treatment Centre; integrated with affordable housing and heritage preservation initiatives n/a ? 10 plots donated to girl guides, brownees, pathfinders, cub scouts, and local kids club; 15 plots used by Stoney Creek Community School as part of education program Five plots are rented by group helping mentally challenged people ? Plots have been set aside for local elementary school; projects are being planned that will incorporate local art as part of the landscape; some raised beds will be available for physically challenged gardeners Plot set aside for physically or mentally challenged Compost bins, evergreen hedge, raised flower beds, compost bins, benches and gazebo; ultimate number of plots has yet to be determined ? ? Wheelchair accessible plots; common greenhouse and tool shed; plots allocated to Greenlinks Nursery and Douglas College; composting and permaculture workshops; natural plants to be introduced in wetland area Senior citizens' plot; plots for local Food Bank, Elizabeth Fry Society, Brownees, and Cherry Lane Daycare ? Possible site for municipal compost demonstration garden; garden will have horticultural therapy component; wheelchair-accessible plots; young adult community service plan Horticultural therapy program as part of Langley Family Services (LFS) Common area to include herb garden and fruit trees; vineyard and berry patch will also be planted; produce donations to Food Bank; community kitchen will receive a free plot ? Closely integrated with adjacent Delta Compost Demonstration Garden; common herb garden and native plant interpretive walk;
Current land tenure arrangement 5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years 5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years 5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years Original lease was 3 years, may be extended to 5-year lease Original lease was 2 years, may be extended to 5-year lease ? ? ? 12-month lease renewed annually ? Long-term arrangement with Unversity of British Columbia Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Parks & Recreation Land owned by City Of Vancouver Yearly lease arrangement with landowner ALR land administered by City of Richmond ? Land donated to community garden association by Trans Mountain Pipelines ? Yearly lease arrangement with City of Burnaby Lease expires Sept 1997, may be renewed on a yearly basis Not formalized yet, but will likely be long-term arrangement Yearly lease arrangement with Parks Department Yearly lease arrangement with Parks Department Perpetual tenure as long as Colony Farm LFS operates 5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years 5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years Township of Langley Parks & Recreation Department Perpetual tenure as long as LFS operates Yearly lease arrangement with Parks Department ? Perpetual tenure as long as DRS operates
Prospects for continued operation during next 24 months Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good ? Very Good n/a n/a Very Good n/a Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Uncertain Very Good Uncertain Uncertain Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good Very Good n/a Very Good






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Revised April 22, 1997

Published by City Farmer
Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture

cityfarm@unixg.ubc.ca