Live Green Toronto met with Parks & Rec Staff without us. Together, they rewrote the grant budget and ordered us to transfer most of the grant to Parks & Rec and expected us to still do all the paperwork and reports. Plus we would be held responsible to pay back the grant if we didn't fulfill the original proposal. This was a catch 22 for us, as the project had changed drastically, cutting out the community involvement that was key to us obtaining the grant in the first place.
We decided we didn't want to do this and declined the grant.
Ravina Community Garden's grant application to Live Green Toronto has been approved, giving us our first garden project.
In keeping with the Live Green mandate, the application includes an educational/demonstrative plot, a children's plot, a youth plot, and community vegetable plots. The main focus of this project is to support local students and educators, and to establish a section of the community garden for their use.
Educational/demonstrative plot:
This space will be dedicated to the creation of a model garden plot that educators may utilize for workshops, new gardeners can learn from to create their own home gardens, and where gardeners are encouraged to stretch their imaginations and incorporate new and innovative gardening techniques. This plot is here to encourage stewardship vs ownership of the land and the produce from this plot will be donated to local programs in need.
Children's plot:
This space is for the little ones to get their fingers in the soil and learn through experience. We intend to grow many plants that can be eaten straight from the vine and grow lots of children's favourites plus new, exciting plants. Local schools have expressed interest in hosting their garden and green clubs at the community garden and we are providing space for this opportunity as well as space for all of the children in the community to design and plant their own garden.
Youth plot:
This plot will be alongside the children's plot and be devoted to older youth's with more gardening experience and slightly more advanced gardening aspirations.
Community vegetable plots:
The remainder of the raised container beds will be devoted to community food production and this produce will be shared amongst the garden members and used for garden potlucks. Any surplus will be donated.
A great big thank you goes to the wonderful people at Live Green Toronto and to our amazing trustee, Greenest City. With your combined support, we are moving forward towards our long range goal of creating a sustainable, vibrant, and inclusive Community Garden here in Ward 13.
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