Listen, we know that condo or apartment living has so many perks. There’s just something about having additional security, condensed living, and having your condo board handle the dirty work (like parkade cleaning, fire inspections, maintenance… you name it). But let’s get real—a lot of the time, when living in a condominium, we sacrifice having an outdoor area to call our own. Sure, you may have a small balcony for your sunbathing and people-watching pleasure, but there’s not much else you can do out there… like grow your own vegetable garden. Luckily, there’s a fix for that. Edmonton is home to over 90 community gardens. You heard that right—NINETY. And we’re here to tell you all about what they are and how you can get involved.
What is a community garden?
First things first, we recognize that some of you may not even know what a community garden is. In a nutshell, a community garden is a public vegetable garden in a neighbourhood, led by a large group of people in a community. Just like its name, community gardens are operated by community members. Meaning, you usually have to be an active member of your neighbourhood and its community league in order to get access. Not only are community gardens useful for those who don’t have a space to grow their own greens at home, but it also promotes local, organically grown food, a healthy lifestyle, recreation for all ages and community building! The best part? A lot of the time, others from the neighbourhood can enjoy the beautiful garden themselves. But don’t worry, the vegetables you don’t have to share your greens— the vegetables you grow yourself are yours to keep. There’s often a small fee associated with getting your own plot in a community garden. At Oliver Community Garden, it’s only $40/year for a plot + the annual Community League membership. As a side note, we definitely recommend becoming a community league member in your area, because it often comes with awesome perks, like discounts, magazine deliveries, free admission to events, and more.
Where can I find a community garden in my area?
There are several ways you can get started, but let us name a few:
- You likely already know what neighbourhood you live in. Simply Google it and see if your community league has a community garden!
- The next step is to check out the City of Edmonton Community Garden Map. The City already has everything covered with an up-to-date map filled with website and contact information.
- Once you find a community garden in your area, you’ll likely need to reach out to its Community League to see if there’s any available plots in their garden. At the very least, you can usually sign up to get on the waiting list!
- And if you can’t find anything in your area, don’t fret. There’s often pop-up community gardens in Edmonton! In 2019, there were 29 pop-up gardens in our city.
- If you still can’t find any community gardens in your proximity, that’s when it’s time to contact the City of Edmonton.
Get involved with Edmonton community gardens
Start your own community garden
Our city wants you to go green. So if you have any questions at all, you can easily contact the Community Greening Coordinator by emailing communitygardens@edmonton.ca or by calling 311 to ask anything you need in regards to starting a garden project in Edmonton. And what’s more—the City of Edmonton even has grants that you can submit if you’re wanting to start a community garden of your own.
Support in other ways
We get it. Not all of us have a green thumb. And that’s okay—many people get involved by providing land, seeds, plants or tools, or even by volunteering to help build the gardens. If that’s something that seems up your alley, be sure to send an email to the Community Greening Coordinator to see how to get involved, or contact your local community league directly.
You can also support by donation, too. Donate here! You can donate on behalf of yourself, a family member, or someone who has passed.
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