The Rotary Garden Collective is urging Saskatoon city council to delay its 29-day eviction notice, citing the garden’s community value.
SASKATOON — The Rotary Garden Collective, a group of community gardeners, is pleading with city council to reconsider the administration’s 29-day eviction notice, which ends Aug. 21.
The city says the land is contaminated and needs to be restored to reverse environmental damage. However, the group believes the real reason they have been asked to vacate is to avoid litigation with Imperial Oil, which originally contaminated the site.
The Garden Collective, led by co-coordinator Miki Mappin, is urging council to reconsider the sudden decision, adding that while urban renewal is necessary, community-led projects like theirs should also be prioritized.
“Urban renewal is about more than land and buildings. It is about communities and the activities that unite and sustain them. I thank all the work that has been done supporting the Rotary Community Garden by city employees,” said Mappin.
“I thank our neighbours, unhoused and housed, friends, funders, local organizations and members of the public. Their support has been surprising. Our impact has been greater than we imagined. I acknowledge that in Treaty 6, we are all treaty people.”
She added that she took over the role of one of the garden co-ordinators after the Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership ended its lease on the lot, and she began negotiations with the city for a new partnership.
“The supply of water and the support of city employees have been crucial. For those of us who garden there, it is an example of constant negotiation between many stakeholders for the right to use land that truly belongs to none of us,” said Mappin.
She said community projects like theirs build the city’s social fabric. They believe the eviction letter justifies the cruelty of the decision, rather than the reasons given to save costs and improve efficiency.
In addition to the eviction, the Garden Collective will no longer be allowed to garden at the site in the future, and Optimist Park and the surrounding neighbourhoods of Pleasant Hill and West Industrial do not have enough green space for a community garden.
Mappin, who lives in Pleasant Hill, said she has seen the garden’s impact in serving nearby neighbourhoods with fresh produce and providing a welcoming, beautiful space where diverse people gather and share a passion for gardening.
The Garden Collective has accumulated more than $25,000 in materials and infrastructure, including raised plant beds, a shed, irrigation equipment, compost, and six years of community labour and seasonal crops. They will lose everything if the eviction proceeds without a plan. The group submitted a petition with about 150 signatures, expressing willingness to work with the city to find alternative solutions.
The collective also submitted four requests: delay eviction until after this year’s harvest, support their continuation nearby, assist with storage and relocation, and include them in planning for the site.
The administration has expressed openness to finding solutions but emphasized cost savings due to Imperial Oil’s offer to perform remediation. They were unclear, however, about how to support the garden immediately, such as helping to save the current harvest. City council also acknowledged the garden’s value in maintaining strong community connections.
A motion was passed directing city staff to explore storage options, alternative nearby locations, and ways to involve the collective in future planning for the remediated land. While no solution has been presented and the garden’s fate remains uncertain, both council and the administration say they want to continue discussions to avoid the complete loss of the garden and the bonds it has built in the neighbourhood.
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