The Chemainus Community Garden officially opened Friday, Aug. 22, with songs, speeches and gratitude, marking a new step for local food security. The celebration began with live music and an Indigenous welcome acknowledging Stz’uminus and Penelakut connections, setting a tone of collaboration and community.
Mayor Rob Douglas and Councillor Chris Istace attended the event. Douglas called the garden “a lush, healthy vegetable garden that’s not only going to help some of our most vulnerable members of our community, but it supports our municipality’s larger goals around food security and local food production.”
Douglas praised the volunteers and organizations behind the project, noting that their proposal was unanimously supported by council.
“You folks made the decision so easy for council. You brought forward this very thoughtful, well-designed concept. It was unanimously approved at the council table with very little debate,” he said.
Community organizer Kate Marsh traced the garden’s roots to an application for a permanent community garden site, a process that will take time. Rather than wait, the group pursued this temporary location to ensure residents could access fresh food this summer. She credited donated materials, skilled labour and countless hours of volunteer effort for making it happen.
Several speakers highlighted the behind-the-scenes work of volunteers who built the raised beds in the summer heat, creating an accessible space for gardeners of all abilities.
For Clara, a local resident who uses a mobility walker, the benefits are already clear.
“It’s so exciting. For one thing, it’s at a good level. I could even sit on [my walker] and just comfortably pick whatever I want,” she said. “It’s like having salad in my yard.”
Brian Johnson of Johnson Contracting, who provided equipment, labour and expertise, said the project reflects the strength of community and spoke to why he got involved.
“I just saw Kate’s Facebook post and our goals were aligned in providing sustainable food options for my community. I can’t think of a better reason to get involved in that,” he said.
For Johnson, supporting the garden is part of a broader belief in giving back to the place you live.
“Any successful community has a core group of people prepared to give 10% of their time, 10% of their money, and 10% of their energy towards something bigger than themselves,” he said. “You can’t do everything. But you can pick a few things that you’re good at that you can do and focus on that.”
While the garden currently sits on a temporary site behind the Chemainus Library, Douglas said council is exploring long-term options, including the former Chemainus Elementary School property.
The project is a collaboration between the Cowichan Neighbourhood House Association, Chemainus Harvest House Food Bank and Food First Chemainus. Council approved a one-year licence-of-use agreement for the municipally owned site at 9800 Willow St. in June, allowing the group to get growing while a permanent garden proposal is considered for the former Chemainus Elementary School property on Elliott Street.
Four of the 20 raised beds are reserved for Cowichan Neighbourhood House and Harvest House to support their food programs, with the remainder available to the wider community.
Marsh hopes this year’s harvest will inspire even more support, noting the strong turnout and praise from community members and municipal representatives at the opening.
“We can’t do anything alone,” she said. “Citizens need to get involved behind councillors that share their values, and this is what can happen when they do.”
Comments are closed.