The community garden at the corner of Victoria Street and Seventh Avenue has produced its last harvest.
Recycling and Environmental Action Planning Society (REAPS) executive director Terri McClymont said the site was temporarily loaned to the society by Integris Credit Union. The garden, which planted its first crops in 2009, was built with temporary and moveable planters to allow them to be relocated when the credit union needed the site back.
"It's been a great partnership with Integris. We had about 90 gardeners yearly," McClymont said. "It's been a great project for the community."
The gardeners came from social agencies and business groups downtown.
All the planters at the garden were made of repurposed materials, including old garbage cans and barrels painted by art students through a partnership with Studio 2880.
All the tools, planters, benches and other materials will be donated to other community groups and community gardens, McClymont said.
"We have about 13 different organizations that are going to benefit from the [dismantling] of the garden," she said. "[The painted barrels] are being donated to Studio 2880 or the Salvation Army, we're not sure yet. The VLA enhancement society that just formed is taking all our tools. We still have composters to give away, if there are groups that want them."
McClymont said at this point, REAPS has no plans to look for a new community garden location, but is willing to share information about how to set up and organize one with any group looking to start.
For Walter Bavis, who grew vegetables in the garden for the last two years, the garden has been a place to socialize, stay active and help supplement his food budget with fresh vegetables. Bavis, who lives on disability assistance in an apartment downtown, said without the community garden he couldn't grow his own vegetables.
"It's nice to have your hand in and grow stuff. You know where your produce is coming from," Bavis said. "It's better for you. [And] once you get into it, you want more."
Bavis said he was able to grow enough produce to share tomatoes and cucumbers with his neighbours.
Workers from nearby businesses come and sit in the garden on their coffee breaks, he said, and many of the regulars know and talk to each other.
"It was just a nice way to spend a few hours a month," Bavis said. "It's going to be sad for it to go, if we can't find something else. I'm on disability, and the older lady I garden with... we can't go far."
Bavis said he appreciates the credit union needs the land, and thanked them for allowing the garden to be there. But he hopes some other property owner downtown will consider a establishing a community garden in the area.
"We need another patch of land," he said. "I'm going to miss that place..."
A spokesperson for Integris Credit Union was unavailable for comment.
