Almost four years ago Cedar Cottage Community Garden (CCCG) issued an application to the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, proposing a community garden in an under-utilized southeast corner of John Hendry Park (Trout Lake).
Around the same time, in 2018, it was also announced that the Vancouver Affordable Housing Agency had plans to build on the current garden site, one block south of John Hendry Park. Initially, the CCCG only made use of land under the SkyTrain guideway, but the garden was invited to expand by the City in 2010 as part of a Winter Olympics initiative to increase community gardening within Vancouver.
Founded jointly by Vancouver Native Health Society, Vancouver Community Agriculture Network, and Cedar Cottage Food Network the CCCG has around 100 members.
At risk of losing their space entirely, the CCCG was counting on the John Hendry Park renewal project.
Late last week, the parks board announced its final draft for the John Hendry Park renewal and it did not include the 0.2 hectare community garden in its 27-hectares plans leaving many public supporters disappointed.
The CCCG is asking people to register to speak at the next Parks Board meeting when this plan will be presented to the commissioners for voting on Monday, May 16 as a "last ditch" attempt to save the garden, according to a media release.
The CCCG feels they have demonstrated to the Parks Board how well their model works. The group was an early adopter of the local food system action plan, complying with the Park Board’s plan since the garden’s inception in 2008, long before the plan was actually launched in 2021.
The latest plan for the John Hendry Park renewal cites reconciliation and open flexible spaces among its top priorities which the CCCG feels it fits into–offering family and communal plots with fruit trees, berries, herbs, and flowers for people to gather and enjoy in a safe space.
The renewal plans identify three reasons as to why they have not included community gardens:
1. The southeast section of the park that was proposed for a community garden has been allocated a cultural focus area which will reflect Indigenous values and needs. The indigenous-led planning and design team will identify what changes will be made, including to what extent food production is included.
2. The current Local Food System Action Plan (2021) is under review and alternative approaches to integrating food into parks are being explored such as food forests which may be more democratic than plot-focused community gardens.
3. Much of John Hendry Park is already considered programmed space and "open areas have become the surrogate living room" for people since the pandemic so unstructured open space must be maintained.
The parks plans are split up into different categories or layers:
- Culture which is aimed at reconciliation and cultural diversity and will have an Indigenous celebration centre.
- The water area that has protections in place for the lake a rainwater channel for neighbourhood run off, natural green space for ecosystems, pollinators, and local wildlife to thrive.
- Maintained relaxation spaces with seating, drinking water, and picnic shelters, activity spaces with playgrounds, sports fields and an off-leash dog park.
- Spaces for movement like running and walking trails and bike riding, as well as parking.
