Community gardens to bloom under Richmond Hill's new garden policy

YorkRegion.com
July 21, 2017
Teresa Latchford

Kevin Krille grew up in the country where you grew your own vegetables and herbs, if you had the land to spare.

He and his wife Jana now live in Richmond Hill, and while they have converted a portion of their driveway and lawn to use as a garden, it still isn’t enough to grow what is needed to feed their soon-to-be family of four.

“If you grow your own, it’s not only more fresh, but a fraction of the cost of what you pay at the store,” he said. “It’s how I grew up and want my son to grow up.”

After some thought, the family decided to rent a plot at Richmond Hill’s only allotment garden located at Phyllis Rawlinson Park on Leslie Street. This town-owned garden is divided into plots for rent where residents who live in condos or apartments or don’t have land space at home can still enjoy growing produce, herbs and flowers.

Last year, the Krille family planted, weeded, watered and harvested from a 10-by-10-foot plot, but this year, they jumped up to a 10-by-20-foot plot to grow kale, spinach, tomatoes, beans, celery, herbs, cucumbers and corn.

“It’s kind of a family outing when we all go together,” he said. “Not only that, it’s social and you learn from others in the garden.”

Currently there are 61 gardeners in this public garden and 60 more residents on the waiting list to rent plots. There are also three collective gardens in town where all of the volunteers tend to the entire garden.

With Richmond Hill anticipating the development of a new allotment garden and four collective gardens within the next five years, town council unanimously approved a new community garden policy in order to provide consistent support that is fair and equitable.

“The town will provide support for the initial set up of the allotment gardens,” natural environment manager Ann Marie Farrugia said in a presentation to council.

This will include site selection, soil testing, water access, fencing and raised beds, if needed. Ongoing support will include tilling, water and the handling of the application and agreement process.