Community gardening meeting; October 7th

Community gardening sub-committee meeting, Fairfield Community place, October 7th, 6pm.


In attendance: Annie Widerman, Fran McArthur, Kimberly Snider, Chloe Markgraf, Nashira Birch, Erika Verlinden, Daniel Fraikin
Regrets: Henry Kitchell and Courtney Robinson

Firstly we discussed the possible sites. Robert Porter Park, at the far side corner of Kipling and Fairfield was the most favoured site. We decided to follow through with the city and this site in planning a community garden there.

We then discussed outreach. Henry, although he was unable to attend, is working on a pamphlet to hand out to people. Erika is working on a sign up sheet and paper survey. Erika is also heading the canvassing project and will be giving everyone some materials, forms, a survey and a ‘rap’ to canvass with. A date was set on Thursday October 15th at 6pm, to practice canvassing and receive materials. We will begin canvassing direct neighbours and other areas on Monday October 19th. It was also decided that a central email address would be created for the project, it is: fairfieldcommunitygardens@gmail.com, and all those interested would have access to checking and using the email. In addition we decided to create a blog, as a reference site. Chloe and Nashira will create the blog.

We also discussed Moss Street Market. Moss Street Village has a table there this Saturday and we will be using that table to talk about the gardening initiative. We discussed different ideas on what to do there. We will have the paper survey available, as well as the sign up sheet. We will also have an interactive survey regarding what design model people would like to see. As well we will have a Naming contest, which will likely be ongoing for a few weeks, although we will take people’s suggestions at the market. And we will have a suggestions board for people’s ideas and visions. Nashira volunteered to be there in the morning and Fran in the afternoon, Annie and Chloe will be there intermittently throughout the entire day and there will be 2 people at the booth for the market at all times.

Next we discussed a meeting that I was having the following morning with Doug Demarzo of City of Victoria parks. He wished to know the exact site so we could get official approval for the site and go ahead with a proposal. To report on the meeting as well, it was a success and we have been granted that permission by the parks division to go ahead with an official proposal. He confirmed that they will indeed put in a water line and provide water.

Finally we talked of else who to contact. Leadership Victoria was on the list, as was SJD and Margaret Jenkins, including PAC for both schools. Volunteer Victoria was another idea, as was contacting Central Middle School to involve youth. Nashira volunteered to investigate Central.

The next meeting will be on Thursday October 15th at 6pm, at the Fairfield Community Place, 1330 Fairfield Road, come ready to role play about canvassing and discuss further initiatives.