Published by City Farmer, Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture

Report on Community
and Allotment Gardening
in the Greater Vancouver Region

April 1997

In partial fulfillment of:
Community Economic Development 404-5
Prepared by: Norm Connolly ID 93301-9731
nconnolly@dean.apsc.ubc.ca (Norm Connolly)

Prepared for:
Professor Mark Roseland, Simon Fraser University
and Michael Levenston, City Farmer
cityfarm@unixg.ubc.ca

A Survey of Community Gardens in the GVRD
April 1997

Scroll to the right to see more gardens.

City	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Vancouver	Richmond	Richmond	Burnaby	Burnaby	Burnaby	Burnaby	North Vancouver	North Vancouver	West Vancouver	West Vancouver	Coquitlam/PoCo	Port Coquitlam	Surrey	Langley - District	Langley - City	New Westminster	New Westminster	Delta
Garden Name	Strathcona	Cottonwood	Fraser Street	Rogers Park	Robson Park	McSpadden Park	Maple Street	Cyprus Street	Kitsilano	Arbutus Victory Gardens	University of British Columbia	Universal Garden Banfield Pavilion	Mole Hill - Nelson Park	Richmond Allotment Garden	#99 Backlands Study Area	Northeast Burnaby	Burnaby Allotment Garden	Simon Fraser University	North Burnaby	Moodyville	Queen Mary	Navvy Jack	Argyle West, Argyle East	Colony Farm	Elks Park	Dunsmuir Gardens	Walnut Grove	Langley Family Services	Queensborough - Port Royal	Queensborough - Ewen Avenue	Delta Recyling Society
Location	South of Prior Street, west of Hawks Avenue	South of Strathcona Park, along Malkin Avenue	7th Avenue and Fraser Street	Between 7th and 8th Avenue, west of Manitoba Street	St. George Street, between Kingsway and 13th Avenue	South of 4th Avenue and West of Victoria Drive	Adjacent to Arbutus rail ROW off Maple Street	Adjacent to Arbutus rail ROW off Cyprus Street	On city-owned lot on 6th Avenue west of Maple Street	Between Arbutus rail ROW & East Boulevard, south of 49th Avenue	Next to UBC Commons Block & Fairview Family Housing	West of Heather Street, between 10th & 12th Avenue	City block bounded by Pendrell, Comox, Bute, & Thurlow Street	10711 Palmberg Road, north of Steveston Highway	Between Highway 99 & No. 5 Road, South of Blundell Road	Beaverbrook Crescent, north of Stoney Creek Community School	5500 block of Meadow Avenue off Byrne Road	?	Northwest corner of Pender Street and Ingleton Avenue	North side of 1st Street, east of Lonsdale Avenue	Corner of West Keith Street & Chestefield Avenue	200 Block of Bellevue Avenue, along waterfront and BCRail ROW	Two sites: 1460 Argyle Avenue, 1534 Argyle Avenue, along waterfront	Next to parking lot at end of Colony Farm Road	Eastern portion of Elks Park along Mary Hill Road	Blackie Spit Park at Semiahmoo Bay, southeast of Dunsmuir Road	Along Walnut Grove Drive next to senior secondary school	South of Douglas Crescent along 207th Street	Eastern tip of Lulu Island, east of Furness Street	North of Ewen Avenue, east of Lawrence Street	7046 Brown Street, Tilbury Industrial Park
Site visit and photo survey	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Interview with garden organizer	.	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	.	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	Yes
Key contact information on file	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	.	Yes
Type of garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Regional allotment garden	?	Local community garden	Regional allotment garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Regional community garden	Local community garden	Regional community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	Local community garden	?	Local community garden
Organization responsible for garden	Strathcona Community Garden Society	Strathcona Community Garden Society	Mount Pleasand Neighborhood Gardeners	Urban Diggers	Urban Diggers	Urban Diggers	Maple Community Garden Association	Cyprus Community Garden Association	Kitsilano Community Garden Association	?	University of British Columbia	Vancouver General Hospital Horticultural Therapy Program	Mole Hill Living Heritage Society	Richmond Allotment Garden Association	City of Richmond, Horticulture BC, and Farm Folk City Folk	Northeast Burnaby Community Association	Burnaby and Regional Allotment Garden Association	?	Heights Neighborhood Association	Moodyville Community Garden Association	Queen Mary Community Garden	West Vancouver Parks & Recreation Department	West Vancouver Parks & Recreation Department	Colony Farm Regional Park Community Gardens Society	Port Coquitlam Community Gardens Society	Dunsmuir Garden Group	Rotary Club of Langley and Township of Langley	Langley Family Services	Queensborough Special Programs Committee	?	Delta Recyling Society (DRS)
Non-profit organization	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Planned	Planned	?	Yes	Planned	Planned	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Planned	Yes	Planned	?	Yes
Stage of development	Operational	Operational	Operational	Operational	Operational	Operational	Operational	Development	Operational	Operational	Operational	Planning	Planning	Operational	Planning	Operational	Operational	Operational	Development	Operational	Development	Operational	Operational	Development	Operational	Operational	Planning	Operational	Development	Planning	Operational
First growing year	1985	1991	1988	1994	1996	1995	1990	1996	1986	?	1979, 1991	?	?	1978, 1987	?	1991	1975	?	1997	1976	1997	1982	1992, 1993	1997	1996	1975	1997	1996	1998	?	1996
Size of site	3.6 acres	?	100' x 122'	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	5 acres	?	3 acres	75 acres	?	?	?	60' x 100'	1 acre	2 acres	?	?	7 acres	?	3 acres	?	?	?	?	?
Previous land use on site	Industrial landfill, park buffer	Landfill and city yard works	Private lot, then City park reserve	City park land, next to community centre	City park land, next to tennis courts	City park land, next to tennis courts	Reserve land owned by City	Reserve land owned by City	Residential lots managed by Vancouver Parks Department	Reserve land owned by City	University of British Columbia Family Housing	Currently uses extended care ward & rooftop space	Back yards and laneway in Nelson Park neighborhood	Private land within Agricultural Land Reserve	Agricultural Land Reserve	Land owned by Trans Mountain Pipelines	Agricultural Land Reserve	?	Private lot, then vacant property held by City for development	Private lot, then vacant property held by City for development	Vacant City land next to Queen Mary Community School	Land held by BCRail, Parks Deptartment, & Bellevue Apartments	Vacant residential lots now managed by City Parks Department	Agricultural Land Reserve, now part of GVRD Regional Park system	Municipal park land	Municipal park, private farm before	Park area on slope overlooking tennis courts	Meadow behind Langley Family Services	Former industrial lands now being developed as residential development	BC Hydro Utility ROW	Vacant portion of lot occupied by DRS
Maximum number of plots	290	45	55	55	45	18	81	70 - 80	48	?	84	?	?	110	?	100	374	99	40	28	Planned 1998	26	56	420	42	100	50	13	70	?	24
Current number of members	200	60	?	?	?	?	?	?	40	?	?	?	?	95	?	?	?	?	?	29	?	?	?	55	26	?	?	?	?	?	?
Average size of plot	?	10' x 12'	10' x 12'	8' x 10'	8' x 9'	8' x 8'	3' x 12'	3' x 12'	8' x 14'	?	8' x 10'	?	?	50' x 20'	?	10' x 10'	50' x 20'	?	10' x 10'	11' x 30'	Planned 1998	?	?	10' x 25'	10' x 12'	30' x 30'	8' x 8'	8' x 8'	6' x 10'	?	10' x 10'
Annual plot fee	5$	5$	10$	10$	10$	?	15$	15$	20$	?	15$	?	?	40$	?	20$	40$	?	10$	26$	?	25$	50$	15$	?	25$	?	15$	?	?	25$
Membership fee	10$	10$	n/a	5$	n/a	?	n/a	n/a	n/a	?	$10 deposit	?	?	5$	?	5$ deposit	5$	?	n/a	40$	?	n/a	n/a	10	?	10	?	$15 deposit	?	?	n/a
Empty plots	None	None	None	None	Yes	?	None	Yes	None	?	None	?	?	None	?	Yes	None	?	None	None	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	None	N/A	None	Yes	Yes	Yes
Waiting list	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	?	No	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	?	Yes	?	No	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	No	?	?	No	No	Yes	N/A	?	No	No	No
Organic growing requirements	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	?	Mandatory	?	Planned	Encouraged	?	Mandatory	Encouraged	?	Mandatory	Optional	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	Mandatory	?	Mandatory
Composting facilities on site	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	?	Yes	?	Planned	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Planned	Yes	Yes	Planned	Yes	Yes	?	Yes
Free plots available for other non-profit groups	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Planned	No	?	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Planned	Yes	Yes	?	Yes
Common area ammenities	Orchard and bee hives; common herb garden; children's play area; greenhouse and tool shed, wildlife habitat and wetland;	Kiwi arbour and Asian garden; fruit and nut trees; wildlife habitat; Environmental Youth Team garden; tool shed	Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Fence; children's garden; allotments for Boy Scouts; common herb garden and picnic area	Free plots available for local community groups and primary school	Provides vegetables and herbs to community food kitchen; 5 plots reserved for physically or mentally challenged;	Free plots available for local community groups and primary school	Wheelchair accessible garden for physically challenged; plot for Dubrulle Cooking School; plot set aside for Food Bank	?	?	?	?	Planned garden will continue to be part of horticultural therapy program; garden will be open to hospital patients and staff, as well as residents of surrounding community	Integrated with planned Special Needs Facility, Community Daycare Facility, and Dr. Peter Hospice and Treatment Centre; integrated with affordable housing and heritage preservation initiatives	n/a	?	10 plots donated to girl guides, brownees, pathfinders, cub scouts, and local kids club; 15 plots used by Stoney Creek Community School as part of education program	Five plots are rented by group helping mentally challenged people	?	Plots have been set aside for local elementary school; projects are being planned that will incorporate local art as part of the landscape; some raised beds will be available for physically challenged gardeners	Plot set aside for physically or mentally challenged	Compost bins, evergreen hedge, raised flower beds, compost bins, benches and gazebo; ultimate number of plots has yet to be determined	?	?	Wheelchair accessible plots; common greenhouse and tool shed; plots allocated to Greenlinks Nursery and Douglas College; composting and permaculture workshops; natural plants to be introduced in wetland area	Senior citizens' plot; plots for local Food Bank, Elizabeth Fry Society, Brownees, and Cherry Lane Daycare	?	Possible site for municipal compost demonstration garden; garden will have horticultural therapy component; wheelchair-accessible plots; young adult community service plan	Horticultural therapy program as part of Langley Family Services (LFS)	Common area to include herb garden and fruit trees; vineyard and berry patch will also be planted; produce donations to Food Bank; community kitchen will receive a free plot	?	Closely integrated with adjacent Delta Compost Demonstration Garden; common herb garden and native plant interpretive walk;
Current land tenure arrangement	5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years	5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years	5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years	Original lease was 3 years, may be extended to 5-year lease	Original lease was 2 years, may be extended to 5-year lease	?	?	?	12-month lease renewed annually	?	Long-term arrangement with Unversity of British Columbia	Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver Parks & Recreation	Land owned by City Of Vancouver	Yearly lease arrangement with landowner	ALR land administered by City of Richmond	?	Land donated to community garden association by Trans Mountain Pipelines	?	Yearly lease arrangement with City of Burnaby	Lease expires Sept 1997, may be renewed on a yearly basis	Not formalized yet, but will likely be long-term arrangement	Yearly lease arrangement with Parks Department	Yearly lease arrangement with Parks Department	Perpetual tenure as long as Colony Farm LFS operates	5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years	5-year lease with option to renew for additional 5 years	Township of Langley Parks & Recreation Department	Perpetual tenure as long as LFS operates	Yearly lease arrangement with Parks Department	?	Perpetual tenure as long as DRS operates
Prospects for continued operation during next 24 months	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	?	Very Good	n/a	n/a	Very Good	n/a	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Uncertain	Very Good	Uncertain	Uncertain	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	n/a	Very Good

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