The document summarizes the stories of several community garden programs in Edmonton, Canada from 1997-2009. It highlights the strengths and challenges of each garden in starting up and maintaining operations over time. It also describes Edmonton's community garden network which now supports over 60 active garden sites through the efforts of various partner organizations and a dedicated grant program. The document emphasizes that community gardening is about building relationships and meeting community needs.

3. … it’s all about
the people

4. Strengths
- Funded program
APFA - Staff continuity
Community Garden
- Strong community
1997-2008
partnerships
- Youth volunteers
Started with
- Agency managed Challenges
- Infrastructure in place - Not open to the
(water, toilets) general public
- Sandy soils - No $$ for compost
- No fencing - Burnout

5. … the APFA Story
• Community garden programs can respond
to community identified issues
• Sustainability is linked to Agency’s capacity
to maintain the program
• Open up to the community could reduce
burnout

6. … it’s all about
the people

7. Strengths
African - Initial funding
- Skills supports
Immigrants - Respond to unique
Community Garden community need
1996-2000
Started with Challenges
- Agency/Municipal - Funding stopped
partnership - Leadership supports
- No Infrastructure in - Site Location
place - Relationship issues
- Reclaimed site
- No fencing

8. … the African Immigrant Story
• Community gardening breaks down
barriers to building relationships
• Location…Location…Location – getting
off to a good start is important
• Some communities require on-going
supports until there is sufficient capacity

9. … it’s all about
the people

10. Strengths
- Strong garden
leadership
St Albert - Initial investments
Community Garden adequate
1999 - - Agency support
when needed
Started with Challenges
- Agency program - Land Tenure
- Water in place - Insurance
- Industrial site - Leadership change
- No fencing - Garden size
- Local champion

11. … the St Albert Story
• Community development process
creates a strong, sustainable community-
owned program
• Persistence and strategic persuasion
will overcome adversity

12. … it’s all
about the
people

13. Strengths
- Municipal mentored
Our Urban - Core garden
Eden leadership
- Community pride
Community Garden
and ownership
1999 -
Challenges
Started with - Land Tenure
- Municipal downtown - Leadership
revitalization program renewal
- Downtown vacant lot - Oversubscribed
- No infrastructure
- Local champion

14. … the Our Urban Eden Story
• Community development process
creates a sustainable community-owned
program
• In their hearts and minds, gardeners
own the land … be mindful about land
tenure
• Municipality’s best intentions can be
expensive and undermine ‘community
ownership’

15. … it’s all
about the
people

16. Strengths
- Municipal mentored
GGGT - Unique garden
Community Garden organization
1999 - - Resourceful
leadership
- Summer staff
Started with - Supports >28 sites
- Municipal /
Community partnership
Challenges
- Gardener Skills
- Housing Complexes
- Transportation
- Some infrastructure in
place - Shoe string budget

17. … the GGGT Story
• Community development process
creates a sustainable community-owned
program
• On-going community development
supports as needed
• Volunteer senior citizens offer skills
training and supports

18. … it’s all
about the
people

19. Strengths
- SPIN model
- Staff & funding
Immigrant Sr. - Skills training
Garden Project
2007 -
Started with Challenges
- Agency program - Transportation
- Community garden - Municipal policies
sites - Gardener
engagement in the
community garden

20. … the Immigrant Sr’s Story
• Community development … a work in
progress
• Social Enterprise activities on municipal
land supported by City

21. … the Edmonton story
+

22. … the Edmonton story
+
- Not for profit society - $30K organizational
- Part time staff support to CGN
- Manages City New - $30K support for new
Garden Grant community gardens
- Mandate: network,
promote, support,
advocate, create

23. … the Edmonton story
+ =
A community garden in every neighborhood
-- Joint strategy to support community gardens
-- Roles and responsibilities defined for City, City
staff and CGN
-- City policies and procedures aligned
-- Aim for ‘cookie cutter’ template

24. … the Edmonton story
+ =
New Gardens
-- Build leadership capacity
-- Project planning, land tenure, City parks/ planning
approvals
-- Neighborhood support, partnership agreements,
insurance
-- Terms for garden participation, decision making

25. … the Edmonton story
+ =
On going supports to existing gardens
-- Leadership capacity
-- Group governance
-- Sustainability

26. … the Edmonton story
Edmonton - 2009
1000% - 64 active sites
- Operated by 38
growth independent
community
since organizations
1997 - $11.1K/site
& Area
- 5 active sites

27. … the People’s story
- Food safety and accessibility
- Connect to nature
- Physical health
- Local food economy

28. Community
gardening …

29. … it’s all about
the people

30. Susan Penstone
www.VoicesOfTheSoil.org
www.edmcommunitygardens.org