About
The Strathcona Rail Community Garden was founded in 2009 on a piece of land belonging to the City of Edmonton.
The land was formerly leased by a group of private citizens for gardening purposes, and in 2009 it was formerly converted to park land.
As of 2011, there are currently about 45 gardeners from the communities of Strathcona Centre, Garnea and Queen Alexandra.
History: The location is between 105th and 106th Street and 86 Avenue approximately. This land has been used as a garden space for over 25 years. Large lots were leased to individual lessees. The land was recently redesignated for the purpose of a community garden. Public meetings, inviting the long term gardeners and potential new gardeners, were held in 2009 to start the process of creating a new community gardening group. There was much interest generated and the new garden group was created. 2009 was our first year as an official Community Garden in Edmonton. The garden is now named the Strathcona Rail Community Garden and has an operating Board and several committees in place to take on varying responsibilities. The committees are as follows: financial committee, site plan and design committee, social committee, education committee, resource committee, plot allocation committee, communications committee, common area maintenance committee, water committee, compost committee, grant application and fundraising committee and a reclamation committee. The Steering Committee created a gardening agreement, terms of reference, mission statement, vision statement as well as norms and values that the Steering Committee will work from.
In the fall of 2009 we received a 3 year start up grant from the Community Garden Network for $5,000.
The fee for gardening with our group was $10.00 the first year.
At our AGM in March 2010 we voted to increase our fee to $20.00 per plot.
Mission Statement
Strathcona Community Garden’s mission is to provide gardening opportunities and education for members committed to the work and enjoyment involved by providing support, structure and governance.
Vision Statement
Our Strathcona Community Garden vision is for a place of beauty and serenity, where people of all ages can share in the great contentment of gardening. It’s a place for learning healthy, sustainable ways of producing food and flowers in cooperation with others. This garden is an asset to the community.
Values of the Community Gardeners
Responsibility: dedicated to the community, fellow gardeners for maintaining the garden; dedicated to continuous improvement of the garden;
Respect: for each member’s contribution and needs; respect for land, others and self; eating good organic food; respect for other’s opinions
Integrity: in relationships in the group and in interacting with others
Stewardship: keeping the garden sustainable; the idea of putting back into the soil and taking care of the land
Co-operation: Sharing resources and knowledge; working together for common benefit;
Empowerment: the garden and gardeners empower each other to be self- sufficient and know they are capable of achieving success. Especially in these difficult economic times, we need to be able to do things for ourselves;
Generosity: sharing of wisdom, education and food;
Reciprocity: Sharing is not necessarily the same or equal, but all the gardeners know they are supported for mutual benefit.
Optimism: Belief in the possibilities of the garden.