Garden plans get underway
Port Moody residents invited to a meeting Tuesday for new garden
Residents are invited to a meeting Tuesday (March 26) to discuss the community garden planned for the Port Moody Police Department.
Photograph by: NOW , file
It will be the first of its kind in B.C., and now Port Moody residents are invited to take part in an information session on the proposed community garden for the city's police station.
The meeting to discuss the Port Moody Police Department Community Garden is set for Tuesday, March 26 at 7 p.m. at the force's headquarters, at 3015 St. Johns St.
Tabitha McLoughlin, with the Coquitlam Farmers Market Society, said the evening will be an opportunity for the group to meet with people and provide answers to a slew of questions from interested residents.
The group will also discuss the garden plot layout, volunteer opportunities and items they're hoping will be donated.
"It's very exciting to actually be at the point now where we can take it to the community and see this come to fruition," McLoughlin told The NOW, adding there has been plenty of interest from people in the community who want to get involved.
Right now, the plan is to build the garden on the field beside police headquarters, offering 50 plots.
It would be the first community garden attached to a police station in the province.
The garden site would also contain on-site composting and host regular workshops.
The plan is to start building the raised beds in April, spread soil and build a compost area.
McLoughlin estimated the total cost to start the garden would be between $20,000 and $30,000, noting the society is looking for sponsors, but has also successfully secured donations and grants to help pay for the project.
The society originally planned to build a temporary community garden on land located at the northeast corner of St. Johns and Barnet Highway.
Coquitlam businessman and former council candidate Fred Soofi donated the land for the original garden for two years of use.
Last spring, the group asked the city to waive the temporary-use permit application fee and 50 per cent of the costs to bring water to the site, estimating the two requests totalled more than $4,000. The society received $10,000 worth of grants from other sources to construct the garden.
Council voted in favour of sending a temporary-use application for the garden to the city's land use committee in June for more analysis.
But when the police approached the group about starting a garden at the station, the other location was dropped.
For more information on the community garden, contact
