Spring Has Sprung at the New Community Garden in Lockview Park
May 26, 2017
Photo provided by LEV8 Low Level Aerial Photography & Media
Port Colborne, ON - The new Lockview Park Community Garden will spring to life on the evening of June 7, 2017 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. as friends and families gather to sow seeds and enjoy a free bar-b-q by Tender Cuts. Lockview Park is located between Chestnut Park and Lakeshore Catholic High School. Everyone is welcome.
This will be the first growing season for the new garden, with the harvested fresh produce benefiting the Port Cares Reach Out Centre food bank. Members of the community can sign up for a plot, volunteer, or simply enjoy a hot dog and the company of their neighbours.
“There will be fun activities for kids and we invite them to come and decorate the plots,” said Sarah Lacharity, organizer of the community garden. “The bar-b-q is free but we do encourage people to bring non-perishable food donations for the food bank.”
The Reach Out Food Centre typically supports 600 people every month, a third of which are children under the age of 18. The food bank goes through approximately 15,000 pounds of food each month, including 1,000 pounds of produce which is donated to the food bank by local grocers, farmers, individual donors and existing community garden plots like the one at Lockview Park. Fresh produce is vital to a healthy diet and it’s especially difficult for families on fixed incomes to incorporate enough of it into their diets.
“We simply could not serve those in need in our community without the abundance of community support Port Cares Reach Out Centre receives. We truly appreciate the efforts of Raw Materials Company and Marine Recycling Corporation,” said Christine Clark Lafleur, Executive Director, Port Cares.
During the off season, Jordan Elliott of Marine Recycling Corporation was busy growing a variety of vegetables for the new garden using a product called Iron Earth. Iron Earth is a soil re-mineralizer that contains 76 organically bound earth elements. Not to be confused with fertilizer, Iron Earth is an organic soil conditioner and plant food that restores the vital nutrients consumed by plants after each growing season.
“We’re so impressed with this product and we can’t wait to see the expression on everyone’s face when they see how far along these seedlings are,” said Jordan Elliott. “At this rate, we’ll have tomatoes by July!”
Iron Earth joins the City of Port Colborne, Tender Cuts, Marine Recycling Corporation and Raw Materials Company as the latest corporate sponsor of the community garden. The company has generously donated enough soil re-mineralizer for each plot.
The Port Cares Reach out Centre serves the communities of Port Colborne and Wainfleet and is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12:30 - 3:30 p.m. at 61 Nickel Street in Port Colborne.