Regional Supports for Community Gardens Waterloo
Published October 27, 2008
I commend the Region of Waterloo on their forthcoming support of Community Gardens in the Regional Official Plan (ROP)!
Community gardens provide many benefits to the Region of Waterloo (The Region). Rising costs of food, a growing demand for local produce, and with an increasing pressure on rural lands, community gardens are an attractive alternative source of food for urban residents. Combined with these trends, community gardens also create more than just a place to grow food. They can provide low cost green space and recreational activities for residents, improve air quality, increase biodiversity, and allow for groundwater recharge. They also help build community by creating safer, more positive community spaces for individuals to meet, gather, and connect with each other and with nature.
Although the Region of Waterloo has an abundance of gardens it is also one of the fastest growing areas in Ontario. Plans for increased densification combined with the current limited access to land in the downtown core, infrastructure, land security, as well as issues of Not in My Backyard all pose challenges to community gardens.
Although, the new ROP focuses on reurbanization and densification for the region over the next 20 years, the new ROP does make strides in recognizing the need for support of urban agriculture and community gardens. It is however important to ensure the promised support to community gardens is what is best for existing and future garden developments. To ensure this the community gardeners of The Region would like the following pieces to be a part of this support:
- redirect some of the municipal funds for urban parks to aid in the development and maintenance of community gardens
- provide infrastructure supports such as water, compost, and top soil as needed
- map out potential sites within the city and prioritize and protect them for community garden use
- plan new developments with community gardens in mind
- set a community garden standard of at least one garden for every 2500 households
- offer incentives to individuals starting up gardens as well as developers, community centres, and faith groups who provide space for community gardens
- ensuring community gardens are allowed in all zoning types and that gardens are protected from confiscation in areas of high growth
The revised ROP offers promising support for community gardens. I however encourage the Region to ensure the support for community gardens promised in the ROP results in the land, resources, and local policy to keep community gardens thriving in the Region of Waterloo.
Sincerely,
Community gardens provide many benefits to the Region of Waterloo (The Region). Rising costs of food, a growing demand for local produce, and with an increasing pressure on rural lands, community gardens are an attractive alternative source of food for urban residents. Combined with these trends, community gardens also create more than just a place to grow food. They can provide low cost green space and recreational activities for residents, improve air quality, increase biodiversity, and allow for groundwater recharge. They also help build community by creating safer, more positive community spaces for individuals to meet, gather, and connect with each other and with nature.
Although the Region of Waterloo has an abundance of gardens it is also one of the fastest growing areas in Ontario. Plans for increased densification combined with the current limited access to land in the downtown core, infrastructure, land security, as well as issues of Not in My Backyard all pose challenges to community gardens.
Although, the new ROP focuses on reurbanization and densification for the region over the next 20 years, the new ROP does make strides in recognizing the need for support of urban agriculture and community gardens. It is however important to ensure the promised support to community gardens is what is best for existing and future garden developments. To ensure this the community gardeners of The Region would like the following pieces to be a part of this support:
- redirect some of the municipal funds for urban parks to aid in the development and maintenance of community gardens
- provide infrastructure supports such as water, compost, and top soil as needed
- map out potential sites within the city and prioritize and protect them for community garden use
- plan new developments with community gardens in mind
- set a community garden standard of at least one garden for every 2500 households
- offer incentives to individuals starting up gardens as well as developers, community centres, and faith groups who provide space for community gardens
- ensuring community gardens are allowed in all zoning types and that gardens are protected from confiscation in areas of high growth
The revised ROP offers promising support for community gardens. I however encourage the Region to ensure the support for community gardens promised in the ROP results in the land, resources, and local policy to keep community gardens thriving in the Region of Waterloo.
Sincerely,
Signatures
Sign the petition
29
Signatures
Goal: 100,000
Or
RSS Feed
Download Petition
© 2002-2012 Petitionspot. All Rights Reserved.