Community Gardens

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• Engagement Summary

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  Oak Street Food Forest Expansion Engagement Summary  

  Why we engaged  

  This project would add an additional 200 metres of space along the southeast side of the current community garden. In accordance with the City’s current Community Gardens Policy, public engagement with residents and stakeholders was required prior to a permit for expansion being issued.

  How we engaged  

  A survey was published on Get Involved Kingston for community members to provide feedback on the proposed expansion and accessibility. The survey was open from Nov. 20 to Dec. 12. It was promoted on social media, the Get Involved Kingston newsletter and through printed flyers distributed to community garden coordinators, garden users and residents in the area.  

  Who we heard from  

  • 99 engaged participants completed the survey 

  • 359 aware participants visited the project page  

  • 27 unique postal codes were represented in the feedback

  Next steps 

  This feedback will be collected and considered to inform the possible Oak Street Food Forest expansion in 2024.

  What we heard  

  Staff reviewed feedback shared in the open response questions to better understand the opinions of survey participants and three high level themes were identified.

  Support for the expansion and more gardens: Most comments (84) expressed enthusiasm for the expansion, community engagement, social interaction, and the positive impact this expansion could have on bringing people together, as well as the desire for similar initiatives in other areas of the city.

  Advocacy for local food production: Some comments (22) focused on food security, local food production, and sustainability, highlighting the importance of producing fresh, accessible food within the community.

  Suggestions for improvement and accessibility: Some comments (25) are regarding maintenance, accessibility, and the equitable distribution of resources and include suggestions for better management, signage, lighting, education, and strategies to prevent waste and ensure fair access to produce. They also express support for increased accessibility, whether through paved pathways, ramps, low-cut branches, or clear pathways for those with limited mobility.

  Verbatim feedback 

  The following are a list of comments submitted by registered Get Involved Kingston participants. Feedback that did not follow the City of Kingston's Guidelines for Participation were omitted from the feedback.   

  Do you have feedback specific to the proposed expansion at Oak street community garden?

  1. It’s a fantastic idea. The oak street gardens and food forest are a wonderful addition to our community. Let them expand all they want. We need more spaces like this all over the city
  2. It's a good plan, but my concern is for the privacy of the homes that back onto that area. Many don't have privacy fences because they were not necessary due to the bushes providing privacy.
  3. I think it is a wonderful plan and am excited to see it come to fruition!

  4. Good idea - would be great to have more communication so that folks from outside this area know about this garden where "fruits, nuts, and berries from the forest can be picked by anyone."

  5. Avoid using any track-mounted vehicles that may damage the existing asphalt pathway's surface. ensure drainage from the future tree plantings does not pool on the existing pathway

  6. I don't live near here or use it, but I have biked by and it's a lovely little spit. I approve of the expansion of the garden to improve the local community and encourage better social engagement for those that use it

  7. The expansion is a great idea. We should plant more 'food'-bearing trees and vegetation on City property throughout the City.

  8. Sounds amazin' to me. Do the expansion.

  9. I am in favour of a expanded community garden

  10. Yes, its a great plan

  11. If it further helps out the Kingston community, I agree with the expansion

  12. yes: the more space given to such endeavours the better!

  13. Its a GREAT idea to expand

  14. I think it is an excellent idea.

  15. I did not know about the project. However, I am extremely impressed and I believe the expansion makes good sense. Great work!

  16. I strongly support community gardens and welcome the orchard extension as vital to moving our community towards climate crisis resilience.

  17. I am in favour of the expansion. I would like to see educational signage in the area to describe best-use practices for the health of the garden.

  18. I think it's a great idea and should be expanded to other open land.

  19. I fully support the expansion. Kudos to the people the maintain and organize this garden, it's a pleasure to walk by.

  20. In general the idea is GOOD, However in Europe decent size ( piss ant raised boxed gardens can not grow enough for a family of one but nice to teach children) garden plots that are able to grow fresh foods might get people motivated be more social,get fresh air, physical active, have fresh food and share with their neighbours plus may add a little pride in life.

  21. I am a frequent user of the path that runs through the garden and I live nearby in the apartments on Leroy Grant Drive. I fully support this expansion and encourage further expansions of the Oak street community garden.

  22. Sounds great!

  23. I fully support the additional space for this community garden/orchard and believe that as much space as possible, across all of Kingston, be offered to community gardens.

  24. I think any additional food forest space is a great idea

  25. I am in favour of the proposed expansion at Oak Street Community garden and only see it benefiting the community.

  26. I think it is a wonderful idea. Good to make Kingston more food secure with local solutions.

  27. I love this and want to see more urban gardens and urban forests added to the city

  28. I think it's a great idea, I'd like to see more productive, food-bearing tree planted.

  29. I support the proposed garden expansion

  30. I think it’s a good idea

  31. I think it is a great idea

  32. I think an expansion is a very tiny step forward in helping get fresh fruits on to the plates of kingstonians

  33. This is a terrible location for a garden. Leroy Grant Drive needs to be connected! We have so much available land in this city, why are we putting gardens in the Right of Way where a road is supposed to be providing a vital connection in the center of the city? Currently a lot of cars cut through the residential neighbourhood; Finishing Leroy Grant Drive will allow traffic to bypass the residential area. There is a currently a 2km wide gap in our street grid at the worst possible point (directly in the middle of the city) and instead of doing the serious thing and fixing our city, we are pandering to the privileged few who have time to pursue hobbies on public land.

  34. I am in support of the expansion!

  35. I think it's a fabulous idea, and very much needed.

  36. The existing trees need help. I suggest the trees be spaced further apart for future growth and harvesting. I suggest a local fruit tree farmer be asked for input before proceeding. I hope there are lessons learned from the initial orchard garden. What types of fruit trees will be planted and why? I suggest that older fruit trees be planted. this is a long term project -who will maintain it?

  37. the more community garden space in the city the better.

  38. Even more trees please. This is a great initiative. If the plan for Leroy grant extension ever comes to fruition please acquire the empty factory land instead of destroying the farms and paths.

  39. NOTHING EXCEPT THAT I AM SO HYPE FOR THIS IDEA

  40. Great idea

  41. I think it is a great idea.

  42. I fully support expanding the community orchard. Not only will this provide a local source of fresh food, but it will also help to capture and store CO2 emissions. A very productive and beneficial use of greenspace!

  43. Fully support this!

  44. What a great idea the food forest that is already there has been amazing to watch grow. Why do we not have more projects like this all over the city?

  45. expansion is a good idea as it is a community hub. Having park benches and a gazebo would be nice as well

  46. There are several tangible benefits to the expansion of the Community Orchard including: 1. increase in knowledge of varieties of fruits and nuts capable of growing in the kingston area, by the thousands of Kingstonians who use the recreation trail bordering the Orchard, 2. growth in the Community of Practise of volunteers who share and learn to maintain the orchard; the growing, preparation and preserving of local produce, 3. greater scope for the preservation of heritage / historical varieties grown in Upper Canada, 4. an increase in a fresh and varied food source for those who suffer from food insecurity.

  47. The more of these growing spaces the better our city

  48. Any additional green space especially if it's able to produce local food for the community is a great idea!

  49. We fully support the proposed expansion.

  50. It is a good project, land provides food, shade and trees help the climate.

  51. Would love to see it!

  52. Love it, love it, love it!

  53. I think this is a great proposal, promoting Food Accessibility and Food Equity

  54. I live in Kingscourt. My neighbour, my sister and her friends have all had plots in this public space over the years and have given up as ALL the produce in their plots has been removed overnight at some point. Apparently nearby neighbours have witnessed a truck coming at night to raid the plots, not just to access the area designated as free to all. Gardeners are more than willing to share, but having an entire bed of potatoes removed at once is selfish pillaging of food grown by families to feed their children. By all means, expand the garden but this problem needs resolving. I garden in my backyard.

  55. More garden and produce is way better than less. I am a steady customer at the Lovin'Spoonful Garden at the Calvin Park Library for 2 years; and it is a blessing

  56. I enjoy the food forest at the Oak Street Community Garden, as it is a nice place to go and gather some fruit. Expanding it would be great. I'd like to see the addition of Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) trees, which are a native fruit. They require multiple trees to cross-pollinate, and seedlings bear fruit in a few years. Other new plants I'd like to see are cold-hardy fig trees, as well as native Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). Rhubarb is such an expensive product at the store, but can be easily grown with enough space. I'd add more rhubarb plants to the site. If there aren't any Serviceberry trees already, I'd add some of those, too. Some native roses would be a good source of rose hips which can be used to make syrup and jelly. Perhaps a grape arbour, too? This could provide a shaded seating area for foragers and volunteers. I don't know if Persimmons and Medlars are cold-hardy here, but they would be a lovely addition, if possible.

  57. This would be a valuable addition to the existing food forest. In addition to contributing fruit it would also provide improved habitat for birds. The food forest is also an attractive addition to the border of the walking path through the area.

  58. I think it is a good idea to expand the community orchard space.

  59. I’m for this! It’s a great stop on our daily walks and the expansion would help with food security issues. I love seeing the various produce and colours in the spring and summer

  60. Great idea

  61. Completely against it! This land was intended as an extension of Leroy Grant Boulevard, and it should not be turned into gardens and orchards for a small segment of the community.

  62. My brother is slowly recovering from multiple strokes. His memory and cognitive skills were affected. He relies on this garden. Any expansion is good.

  63. I would be supportive of the expansion

  64. I live in the neighbourhood and take walks almost daily through this garden

  65. I am very excited by the prospect of more greenspace in this area that would also double as a food source for the community.

  66. I think it would be useful to add signs/labels (or a map) to the garden. Right now it is very hard to tell which plant is which. It would also be good to add the best practices for harvesting.

  67. I believe that the Community Garden Expansion may not be particularly beneficial for the residents of Kingston. It would be prudent to allocate our limited budget towards more essential improvements.

  68. I support it

  69. I think this is a wonderful idea. It has the potential to include more members of the community at large to be involved with the gardens and food forest.

  70. Yes I think its a great Idea I wish the City did stuff like this on the east side of Kingston.

  71. Good idea. Encourage persons living in shelters to participate.

  72. Yes

  73. I totally support the expansion Yes

  74. I love the idea of expanding it! More fruit for all!

  75. I think it is a great idea. The more local food we can produce here the better. Keep costs down so people can afford to eat healthier.

  76. Great idea. Utilize free space to create better food security

  77. It is a good idea to expand Oak Street Community Garden. It provides food for our community members, is accessible for many people and helps to build cohesion and caring

  78. I live immediately beside the food forest. I am glad that the food forest is there, but have been a little dismayed at the lack of upkeep. My concern is that the organizers and people who implemented the food forest, and its further expansion, don't have the time or inclination to really care for it, tending to it only rarely, hoping that others will volunteer to help with it and finding few souls who actually do. Thus, whether it will be successful in the long term is an open question because of this disconnect between the idea (a good one, in my opinion) and its actualization.

  79. I think it's great! I live near the garden and I love walking by and seeing the plants. I'm so glad the city is providing more space for trees and growing food in an urban setting.

  80. This seems like a good project, given the guidelines for community gardens in Kingston. I do think that the need and consequences of co-existing with pollinating insects should be considered

  81. This expansion is great news for our community! So pleased to hear that the first few years' growth have merited expansion. I love how vibrant this space is becoming in our neighbourhood.

  82. I think it's a great idea.

  83. I support the expansion of the Oak Street Garden because a food forest make so much sense. Growing healthy food locally for the community to share helps citizens who are struggling to afford nutitious produce and encourages members of the community to get involved with gardening which has postiive effects on mental and physical health. Growing food locally is also an enviornmentallyfriendly choice

  84. Just that I support its expansion.

  85. Yes, I think the expansion should go forward, but it should be increased to 400m due to the delay since the primary planting.

  86. I think the more trees, community access to community gardens and little forest, fruit trees the better

  87. Expand we need to feed those without

  88. I think it's a great idea! I walk by all the time. I am a member of the Oak Street Community Garden and it is a valuable resource to my community. I value it highly.

  89. I would like to note a few concerns with the Oak Street Community garden and the impact on the public and the unprivileged. For many years as I pass the garden I have noticed the access of food that goes to waster in the community garden areas. While I understand these areas are divided and given to community members, there are still plots that extend beyond the garden that will let rows of tomatoes, eggplants, kale and many more foods just go to waster without being picked until ruined by the cold weather. Given the poverty and need for access to food for many members there needs to some policy in place before considering such an expansion. An idea that has been agreed by many members is a timeline when gardeners must declare that food from their plots can be picked by those in need or volunteers or just community members passing by to reduce food going to waste. While some plants are kept for growth the next year, there is still rows and multiple patches that go without use or access to those in need in their surrounding. For example, I have often seen a few homeless individuals pass the area and pick at gardens wither without knowing or just for the need of getting food, so in order to reduce theft from gardens, we can offer a time or schedule that that if gardeners know they will be away or before it gets cold, they can offer up their plot to public picking or a policy that they must donate to charity and not allow rows and rows of food to go to waste. If this proposed expansion is for the better of the community we must consider the issues of food accessibility and waste at the garden before moving forward. While the expansion is a decent solution for the future, there is still food going to waster year after year as it is not being picked and the gardeners are ignoring to give that food back to the community if they are not going to use it, this is most evident when you walk around the garden by the end of Fall. Thank you for considering my concerns above and taking time to take action.

  90. In total support

  91. The community orchard is a great asset to our neighbourhood! I'm glad they're expanding and I wholeheartedly support this

  92. This is a fantastic idea. As a resident of this neighbourhood and a member of the garden, I look forward to an expansion of the food forest. I hope to see much more of this throughout the city.

  93. I am not a direct resident of the community around the Oak Street Community Neighbourhood, but fully support the initiative to expand the Oak Street Community Garden. Expanding the "green canopy" in our cities are essential for creating more livable cities, and I see this initiative contributing to it, albeit rather minor. I encourage the City to continue recognizing the expanded benefits of expanding the green areas and its impacts to a series of related initiatives, including but not limited to: ecosystem health, aesthetic improvements, and support to climate change initiatives. Cheers!

  94. This is a great initiative. Glad to see it happening.

  In accordance with Ontario Regulation 191/11, please provide any accessibility feedback for the proposed expansion of the community garden.

  1. I applaud the expansion for the fruit orchard and hope that the community benefits with better health as a result.
  2. I'm not sure that every square inch of this city needs to be made accessible. There are many places I can't go being an aging female as it is deemed dangerous yet nothing is done to accommodate that.
  3. Signage explaining the use and identifying the plants and trees will make the garden more accessible to those with little knowledge of edible plants.
  4. Accessibility is important. Gravel paths may suffice, but paved will be better (more accessible)
  5. Any and all consideration should be given to address accessibility needs when planning the layout of the expansion
  6. There should be no barriers to accessing the orchard, whether it be physically or mentall
  7. Accessibility is being hindered through the middle of our city by this garden. Please move the garden to a more appropriate location and finish Leroy Grant Drive.
  8. The walking path provides accessible access for disabled visitors to see the garden, and many disabled persons would be able to get to the garden directly. It seems that this location is as accessible as possible for a garden. You could add a crushed stone path going to the middle of the garden if it needs to be accessible by those in wheelchairs to pick fruit, etc.
  9. Create paved pathways so scooters, walkers and wheelchairs can use it as well.
  10. The bottom of the path needs a crosswalk at the park to Connaught Street. Many young children and adults with mental health issues cross each day and cars drive too fast to safely stop here.
  11. MAKE SURE THERE ARE RAMPS/LOW-CUT TREE BRANCHES FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS, THE ELDERLY, AND CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO REACH; ALSO A WATER FOUNTAIN WOULD BE GREAT BUT ONLY IF IT IS ALSO ACCESSIBLE TO WHEELCHAIR USERS, CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY; BENCHES/SEATING FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT WALK VERY FAR OR WHO CAN'T STAND FOR LONG PERIODS AS WELL
  12. Keep pathway clear of fruit, etc.
  13. The pathway close by makes the site much more accessible than other similar garden spaces
  14. The paved recreation trail being the orchard's west boundary and the orchard's close proximity to the Oak street parking area provides a great opportunity to enhance accessibility for those with physical and developmental challenges.
  15. As our population grows the more accessibility is needed
  16. I've never been to the garden. I would hope additional smooth pathways with inclines/ramps (where needed) could be put in place for those who rely on wheelchairs, walkers etc. C Signage which has a bolder larger font so it can be more easily read by people who's sight is impaired.
  17. I find the food forest beds can be tricky to navigate as the beds are mounded irregularly with mulch and are not adequately weeded. I know that some crops have been underplanted around the shrubs and trees, but others are weeds, like thistles, that have been left to grow. These beds need regular weeding to improve accessibility and access to the fruit.
  18. Currently accessible, but would be difficult with mobility aids. Plots should be open for other members to sign up. It’s great to see the community there.
  19. The proposed expansion of the community garden denies transportation access by obstructing the extension of Leroy Grant Boulevard. The failure of City Staff to provide a north-south route to relieve the traffic burden from the Third Crossing bridge has resulted in excessive traffic on Montreal and Division streets. A Wellington Street extension was considered, but the original solution was the completion of Leroy Grant Boulevard. Turning this area into a park or a community garden obstructs this traffic. A person who relies on public transportation, (such as someone who is blind or utilizes a wheelchair), must take a circuitous route either round Sir John A Macdonald Boulevard or Division Street by bus or taxi, whereas a direct north-south route on Leroy Grant Boulevard would be direct to the bus terminal, businesses along John Counter boulevard, and a route to the Third Crossing bridge.
  20. Is there enough room for a road and garden, because eventually the city will require a road. The garden is a great definitely need it. But we need to find a permanent place.
  21. I think that the expansion should be accessible
  22. I believe that the Community Garden Expansion may not be particularly beneficial for the residents of Kingston. It would be prudent to allocate our limited budget towards more essential improvements.
  23. Lots of wide paved paths
  24. Oakstreet Community Garden must make it very clear that the private allotments are not accessible for free vegetables, whereas produce from the Food Forest is. This has been a concern since the inception of the allotments
  25. Make it as accessible as you can for everyone.
  26. could you provide a link to the above Ontario Regulation?
  27. Highly supported to provide food security and improved green space for the community.
  28. Current garden already exists, no additional issues with accessibility
  29. It's immediately beside the asphalt bike and foot path which is the best one can do for this kind of project, I believe.
  30. The regulations for Kingston include requirements for making gardens accessible. If they differ from the provincial regulations they could be modified unless the organizers of the garden have special circumstances
  31. Some raised beds (for berries, for example) would enable neighbours with physically disabilities to participate in planting, weeding and harvesting. The route to the raised beds and the area around the raised beds would have to be a solid surface as uneven ground poses a risk to people using walkers, canes or wheelchairs. Benches would enable elderly or weak residents to sit and enjoy the surroundings.
  32. I only requested it be accessible to the population as needed
  33. The garden area has no light or lamps on the path or the surrounding area, which not only can be dangerous given the neighbourhood as kids have found needles and other substances in the area. Especially given it gets dark early in the Fall and early Spring, it would be beneficial to consider some lights in the pathway to the garden and the area to increase safety and accessibility for those concerned with safety. As well, as a disabled individual, the lack of lights are hazardous for those with wheelchairs as they cannot see where they are going when it gets dark in the late afternoon. Again, the lack of lights in the area is a shared community consensus and agreement if applied it would satisfy the community members located in the location, garden members and other disabled individuals. Thank you for your consideration.