Engagement Summary

Kingston East Community Garden Public Engagement Summary 

Why we engaged 

The City of Kingston, in collaboration with partners, established the Community Garden Network to create and maintain public and private community gardens. The network includes various garden types, and public engagement is required for permit issuance under the city's policy. We provided background information on the benefits of community gardens and operations and wanted to raise awareness on how to participate in the community garden as well as the opportunity to ask questions or voice support/concerns about the garden.

How we engaged 

  • A survey was published on Get Involved Kingston for community members interested in overseeing the operations of the community garden. The survey was open June 20 – July 7 and promoted through social media and the Get Involved Kingston newsletter.

  • A Curbex sign was displayed from June 21 – July 12.

Who we heard from 

  • 11 engaged participants completed surveys 

  • 254 aware participants visited the project page 

  • 2 participants created a new Get Involved Kingston account 

Next steps

The Garden was installed in summer 2023 with signage recognizing it as the Mike Lee Desjardins Insurance Community Garden, located at the Kingston East Community Centre.

What we heard 

Q. 4 The community garden at Kingston East Community Centre requires a volunteer community garden coordinator and volunteers to operate the garden. Are you interested in volunteering?


Green and yellow pie chart illustrating that 2 survey participants are interested in volunteering, 7 are not and 2 are currently undecided. Those who indicated interest were asked to share their contact information.

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.   

Question 1: Do you have feedback specific to the proposed community garden at the Kingston East Community Centre?

  1. “What is your water source”

  2. “Community gardens are, IMHO, a great idea and great use of public space. Having said that, they can fall victim to lack of attention if those using them are not reasonably committed and care for them. As such, policies of some sort should be in place to avoid gardens from becoming an eye sore, keep one from interfering with the use of others, or a magnet for pests.”

  3. “Don't let it become a public property eyesore.”

  4. “Why is it so small and tiny raised beds? You could do so much more with that space. There is a lot of grass there and if the city would simply pay for soil sampling it would be easy to make more plots in the ground and get more people involved. With such a small space it becomes hard to find volunteers to keep the project going.”

  5. “Emails would be nice as to when I can drop off yard waste”

  6. “Mil, but it’s a good imitative”

  7. “Yes, 1 raised bed, two in ground”

  8. “Like the idea”

  9. “I am skeptical of community gardens that don't come from the community - the description here suggests there is not adequate community engagement for a garden.”

Question 2: In accordance with Ontario Regulation 191/11, please provide any accessibility feedback for the proposed community garden.

  1. “Those raised beds look great for accessibility, every garden should have some but should not be only raised beds.”

  2. “As above”

  3. “Would be great”

  4. “Especially around a community centre, garden developers must ensure wide paths with suitable surfaces; ample available parking and WATER - many of the community gardens in this city do not have access to water - procuring that water may be an accessibility issue for people with mobility issues”

Consultation has concluded.