GUELPH -- The West Village Co-Op is looking to help its community create a sustainable and accessible food source one seed at a time.
The new community garden in Guelph is already looking to make a big expansion after just getting seeds in the ground three weeks ago.
“It’s turning an empty field into a community hub for wellness, for food production, and for mental health,” said Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie.
The co-op says there are currently 52 families and 171 total people already using the garden.
“This is a priority neighbourhood said so by Wellington County, so there are a lot of marginalized families and a lot of families living in poverty,” said Crenda King, vice president of the co-op. “This is a great opportunity for us to get fresh fruits and vegetables onto the plates of these families.”
As demand grows, the garden is looking to make an expansion so they can get fresh food to everyone who wants it.
“We’re looking for the healthy communities grant,” said King. “We were unsuccessful in round one, so what that meant for us is that we had to gather volunteers, we had to gather resources, and still make this happen.”
Seeds and garden materials have all been donated so far, and each garden plot belongs to a family who registered for free.
The grant would help with the co-op’s plan to add 80 additional plots.
“Thirty plus years I’ve been on this street and the amount this would have helped back then would have been huge,” said Jennifer Bunker. “To see this now, especially with the times we’re in, helps the families so much.”
The West Village team says the goal is to have the expansion finished by late October.
