by Carrie Debrone
Kitchener Citizen​
   In the spring of 2012, the Region of Waterloo will have four new wheelchair accessible community gardens.
   The Diggable Collaborative, an organization comprised of Opportunities Waterloo Region, the Community Health Department and the Community Garden Council has received a $140,400 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant to make The Trinity Village Community Garden and the Chandler-Mowat Community Centre Garden, both in Kitchener, the Good Earth Garden in Waterloo and the Preston Heights Community Garden in Cambridge (which will open in 2013) more accessible.
   Following the formation of the collaborative, which was established to help support the region’s 43 community gardens, it was found that there are many disabled people who would like to participate in community gardens but cannot due to lack of accessibility.
   Carol Popovic, a Public Health Nurse with the region’s Healthy Eating, Active Living Program, said the information inspired the members of the collaborative to find a way to make local community gardens more accessible.
   They partnered with about 40 students from the University of Waterloo’s Planning Department, who held a design charette producing designs for an ideal, accessible garden.
   Then the collaborative asked for submissions from community gardens interested in becoming accessible and chose four, making sure at least one was from each of the region’s largest cities.
   Blue prints were designed for each garden upgrade and a cost estimate for the work was determined.
The collaborative then applied for a Trillium grant.
   Representatives from the collaborative, local dignitaries and Trinity Village residents gathered Nov. 22 at Trinity Village Care Centre to celebrate receiving the grant and to officially launch the project.
   The Trinity Village Community Garden will receive $23,000 to create more and wider garden paths, plant trees and install raised beds and planters that will give easy access to people who use wheelchairs.
   “It’s a great opportunity for us. It will make our community garden accessible for people with disabilities,” said Debbie Buhrow, Trinity Village’s Communications and Grants Coordinator.
   Filled mainly with garden plots used by many local residents, the chefs at Trinity Village Care Centre also grow some fresh vegetable and herbs in its community garden that are used to prepare meals for its residents. The centre also grows vegetables that are donated to the St. Matthews Out of the Cold Program.
   “This is just a start. It’s about giving people an opportunity to join in and allowing those with disabilities to participate,” said Popovic.
“We are hoping that members of each garden will be enthused and want to fundraise to further improve their garden and to keep it up,” she said.
   “We expect some really good things will happen at these gardens and that there will be mutual learning and acceptance of all the gardeners,” she said.
   The Diggable Collaborative will be recruiting a coordinating committee to oversee the future development of the four gardens, and is currently looking for members with a keen interest in community gardens and accessibility.

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