Transition Sooke and Sooke Food CHI Seeking Resident Input on New Sooke Community Garden

The District is sharing this release from the Transition Sooke and Sooke Food CHI:

The Sooke Community Garden project, in co-operation with the District of Sooke, wants to engage with the residents of Sooke on possible locations for community gardens.

“As higher density development becomes more commonplace in the Sooke core,” says Levi Megenbir, spokesperson from Transition Sooke, “retaining space for residents to learn about and grow their own food close to their homes is growing in importance.”

“We have been exploring the possibility of creating community gardens in some Sooke parks,” says Ellen Lewers, spokesperson for Sooke Region Food Chi. “We feel that growing vegetables in our parks is an appropriate activity and could provide direct benefits to the community.”

After conducting a detailed review of the park possibilities, the groups are presently looking at two parks — Woodland Creek Park and Ponds Park Corridor (next to Carter Navarrete Dog Park). Two “open houses” will be held at the parks — Tuesday June 25, 4 – 6:30 pm at Ponds Park Corridor and Thursday, June 27 4 – 6:30 pm at Woodlands Creek.

Volunteers have already been going door-to-door in the areas of the two parks and a survey is available for all interested Sooke citizens. Links to the survey and more information can be found on the District of Sooke’s website: https://letstalk.sooke.ca/communitygardens or Transition Sooke’s website:
https://transitionsooke.org/sooke-community-gardens/.

The development of community gardens is possible through a District of Sooke Community Climate Action Seed Funding grant to Transition Sooke for a total of $7,000 over two years (2023 – 24) providing critical start-up costs.

“We’re excited to collaborate with the District of Sooke and thank them for this generous funding to make these projects happen,” says Megenbir.

Transition Sooke is a citizen-based, volunteer, public-interest group focused on co-creating a sustainable, resilient and secure community that meets the challenges of the climate emergency in the Sooke region. Sooke Region Food CHI organizes and advocates around food security issues so the community can grow towards a vibrant, resilient local food economy.

For more information, contact:

• Levi Megenbir, Transition Sooke, 250-508-0842, levi.megenbir@gmail.com
• Ellen Lewers, Sooke Region Food CHI, 250-812-2830, mrslewersfarmhouse@gmail.com