Community and allotment gardens have been deemed essential by the provincial government and are now permitted during the state of emergency in Ontario.
The province announced the change today, stating the community gardens are an essential source of fresh food for some individuals and families.
There has been a lobbying effort, led by Sustain Ontario, to push the provincial government to allow community gardens to open this season.
Orillia has one community garden - in the small park on High Street, tucked behind Brian Orser Arena.
The High Street Park community garden was co-created by the Orillia Community Gardens, the Orillia Youth Centre, and the City of Orillia in the spring of 2011.
Local volunteers are responsible for the planting, weeding and general maintenance of the garden. The harvest is then shared by the local gardeners and the surrounding community.
General maintenance ‘work’ parties are typically scheduled staring In June, but due to physical distancing measures, things will likely look quite a bit different this year.
Orillia also has an allotment garden at Lakehead University's west Orillia campus.
There are currently a limited number of small, exclusive-use vegetable garden spaces for persons interested in tending to their own vegetable garden. Allotment gardens work well for individuals or groups with varying schedules and diverse views on gardening. The city built additional planter boxes during the 2018 season.
Allotment gardens are a type of community gardening where individuals or groups rent individual garden plots on a seasonal basis to grow food. Plots are maintained by their assigned gardeners. Allotment gardens work well for individuals and groups with varying schedules and diverse views on gardening.
For more information, contact the Community Garden Coordinator, Mackenzie Clark, at 705-329-7250.
According to the news release from the province, local medical officers of health will provide advice, recommendation, and instructions the gardens must meet to operate. That will include physical distancing and disinfecting common surfaces and equipment.
-With files from Dave Dawson
