New life for Buchanan House gardens
Unused garden beds behind the historic city-owned Buchanan House will bloom again as teaching gardens.
City council voted unanimously Monday to allow Links for Greener Learning to use the beds at 360 Niagara St. during this year’s growing season.
Executive director Yaneth Londono said the not-for-profit organization will set up teaching gardens for elementary and secondary schools and members of the community to learn about how to start gardens and grow their own food.
All food grown at the teaching gardens at Buchanan House will be donated to Community Care for lowincome families.
Londono told council the location has everything required — a bus route, a parking lot and washroom access nearby at Pearson Park.
“It’s the perfect place to grow a garden.”
It’s also across the street from Laura Secord Secondary School and she said the organization is hoping to engage youth from there to volunteer in the garden.
The St. Catharines organization links educational institutions, newcomers and students with hands-on learning opportunities.
Londono said the organization has funding that will support the community garden this year.
“This is an example of a community organization stepping up to do well for our city,” said St. George’s Coun. Mike Britton, who made the motion.
Britton added it won’t cost taxpayers of St. Catharines and yet it will benefit them greatly.
Merritton Coun. Dave Haywood said the proposal was an example of how council, with little resources, can take a space within the city, give it to a community group that will expand it and have a generational impact.
All the community groups within St. Catharines doing community gardens are banding together, he said.
“There is demand within St. Catharines for this type of project and it doesn’t always have to be the city or city council leading the way.”
Haywood, chair of the city’s environmental sustainability pillar, asked staff to report back after the growing season and come up with a longerterm plan for community gardens on the site. Buchanan House is used by city staff but the gardens are not.
Parks, recreation and cultural services director Phil Cristi said city staff would need to do site preparation and clean up the area to make sure it is safe before Links for Greener Learning can use it. He said that likely won’t take a full day.
“We’re looking forward to partnering with the group.”
Londono said Links for Greener Learning has been working with community gardens for four years and runs eight sites with two or three more coming. She said the gardens are full, so there’s no space for a teaching garden, but there is a lot of demand as community gardens become more popular.
The organization is working with 70 families in St. Catharines using community gardens and has a waiting list. Londono said it is working with other organizations to try and find garden spaces for the waiting list, especially for low-income and newcomer families.