Twin Brooks - Community League

Community League
Showcase 2015
Twin Brooks Community League
TWIN BROOKS COMMUNITY GARDEN GROUP
Our story
We are particularly pleased that the Twin Brooks Community
Garden Group exists since it is truly an inter-community project.
There is such a hunger for gardening sites, that we have members
from approximately eight different community in the southwest. In
fact, the first coordinator resided in the Yellowbird Community
League area. We are also hugely proud of the fact that the garden
sits on land that was destined for a four-lane arterial roadway.
A group of 10 citizens from across Edmonton, lobbied, organized
and collaborated with community groups such as the EFCL, the
Alberta Nature Society, the Sierra Club, Ducks Unlimited, Edmonton
Area & Land Trust to get the City of Edmonton to quash the idea of
building a $500 Million bridge across the Blackmud Ravine Crossing.
The latter is fondly dubbed the “Grand Canyon of Edmonton.”
We are deeply proud that the idea of a community garden attracted
many volunteers such as Susan Austen, Lucille Mazo and Seko
Construction company. They spent endless hours applying for
grants, donating the use of bob-cats to remove the turf and laying
down sod in 2012. We also applaud and commend Joyce
Makarowski, Julie West, Susan Parker and Ida Richards who, began
the search for a site in 2008.
Sign makes it official
Our first choice failed in 2009, but in March 2012, City Council
removed 119 St from Bylaw 15100 and the land became available
subject to approval from Dept. of Transportation. The latter
graciously gave its permission and in 2013, after five years, TBCGG
became a reality with 44 plots and approx. 50 gardeners. It has
become a place of intense pride and joy, and in 2014, we won 3rd
prize out of 63 entries in the Front Yards in Bloom contest in
category of Public Spaces.
It has become a central “bumping into” space for Twin Brooks and
other neighbouring community residents. It also serves a peripheral
purpose of providing eyes and ears near to the Twin Brooks District
and Nature Park parking lot. This seems to lessen what is suspected
to be sale and use of illegal drugs in the parking lot. The garden is
evidence of community cooperation; it is the pride and joy of
residents. And, we have a plot dedicated to the food bank too.
Sharing the harvest — both product and seeds
To learn more about this project:
IDA RICHARDS
irichardsco@hotmail.com
Thanks to our Reception Display Sponsor: