Ribbon cut at community garden pavilion
The Altona Community Garden hosted a special grand opening event last Saturday to commemorate the completion of their pavilion project.
Garden manager Jack Heppner told the gathered crowd that it was truly a community effort that made the garden and the pavilion a possibility.
He recalled all the hard work that he and his fellow task force members put into the project, from gathering volunteers and fundraising, to pitching their ideas to town council.
“A lot of people have been involved on a lot of levels to bring us to where we are today,” Heppner said. “The task force and a lot of volunteers have worked many hours to make this happen. It’s sponsored by the Altona Community Action Network (ACAN) and the Town of Altona, and a lot of financial support.”
To date, $220,000 has been raised from the community.
Heppner recalled how the vision for the project began in 2017, when ACAN signed a three-year contract with the town to manage a community garden. A task force made up of Jason Peters, Joel Martin, and Heppner was formed and began some serious planning.
They initially raised $7,500 to begin the project. From the onset they had a vision for a common area in the middle of the garden, where gardeners would be able to access tools, water, and compost, with picnic tables where they could build community with each other.
In 2018 they rented out 57 plots. In 2019 they added 33 plots for a total of 90. A new sign was erected, and they introduced a crop swap table where gardeners could share their produce. Equal Access Altona encouraged them to build an accessible garden for people with wheelchairs, which they committed to from the beginning.
By 2020, despite the challenges of COVID, the garden continued to thrive. The task force envisioned a common area with washrooms and a picnic shelter.
“We brought people on board to flesh out that vision. James Friesen designed and built the timber frame pavilion with the sun bursting in it right from the start. Aaron Sawatzky, our landscape architect provided central drawings for the entire commons area, including the garden area and the footbridge, later connected to the town trail system. Wilf Hiebert became the general contractor.”
Heppner recalled how he used the Keats quote, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” when he pitched the idea to the town.
“It worked,” he said.
By spring 2021, they expanded to 105 plots. By June that year, they had raised about $100,000 of the $142,000 projected cost.
After receiving a grant of $70,000 from the Manitoba Sustainability program, they forged ahead with optimism, installing water and sewer lines, and completing most of the concrete work.
By 2022, the timber frame pavilion and washrooms were built, and other task forces oversaw landscaping, which included designing the entrance, and adding a footbridge and gravel pathway.
Heppner noted that with every new financial need, the community responded with gusto.
A few things still need to be completed. The pathway needs a bit more development, and the accessibility garden needs another table. And there are still plans to develop an orchard. But overall, the mission to provide a place for people to garden and to gather has been accomplished.
“This year, the garden grew to 140 plots, each 15 ft. by 45 ft.,” Heppner said. “There are 97 families that are gardening, and almost half of them are newcomers to Canada. It’s become a truly international community of people speaking many languages, with a common ground of gardening.”
With tears in his eyes, Heppner thanked everyone who contributed to making this dream come true.
“Altona is a generous and welcoming community. There have been challenges along the way. But we say without reservation, it’s been fun and worth it. Thank you to all the people involved. We’ve worked with three mayors, all been supportive. It’s such a wonderful bunch of people who garden here.”
Altona Harv Schroeder mirrored Heppner’s pride.
“What a wonderful place that’s been built here in the community. When I look around today, it reminds me that it’s more than just a garden. It’s a testament to what we can achieve when we come together as a community.
“The garden task force, ACAN, gardeners, business sponsors and individual sponsors have all put their hearts into this project, from the very first shovel full of dirt. This is more than a garden. It’s a symbol of a community that is connected to one another, to the earth, and to the future.”
