As spring approaches, excitement is growing at the Altona Community Garden, where a new season of planting and community building is about to begin.
This year, the garden welcomes a fresh face at the helm: Joel Martin, who is taking on the role of garden manager. With a passion for organization and community engagement, Martin is already hard at work ensuring that everything runs smoothly for returning and new gardeners alike.
Located east of the Millennium Exhibition Centre, the Altona Community Garden offers 180 plots for local residents to cultivate their own vegetables, herbs, and flowers. The registration process has been streamlined this year, with Martin introducing online registration. Returning gardeners are given priority, followed by those on the waiting list.
“We used to have people come to the mall,” Martin explains. “Now we’re using an online form, and I’m also reaching out by email or phone.”
While managing registrations has been his first big task, Martin is also introducing new initiatives to support a sense of community within the garden, including launching a volunteer-based program called Garden Ambassadors. These volunteers will be present at the garden to offer guidance, answer questions, and help new gardeners settle in.
“They’ll be assigned certain areas of the garden, and we’re working on providing either a vest or a name tag so people know who they are,” says Martin. “Since I can’t always be on-site, having these ambassadors will give more access to people in the garden, especially newcomers.”
Another exciting development this year is the availability of accessible garden plots, designed for individuals with mobility challenges. These raised beds are table-height, eliminating the need for bending or kneeling.
“You can just sit on a walker or stand while working, and water access will be right there,” Martin explains. “Last year, only two gardeners used them because they weren’t fully completed yet, but this year we’ll have 10 available.”
Meanwhile, garden plots are still available for the upcoming season, though spaces are filling up fast.
“Right now, I might have 20 plots open, but I’m sure they’ll all be taken soon,” says Martin. “If we don’t have enough new gardeners, there are always people who would love a second plot.”
A full plot costs $25, a half plot is $12.50, and an accessible plot is $10. These fees include access to essential gardening resources such as compost, tools, a rototiller, and water. Additionally, thanks to the generosity of Elmer’s Manufacturing, brand-new bicycle racks will be installed this spring for those who prefer to cycle to the garden.
Beyond the garden plots, Martin is also managing the adjacent community orchard, which is set to expand this year.
“We’re planting our first two or three rows of fruit trees and building a path that will connect the garden through the orchard to the northern recreational trail,” he says. “We’re hoping to establish a volunteer base to help maintain the orchard with work bees once a month.”
The orchard’s development includes the installation of a drip irrigation system, which will make watering the trees more efficient.
“Just getting the trees in the ground will be exciting, and the trail will be a big addition,” Martin adds. “We’ll also be bringing water from the garden into the orchard to support the new plantings.”
To help fund these projects, the community is invited to a special fundraiser event on May 10 at The Community Exchange. Dubbed “Fruit Jam,” this event will feature live music, food, a raffle, and a silent auction for a handmade quilt. Musical performances will include Callum Morrison, the W.C. Miller Chamber Choir, and the Martin Trio.
For more information, or to inquire about available plots, you can contact Martin at jmmanitoba@protonmail.com or call 204-216-1826.
