Community gardening to grow in Quinte West

By Matthew Murray

TRENTON – Gardening in Quinte West is growing with the expansion of a community garden to a new three-acre lot.

Council voted Monday to lease the site at the base of Mount Pelion near Guelph Street free of charge to Quinte West Gardens – Growing Community, which runs an existing community greenhouse and garden near the Ontario Provincial Police detachment building.

The garden has to move because a new OPP building is going to be erected on the existing site.

In a presentation before council, Claire Marchand-Lacey of Quinte West Gardens stressed the need for food in the community and that food produced at the garden will go to local food banks and those in need. Another major goal of the garden is to promote education and togetherness, she said, adding that this is as important as growing food.

The garden will have plots where individuals can grow produce, as well as areas set aside for community groups to use.

Allowing people from different walks of life to come together to grow food is “a huge part of this,” Marchand-Lacey said.

Quinte West Gardens has reached out to the Knights of Columbus, the Rotary Club and the Trenton Horticultural Society , she said, adding that the organization also wants to involve seniors’ centres and high schools with the project.

The charity plans to start moving the old garden beds to the new site as soon as possible. It also plans to build a full greenhouse as well as an educational centre to teach the community about growing food and conservation.