Benefits of Community Gardens

Picture of a community garden

  • Health benefits including physical activity and stress relief
  • Access to fresh fruits and veggies
  • Hands-on learning
  • Allow you to know where your food comes from
  • A personal sense of wellbeing including stress relief, education and creation of friendships
  • Beautifying unused spaces
  • Increases property values
  • Increases feelings of safety and community pride
  • Decreased criminal activity in the area
  • Environmental benefits including improving air quality, create compost and help to filter rainwater.

What do you need to Participate?

Do you have?

  • A green thumb or wish you did?
  • Want to work in a garden but don’t have the space?
  • Need technical advice to grow your own produce?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then CK Community Gardens is for YOU!

What better way to get high quality vegetables and fruit than to grow them yourself!

Garden Child with a basket of fresh vegetables

Who Can Garden?

  • Any one at any age!
    • Youth who need volunteer hours
    • Older Adults– a great social opportunity
    • Families or singles

Current Locations

Chatham

  • Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC)
  • Union Gas, Head Office
  • Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit
  • Chatham-Kent Public Utility Commission – Grand Ave
  • Campbell Park
  • Moore Park
  • Victoria Ave

Wallaceburg

  • First Baptist Church
  • West Court Housing

Dresden

  • North Baptist Church

Blenheim

  • Glad Tidings Community Church

What is needed for a community garden to operate?

  • Experienced gardeners who will share their knowledge
  • Land and water access
  • Garden equipment / tools
  • Garden plants, seeds and cuttings
  • Volunteers who will assist in coordinating, assisting other gardeners, helping with transportation and canvassing for resources.

For more information or to sign up for a garden plot, please contact Derwyn Armstrong at 519-358-2659 or by email at

How can I start a new Community Garden?

If you are interested in starting a new garden, please review the below links and follow the procedure outlined in the Manual for Development of Community Gardens.  If you need more information on how to to do, please contact Sharmini Balakrishnan or by phone at 519.352.7270 Ext. 2496

Manual for Development of New Gardens

Checklist

Application for a new garden

Site Usage Survey Form #2

Letter of Committment Form

Liability Waiver Form #3B

Code of Conduct Form 3C