The College Park Community Accessible Garden is located behind the Sherbrooke Community Centre in Gerhard Herzberg Park.
The community garden has 51 ground level garden plots and 7 raised garden boxes, all in full production. The raised boxes provide gardening access for those individuals who have mobility challenges and are living both in the community and at Sherbrooke. There are also two school garden plots that are planted by a class from Cardinal Leger School and a class from Greystone Heights School.
The garden allows children to learn about growing vegetables, healthy eating and in the fall about harvesting and cooking meals from produce that they have grown themselves. Two “help yourself” garden plots have also been established for the general public to access, with carrots, tomatoes, squash, swiss chard, and beans. These are just a few of the many vegetables available for everyone’s enjoyment. There is also a “help yourself” orchard located across the alley from the garden adjacent to the cafeteria windows at Sherbrooke. Check out the cherry and apple trees as they begin to produce fruit that can be picked and used for baking or preserves. A compost work group made up of gardeners is organizing and operating the composting of our weeds and garden waste. Composting helps reduce and recycle the waste in the garden and turns it back into rich compost that enhances the growing soil. The garden is an enjoyable place to walk and to observe the changing landscape, the birds and activity. The garden is also becoming a wonderful place to meet and talk with people from the neighbourhood. Bring your coffee or supper and enjoy sitting on a bench in the shade while you watch gardeners work. A waiting list has been developed for future interested gardeners. You can contact the garden committee at community-garden@hotmail.com for further information or if interested in being on the waiting list. Happy Gardening!