This Saturday May 13 was a momentous day here at the Bowness Community Association as over 60 dedicated volunteers gathered to bring the long-awaited Community Garden to life! Under the warm sun and with a refreshing breeze, Bownesians came together armed with tools, supplies, and elbow grease to construct 29 new community garden beds in the green space here at the BCA. The day was filled with laughter, hard work, and a strong sense of community, setting the stage for an exciting summer of gardening and connection.
The day commenced with First Nations Elder Marilyn Shingoose leading the volunteers in blessing the land and garden as it becomes a vibrant space for all to enjoy. After that, it was all hands on deck as volunteers worked enthusiastically to tackle all of the tasks on the day’s to-do list.
The main focus was constructing 29 garden raised beds using 3 different designs. This involved teams hauling paving stones, digging and leveling soil, and constructing the beds out of lumber, tin, and concrete. Meanwhile, more volunteers made countless wheelbarrow trips to backfill the completed beds with a combination of mulch and wet cardboard, forming a base for the soil that will be delivered to the garden later this week.
The Bowness Community Association would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to all those who made the Community Garden Build Day a resounding success. Denny’s and Papa Murphy’s kept us well fed with breakfast sandwiches and Pizza, while Bartlett Tree Service, Hempalta, and Cowboy Trail Tree Service provided the mulch and woodchips for the base layer of the beds. Volunteers from Simon House and Village Honda showed up with their sleeves rolled up, and even more community members lent tools and came in advance to drop off soil and mulch from home. Bowness Soapworks even donated soap for all of the volunteer to take home!
Special recognition goes to the Volunteer Garden Committee who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to plan, organize, and design the garden. And Lastly, we want to extend our deepest appreciation to every single volunteer who took time out of your Saturday to come out and participate in the build day.
As the beds stand ready, there is an undeniable sense of anticipation around the garden! We can’t wait to see how these garden beds are enjoyed this summer — each rented plot represents the potential for an abundant harvest and deepened connection between neighbours. Just another reason we love Bowness!
Plot rental applications for 2023 have now closed. Questions about the garden? Contact the volunteer garden committee at volunteer@mybowness.com
Have photos of the build day you’d like to share? Email communications@mybowness.com
Thank you Kathy and Adam for taking photos of the day!
