December 2014 – Grandview Woodland Food Connection

The Vancouver Park Board is proposing a new policy for urban agriculture to better reflect agricultural activities now taking place in urban parks. The proposed Urban Agricultural Policy will replace the current Community Gardens Policy and guide existing and new food-focused projects in Vancouver parks. Parks are seeking the collective expertise and knowledge within our networks to help guide this policy.

Please visit their website to review the draft of the proposed policy: http://vancouver.ca/people-programs/urban-agriculture-policy.aspx. Make sure to click on the “Share Your Views” blue button on the right panel to submit your feedback (the direct link to the survey is here: http://vancouver.fluidsurveys.com/s/Urban-agriculture-policy/) – the deadline for submissions is January 18, 2015.

ƒeel free to direct any questions to Parks at pbgreen@vancouver.ca

I have been meaning to post this really great video that was made of the Architects for a Green Legacy project from the summer 2013 – a partner project between the Evergreen Foundation, the Grandview Woodland Food Connection, and Streetfront Alternative class at Britannia. It was a great project that saw the installation of various environmental art pieces in the Britannia School garden

Architects for a Green Legacy is a program that works to celebrate the abilities of youth, to build bridges to promote cross-cultural learning, to increase access to urban green space and foster environmental stewardship.

Over an 2 week period, a group of 14 youth from Streefront, representing diverse backgrounds and cultures, worked together to transform the Britannia School garden. What was unique about this approach was that the design process came from the youths’ alone. They decided how best to use the site creatively to celebrate identities and nature.

The project brought together youth’s ideas of who and where they are with action that affirms their local hangout, healthy neighbourhoods and a sustainable society. Skill building, collective decision making, and a train the trainer approach inspired the youth to active involvement within their school community. It also helped develop invaluable skills through training and experience, and bring these youth together in a mutual task that celebrated their shared and differing identity/ies.