Community garden idea mooted
By Mike Hansen (OAMARU MAIL)
GIVING young people a taste for horticulture is just one benefit Allan Adamson thinks a community garden at Chelmer Street will encourage. The Waitaki District Council community services committee will hear a report tomorrow from community safety officer Alison Banks which proposes developing a community garden/learning centre on a fertile chunk of council- owned land adjacent to the resource recovery park. Mr Adamson, who is involved with the Granddads Shed Project, a mentoring programme for troubled young people, was excited to have an opportunity to pass on his years of gardening knowledge to at-risk youth in Oamaru. “It will really be a facility to share skills. If we can get some of the kids in here who are doing the wrecking and pass some knowledge on to them,” he said The aim of the garden, which is part of the Community Clean-Up project, is to create an environment where the community, particularly senior citizens, can help at risk and disadvantaged youth achieve something. “I’ve spoken with the Horticultural Society as well, and said if we get some of the kids that are showing some form can they display their work at the Horticultural Society show,” Mr Adamson said. “We just want to see them rewarded for good work.” Waitaki Resource Recovery Park manager Marion Shaw said the garden would be supplied with tools from the park. Although the land is council- owned, Mrs Banks’ report recommends the community services committee make the space available at no charge. She added that school groups could also use the site to learn about sustainability and horticulture.
GIVING young people a taste for horticulture is just one benefit Allan Adamson thinks a community garden at Chelmer Street will encourage. The Waitaki District Council community services committee will hear a report tomorrow from community safety officer Alison Banks which proposes developing a community garden/learning centre on a fertile chunk of council- owned land adjacent to the resource recovery park. Mr Adamson, who is involved with the Granddads Shed Project, a mentoring programme for troubled young people, was excited to have an opportunity to pass on his years of gardening knowledge to at-risk youth in Oamaru. “It will really be a facility to share skills. If we can get some of the kids in here who are doing the wrecking and pass some knowledge on to them,” he said The aim of the garden, which is part of the Community Clean-Up project, is to create an environment where the community, particularly senior citizens, can help at risk and disadvantaged youth achieve something. “I’ve spoken with the Horticultural Society as well, and said if we get some of the kids that are showing some form can they display their work at the Horticultural Society show,” Mr Adamson said. “We just want to see them rewarded for good work.” Waitaki Resource Recovery Park manager Marion Shaw said the garden would be supplied with tools from the park. Although the land is council- owned, Mrs Banks’ report recommends the community services committee make the space available at no charge. She added that school groups could also use the site to learn about sustainability and horticulture.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 13 May 2010 02:14 )
