ediblegardenproject NORTH SHORE NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE
225 East 2nd Street I North Vancouver I BC I V7L 1 C4 604-987-8138 ext231 I info@ediblegardenproject.com
Mountainside Secondary Farm – A Proposal We propose to operate a half-acre organic market garden (or “farm”) on North Vancouver School District land at Mountainside Secondary School. The market garden would revitalize an unused plot of land, grow thousands of pounds of fresh produce annually, demonstrate organic practices, and provide an engaging outdoor classroom for students and teachers of Mountainside Secondary. We would work collaboratively with our partners to offer a project that supports environmental, community and economic health while also being a regional model of innovative land use practices This project will reach hundreds of students and community members with both abundant locally grown produce, and fabulous learning opportunities.
Edible Garden Project Role: -
Manage the establishment and operations of the market garden to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers As a registered charity we would be operating a social enterprise – produce grown on site would be sold at farm gate sales or to school lunch programs or other retail customers Manage community engagement and volunteers on site Communicate with NVSD to ensure classes are not disrupted and safety of students ensured (i.e. no power tools during school hours, all volunteers have criminal record checks) Provide the garden as an outdoor learning classroom! Provide professional development days or workshops to instruct teachers how to use the garden as an outdoor classroom to achieve BC Curriculum objectives and/or provide work experience opportunities for students Host events on site for the school and community to enjoy (ie. Harvest celebration) Responsible for the cost and coordinating of all required materials: soil, amendments, seeds, hoses, tools, tool shed, compost area, etc Provide general liability insurance
North Vancouver School District Role: -
Grant a license to the EGP to use a specific area of the school grounds to establish and operate the garden with a five year pilot project term Provide access by foot and vehicle to the site (can set reasonable access limits and routes) Provide access to water and electricity on site, and pay all utilities – electricity, water, garbage collection Provide access to washroom in the school
ediblegardenproject NORTH SHORE NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE
225 East 2nd Street I North Vancouver I BC I V7L 1 C4 604-987-8138 ext231 I info@ediblegardenproject.com
How do we approach moving forward? We’ll need your feedback to fully understand the steps required in this process. -
School and community consultation to show support and generate ideas for the proposal? Presentation to NVSD? Negotiate terms for license EGP – fundraise capital
What is the Edible Garden Project? The Edible Garden Project (EGP) is a program of the North Shore Neighbourhood House (NSNH). The NSNH is a not-for-profit organization serving the North Shore community since 1939. We believe working together to meet the grassroots needs of our neighbours, especially our most vulnerable residents, is essential to building a safe, healthy and strong community. The EGP currently operates a successful half-acre social enterprise urban farm on City of North Vancouver park land, twelve Sharing Gardens that grow food for donation, elementary school and child care based gardening and nutrition programs, and workshops. We have over 400 active volunteers, reach over 800 students, and engage thousands of community members through our events and activities each year. The EGP is entering its seventh year, and is a widely recognized project in the community. We have an incredible team with a wide range of skills (farmer to certified teacher). Together, the EGP staff achieves a remarkable balance between generating innovative program ideas with an ability to get things done on the ground effectively and efficiently. Members sitting on the EGP Advisory Committee include representatives from the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, Vancouver Coastal Health, the Harvest Project, the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre and the North Shore Recycling Project; a diverse group contributing a wide range of skills and experience. We are well connected with all municipalities and other organizations in the community. For 70 years, the North Shore Neighbourhood House has been responding to the changing needs of our community and has developed an extensive network of community partners.