Yukon College Building Community Garden

May 21, 2010

 

Students and staff will be picking up shovels on Friday, May 21 at 2:00 p.m. to fill four new garden beds at Yukon College. The 4’ x 8’ raised beds will be situated in front of the former Northern Research Institute building and will be maintained by Yukon College students and staff.

 

Born through a discussion in an Environmental Ethics class at Yukon College, the idea of a community garden was well received by staff and students. Benefits of community gardens include environmental sustainability, educational opportunities, health gains, community building and youth engagement.
"Community Gardens are a growing trend in dense urban areas,” said Larry Gray, Instructor at Yukon College “but are also important in the North as a means of addressing food security issues, increasing a sense of self-reliance among northern residents and for the scientifically-proven therapeutic benefits provided by this form of ‘ecotherapy’”.
Yukon College students will use one bed as textbook and classroom for a number of health and environmental programs and harvest the produce for communal events. The remaining beds will be used by students in residence.
The Yukon College Community Garden Steering Committee will coordinate use of the gardens with all interested parties. Aurora Mountain Farms will contribute organic compost and Property Management Division, Yukon Government will contribute drainage gravel.