The University of Victoria was the first university in Canada to have a community garden available for food growth. Formed in 1996 by Environmental Studies volunteers and supported by staff and faculty over the years, the community garden grew organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a site which originally grew to accommodate 50 plots.
In 2012 the site was pegged for development by the university, and following numerous Food Not Lawns protests in front of McPherson Library and student concerns about food security and sovereignty, the garden was relocated to its current 1.5 acre home. Until that point, the CCG was run through the dedicated effort of countless volunteers. That year, with the support of all the students who voted "yes" in the referendum, we succeeded in achieving funding through the UVSS.
Since then, we have been able to hire student staff to manage the site and make available resources for students, staff, and faculty to engage with in growing their own food! Everything we do, including our wages, is paid for by student fees. Your $3 per semester helps us put on free educational workshops, host fun events, collaborate with student clubs, grow food to donate to the foodbank and give away, run a journal championing student voices, run a summer internship program to teach gardening basics, and most of all, provide a space on campus for growing food which also includes communal plots and foraging space.
In 2012 the site was pegged for development by the university, and following numerous Food Not Lawns protests in front of McPherson Library and student concerns about food security and sovereignty, the garden was relocated to its current 1.5 acre home. Until that point, the CCG was run through the dedicated effort of countless volunteers. That year, with the support of all the students who voted "yes" in the referendum, we succeeded in achieving funding through the UVSS.
Since then, we have been able to hire student staff to manage the site and make available resources for students, staff, and faculty to engage with in growing their own food! Everything we do, including our wages, is paid for by student fees. Your $3 per semester helps us put on free educational workshops, host fun events, collaborate with student clubs, grow food to donate to the foodbank and give away, run a journal championing student voices, run a summer internship program to teach gardening basics, and most of all, provide a space on campus for growing food which also includes communal plots and foraging space.
