This page is not a current Christchurch City Council document. Please read our disclaimer.
 |
| October 2002 |
|
Community Gardens meet city aims
A recent Council waste survey suggests just
over half the city’s households do some
home composting. Of those who do it, lawn
clippings are the most commonly composted
material and food scraps the least. Of everyone surveyed, few put garden
waste out in black rubbish bags, about a
third put food scraps out in their black bags.
Commercial wheelie bins were used by
about one in five households to dispose of
garden waste and lawn clippings. Getting material that rots out of the waste
stream is of interest to the Council because
it is a potentially useful resource and in
landfills causes problems by creating gases
and leachate. One answer is proving to be
Community Gardens. In November 1999 the City Council endorsed the idea of
community gardening as a way of reducing waste and strengthening
communities. Since then a pilot expanding community gardens, with
a focus on waste minimisation, has been a success and the
Community Gardening Project has grown, driven by the
community. Community gardens have existed in the city for many years but
are increasingly being recognised for their valuable role in not only
encouraging waste reduction, reuse and recycling but also
strengthening communities, raising self esteem, participation and a
sense of belonging, increasing self determination and
empowerment. Community gardening groups have long recognised that there are
substantial mutual benefits for their own communities and the city
by working together with the Christchurch City Council. Garden co-ordinators in the city consolidated in 2000 by forming
the Christchurch Community Gardens Association. The group
secured Council funding which enabled them to employ two
workers, a Community Gardens Advocate and a Field Worker. A public Community Gardens tour and development of a joint
business case for community gardens are two examples of projects
growing out of the strengthening of networking and relationshipbuilding
following formation of the Christchurch Community
Gardens Association. Community Boards have been involved from the outset, each
nominating at least one elected member as a Community Garden
Champion for their area with one Community Board even setting
up a special Community Gardening sub-committee for a while to
focus its efforts on enhancing existing and developing new
opportunities for Community Gardens in its area. Increased interest in Community Gardens is expected from a
range of quarters in Council as their ability to meet a wide range
of mutual goals are recognised. |
