Sylvan Lake is getting an additional two community gardens this spring thanks to a grant from the Town.
The Community Spirit Capital Grant provided $8,000 to add a community garden at the Sylvan Lake Municipal Library and at the Sylvan Lake Community Food Bank.
The garden at the library will be planted and taken care of by the children in the Summer Reading Program.
The food will contribute to the library’s Little Free Pantry and the food bank.
The food bank’s community garden will benefit itself and be planted by volunteers.
The grant money is to be used to buy supplies to build the new boxes for the community gardens.
The Community Garden committee and the Community Partners Association are looking for two groups of volunteers.
The first group will be needed to build the planter boxes, while the second group will be planting at the food bank location.
Building day is April 6 at the library and food bank locations beginning around 10 a.m., while planting at the food bank will take play May 26, also beginning at 10 a.m.
Volunteers interested in building are asked to bring their own tools to help construct the eight by four feet.
Those interested in volunteering to build or plant have to register with the Volunteer Centre.
Registration for new volunteers needs to be done before March 20 to assure enough time for police background checks and new volunteer orientation.
New volunteers can reach out to Amy Boutin, Volunteer Centre coordinator, to register at volunteer@sylvanlake.ca or by phone at 403-887-1137 ext. 233.
The Community Garden committee is also looking to see if businesses in town are interested in donating the wood for the boxes and the dirt to fill them with.
The two new gardens are an expansion from the one 11 plot garden and children’s garden at 5400 47 Ave.
This garden is a place for people in the community to rent a plot if they can’t have a garden of their own.
This year Community Partners and the Community Garden committee is hoping to spread awareness and gain interest in the gardens this year.