COMMUNITY GARDENING A SUCCESS IN MOOSE JAW

More than 20 Moose Jaw families are benefiting from the harvest of the city's first community gardens project – the Saskferco Community Gardens.

"Community gardens contribute to the health and well-being of their users, and promote social interaction, community building, connection to nature and food security," Deputy Premier and Regional Economic and Co-operative Development Minister Clay Serby said. "I congratulate Connecting As Neighbours for co-ordinating this project, a partnership involving non-profit organizations, governments, private sector and schools."

Connecting As Neighbours Co-operative Ltd. is one of four Neighbourhood Development Organizations (NDOs) in Saskatchewan. NDOs are voluntary, non-government, legal entities established to help reduce inner-city poverty, which respond to community social and economic security needs by working with municipalities, government departments, and other community agencies. The NDO program is jointly co-ordinated by Saskatchewan Regional Economic and Co-operative Development (RECD) and Saskatchewan Community Resources (CR).

The community gardens project includes support and participation from Saskferco, Heritage Canada, TD Canada Trust Friends of the Environment Foundation, the City of Moose Jaw, and the Moose Jaw Regional Economic Development Authority, as well as representatives from the Prairie South School Division, the Moose Jaw South Central Regional Food Network, and RECD and CR.

"The community gardens project provides an opportunity for those without access to private gardens to enjoy fresh food," Connecting As Neighbours executive director Angela Konkin said. "Community gardening crosses boundaries of age, income and culture and brings people together to promote neighbourhood revitalization, renewal and community development."

Connecting As Neighbours, which plans to expand the gardens project next year, is organizing an end-of-season event for September 25th and 26th when volunteer carpentry students and instructors from SIAST will erect a storage shed at the garden site.

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For More Information, Contact:

Donna Rehirchuk Regional Economic and Co-operative Development Regina Phone: (306) 787-2359