YARA-GRCG Official Opening Celebration
Official Cutting the Ribbon (L-R): Karen Watkins, Mayor Pat Fiacco, Wayne Hellquist, Andrew Swenson
Today Grow Regina is pleased to announce the Official Opening Celebration of YARA-Grow Regina Community Garden in McLeod Park, 3500 Queen Street, on land generously made available by the City of Regina. On hand at this celebration are City of Regina officials including Mayor Pat Fiacco and Councillor Jocelyn Hutchinson. “The City of Regina is pleased to be a partner in the YARA-Grow Regina Community Garden,” said Mayor Pat Fiacco. “Community gardens build a sense of place and community that contribute to the social sustainability and the attractiveness of urban neighbourhoods.”
Grow Regina is also pleased to recognize Yara Belle Plaine Inc. for its generous financial support of $50,000 to help establish this new garden. In recognition of Yara’s contribution, the new community garden will be named the YARA-Grow Regina Community Garden. “At Yara we are pleased with the tremendous progress being made at the Yara/Grow Regina Community Gardens. Grow Regina and its group of volunteers, have created a garden that not just the gardeners, but everyone in the community can enjoy,” said Andrew Swenson Corporate Affairs Specialist for Yara Belle Plaine. “We feel community gardening projects like this, bring people together and help to build strong vibrant communities,” he went on to say.
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The YARA-Grow Regina Community Garden will be managed by Grow Regina, a volunteer group operating under the auspices of the Regina and District Food Bank. “The Regina Food Bank is appreciative of the support shown by the City of Regina and Yara Belle Plaine in partnering with our Grow Regina volunteers to make this project succeed. The fresh vegetables from this new community garden will contribute nutritious food for Regina residents with a significant portion targeted to help those in need,” says Mr. Wayne Hellquist, CEO of the Regina and District Food Bank.
Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco joined Andrew Swenson, Wayne Hellquist and Karen Watkins in cutting the ribbon to officially open the Yara-Grow Regina Community Garden followed by a tour of the gardens.
Construction of the new garden will take place in stages, with a major portion of the infrastructure work having already been completed in the summer of 2008.
To fulfill our sponsorship commitments to Yara Belle Plaine, Grow Regina is currently in discussions with Victor Cicansky regarding the design of a front entrance sign. As another part of our commitment to our sponsor Yara Belle Plaine, Grow Regina proudly initiated the Plant a Row • Grow a Row program earlier this spring which invites all gardeners to grow a crop of vegetables for donation to the Food Bank at harvest. “Interested gardeners are advised to check Grow Regina’s website at www.growregina.ca on a regular basis to get the most up to date information about our activities,” says Karen Watkins, Chairperson of Grow Regina.