This innovative project began in the summer of 2006 when YWCA Vancouver staffers decided to experiment with growing produce on the roof. Staff gradually transformed the rooftop garden from an ornamental location into a fruitful community garden that yielded over 150 kilograms of organically raised produce in its first summer.

The success of the first year encouraged YWCA Vancouver to expand the project. “In 2007, we completed the conversion of the remaining 80% of the garden through a core of 15 community volunteers and a number of corporate groups who donated a day’s labour. We planted about 70% of the available space and grew about 450 kg of vegetables, trying new varieties and grouping the plants according to water needs,“ says Ted Cathcart, Facilities Manager of YWCA Vancouver.

Young people have been part of the core volunteers of the Rooftop Food Garden. “We worked with Environmental Youth Alliance Interns to source and plant soft fruits; strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and kiwi. University of British Columbia students designed and built cold-frames so we could start our planting in early March and they also designed and built a trellis system for the berry bushes.”

Environmental conservation has become an important feature of the rooftop garden. “We have developed educational programmes in food sustainability/urban agriculture, bird/insect habitat and environmental conservation, “ says Cathcart. “We also built compost bins out of recycled material and had university students work with the women at Crabtree Corner to determine what types of produce would be most appreciated.”

While Crabtree Corner often receives donations of canned goods and other non-perishables, it is less common to be offered fresh produce. The Rooftop Food Garden provides much needed nutrition to supplement the diets of women and children on the Downtown Eastside, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Canada. “Many of the women and their families who make use of the Crabtree Corner food programme are severely needy’ says Cathcart. ‘By providing them with the highest quality food, rather than cast-off produce that no one else wants, we hope to raise their self esteem to show that they are truly appreciated for who they are. We are also considering skills development, whereby some of the women will be trained in preserving the produce and perhaps associated entrepreneurial aspects.”

The long-term aim for YWCA Vancouver is to produce 1 tonne of fresh organic food on the rooftop but along with this goal, is their dedication to use the garden as a model of environmental sustainability. “We hope to influence others with the possibility of growing food in urban settings and ultimately convince architects and planners to design urban rooftop gardens to be accessible to the public, and to plant food instead of ornamental plants, “ says Cathcart. ‘By making people aware of the carbon cost of importing fruits and vegetables, we hope to change their buying habits toward locally produced foodstuffs. Once we work out the issues of growing food in urban settings, we plan to act as a resource for others so they can reduce their environmental impact.”

As the YWCA increases its focus on environment, the Rooftop Food Garden promotes awareness about sustainability and community health while helping to reduce their ecological footprint. This month, the YWCA began taking the food to Crabtree Corner by bike, using a specially designed bicycle and cart donated by PEDAL, a non-profit that develops and promotes the use of pedal-powered technology. “The cart, traveling through the heart of downtown Vancouver helps raise awareness of our commitment to sustainability,” says Cathcart.

YWCA Vancouver believes there is a good reason for associations to start promoting the environment and issues of sustainability. “Dealing with the core issues of YWCA requires so much effort that environmental sustainability can easily be lost in the shuffle. However, if recognised as important and properly supported, this fits very well with the mandate of the organisation, “ says Cathcart. “ I would like to see a common web-site set up where all YWCA members could review sustainable projects and add comments from their own experiences. Successful programmes would help other YWCAs to develop their own initiatives. Building on other’s success and failures would speed up the overall attainment of sustainability, “ says Cathcart.

Related Links

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