It looks like the Community Garden Society is one step closer to finding out where its new home might be.
On Sept. 26, administration recommended to Town of Barrhead councillors that the Community Garden be relocated from its current location just north of the apartment buildings along 53rd Street and south of the Shepherd’s Care facility, to a property the town owns in the southwest corner of Beaverbrook Estates, near the water reservoir and West Boundary Road.
The parcel is currently zoned R4 residential. However, councillors delayed making a decision, saying they needed more information regarding the cost of the move and that more consultation with the society was needed.
The town informed the society in July that they would need to relocate by the spring because a potential developer had expressed interest in their current home.
Chief administrative officer Martin Taylor said he believes the site to be more appropriate than the first site they proposed.
Councillor Leslie Penny was opposed, saying council needed to make a decision on the site so the move could be completed by next spring.
Originally the society believed the town had found an alternative site, at Millennium Park behind the United Church, as reported in our Aug. 7 issue. However, the town said it was a misunderstanding, saying it was only one of the locations that were being considered.
“I have included a real rough estimate [$4,000] from the County of Barrhead’s public works department on how much it will cost to level the Beaverbrook site,” Taylor said, noting there would be additional costs after that. “Obviously there will be a need for topsoil, and until we do a more detailed survey, we don’t know how much will really be needed.”
He added he did not include the cost of moving the garden’s other infrastructure there, such as its storage shed, because council has not made a decision of who would be responsible for doing the work, the society or the town.
Taylor noted the town gives an annual $5,000 subsidy to the society, by providing water.
“I don’t think that the public knows that we provide water to the Community Garden,” he said. “We make approximately 66 trips, so when you include the cost of the water, equipment, staff time, et cetera, that is probably on the conservative side.”
Coun. Rod Klumph said the society might be able to make a large dent in the cost of topsoil as the Barrhead Alliance Church is expanding its parking lot and they are willing to donate the topsoil. He suggested delaying making a decision until they have they know the actual costs involved and have a chance to consult with the society.
Mayor Dave McKenzie agreed, saying more research is needed.
“Some other ideas or solutions might present themselves,” he said.
After the meeting, McKenzie said that although Taylor’s suggested location had its merits, the society might end up in the same situation of being asked to relocate again, as the land is zoned residential under another area structure plan.
“I can’t see anything happening there in the foreseeable future. It’s totally raw land; there is no infrastructure, power, water, curbs, gutters or anything and when you look at the developments that are happening or have been proposed, I think it will be some time before any development takes place there. That being said, all it takes is one person to decide they want to develop the land . . . unless council decides to rezone it, but I’m not sure that is in the cards.”
McKenzie added that in addition to the two sites proposed, the society might find a solution that is better suited to them.
“We are surrounded by farmers who might be willing to provide them with a square of their land. Ultimately it will be up to them to choose what they feel is an appropriate location, but we just wanted to provide them with some options,” he said.
