Azilda Community Garden project begins to bloom  

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Julie Brazier was hopeful her community garden project would enjoy strong support, but even she was shocked to see participation numbers grow more quickly than anything that will be planted in the half-dozen boxes that will soon be installed at Whitewater Park in Azilda.

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Those garden boxes, including two that are wheelchair-accessible, are to be delivered this week by members of the Carpenters Union Local 2486, who assembled them for free. Meanwhile, students at St. Charles Catholic Elementary School in Chelmsford have been busy starting the seeds, while youngsters at Ecole Ste. Marie in Azilda are painting stones for a rock garden.

Brazier said the Azilda Community Garden should be up and running within the next two weeks, growing fruits and vegetables to help those in the community in need of fresh, healthy foods.

“I was at a Community Action Network meeting in Azilda and, having done some research, I discovered it was the only community that does not have a community garden,” Brazier recalled in an interview. “The group was OK with me leading the project, so I applied for a Healthy Community Initiative grant.”

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She secured $5,000 in HCI funding from the city for materials to build the garden boxes, as well as $5,500 for a water line, if needed.

“I have been dealing with James St. John, who is my contact with the city and has been helpful in every way,” Brazier said. “I reached out to the Azilda carpenters union and they were great, building the garden boxes with free labour, as long as I just supplied the materials. That was a bonus, for sure.”

She joined the Sudbury Community Garden Network, a volunteer organization whose members have a wealth of experience and expertise, and became involved in its Cultivate Your Neighbourhood program, an eco-friendly initiative to help support food security in the community.

“They have been great with supplying a lot of resources, just making it all come together nicely,” said Brazier, who expressed her gratitude to Linda Hachez and Rachelle Niemela for their ongoing support.

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“They have been my go-to with those whole project, because this is something I’m new to and I never even thought I’d be doing this.”

Rather than purchase plants outright, Brazier decided to approach St. Charles and asked the principal, Angela Polischuk, if the students would like to participate in starting the seeding process. The answer was an enthusiastic yes — not just from a few, but from all 400 students and all teachers at the school.

“It definitely blew up,” Brazier said with a laugh. 

Smith’s Market donated domes and Public Health Sudbury and Districts supplied a mini-greenhouse with lights. Brazier purchased a few materials herself, but most of what she needed was donated.

Meanwhile, Ste. Marie students are hard at work painting rocks, donated by Theriault Equipment Rentals, for the rock garden, dubbed Azilda Rocks. Once completed, it will surround the installed garden boxes.

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Vegetables and plants to be grown in the garden include peas, carrots, tomatoes, peppers and marigolds, among others.

“Just easy stuff to start with, but we’ll definitely grow as we come together,” Brazier explained. “With 400 students wanting to do this project, I think I’m going to have an overwhelming amount of plants, for sure.”

She said young people who help with harvesting are encouraged to eat healthier, while also getting exercise and a chance to socialize.

“It builds confidence,” Brazier said. “Tending to a plant and seeing it bloom is rewarding.

“They love it. It has almost become a little competition in the class, to see whose is growing large, whose didn’t make it, who had two plants come up instead of one — it’s fun for the kids, for sure.”

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Produce will go to local food banks, soup kitchens and families who are lacking healthy items for their fridge. Brazier hopes more volunteers will get involved — not only to benefit those in need, but also themselves.

“I hope this project will bring the community together, this small area,” she said. “Gardening has a great impact on people’s health and well-being. Plants produce powerful, positive emotions. They have both immediate and long-term effects on emotions, reactions, moods and social behaviour.

“It’s a small-town feeling in Azilda, so eventually, everybody will hear about it and hopefully, they’ll jump on the gardening wagon. That was the whole goal of going into the school, to get them started. Some of them had never even thought about gardening or don’t know what gardening is about, so we’re getting them started young and hopefully, it follows them throughout their lifetime.”

Anyone who is interested in getting involved with the Azilda Community Garden can find more information by finding its page on Facebook or by emailing [email protected].

“It took off for sure and it was more than I expected, but it has gone smoothly,” Brazier said. “You meet great people along the way and it all comes together.”

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Twitter: @ben_leeson