Rooftop garden growing and buzzing for 3rd season on Edmonton mall
The rooftop garden at Kingsway Mall returned for its third season on Friday, and the shopping centre says the bounty is expected to be bigger with 90 planters up from the 54 planters last year.
The garden is expected to produce more than 300 pounds of fresh fruit, vegetables and herbs which will be donated to Edmonton's Food Bank to feed families in need.
'Fresh, accessible food has never been more important to our community,' Bo Tarasenko with Kingsway Mall said in a news release.
'With the growing demand for food support in Edmonton, and the recent loss of key programs that previously supplied fresh produce, supporting food security initiatives is more important than ever.'
'Although a garden like this one feels like a small drop in the bucket, we're committed to doing what we can, and we hope others will be inspired to grow and give as well,' he added, with numbers indicating Edmonton's food bank is averaging almost 44,000 people using the hamper program in the first four months of this year.
'Locally grown food not only helps reduce food insecurity, it also contributes to a food sovereign Edmonton,' Tamisan Bencz-Knight with Edmonton's Food Bank said in a press release.
'Growing a little extra goes a long way in helping put food on the table for those in need while also contributing to a kinder community.'
Kingsway Mall covers the cost of the garden and it will be maintained entirely by mall staff and tenants for the first time.
Rooftop beehives are also back, which were added last year to encourage pollination of the plants.
More information about the rooftop garden and other mall initiatives can be found online.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
35 minutes ago
- CTV News
City of Ottawa considering licencing fee for landscapers as part of bylaw review
An Ottawa City Councillor says changes could be coming to the bylaw that oversees landscapers. CTV's Katie Griffin reports. Changes could be coming to the bylaw that oversees landscapers in Ottawa. The review that has been underway as part of the Landscaper Regulatory Review comes as several homeowners speak out after receiving a notice from the city saying they have to rip up some of their landscaping because it goes against a bylaw. 'Somebody complained and they targeted seven of us on this little crescent,' said Claude Mulligan who lives in Findlay Creek. 'The river rock was up to the curb and the city ordered us to remove everything in the right of way which is about 13 feet in my case.' He says the city eventually said they would only have to remove about 18 inches of rock away from the curb and replace it with mulch. 'But not any kind of mulch, it had to be organic mulch,' Mulligan said. 'I've got rubber mulch which I'm in the process of removing and I'm going to replace it with the organic, wood chip-type of mulch.' The landscaping was done more than 10 years ago and until this June it had never been an issue—until someone complained and a bylaw officer paid a visit, he said. 'We're all confused why this is happening. These stones don't bother anyone, they don't damage the roadway, they don't impede or interfere with anything.' Ottawa landscaping : Some residents in a Findlay Creek neighbourhood were told they had to rip out hardscape and replace it with mulch because it violated a bylaw. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa) Other homeowners reached out to CTV News Ottawa after our initial story about a Kanata couple that was told they had to rip out part of their $40,000 landscaping project. The city says no hardscaping, including river rock and interlock, is allowed on its right of way because it 'interferes with drainage, snow removal and can impact other city services.' 'I know that in the city there are literally tens of thousands of people that have done this in the last 20 years I would say. I think the bylaw needs to be changed because people don't want grass anymore,' Mulligan said. The Klines A Kanata couple has been told they have to rip out some of their nearly $40,000 landscaping project over a bylaw violation. (Katie Griffin/CTV News Ottawa) Right now, the city is reviewing the bylaw that oversees landscapers. 'The city needs to be much more proactive and making sure people are aware of what they can and cannot do but also to hold landscapers accountable,' said Coun. Riley Brockington. 'Landscapers need to be aware of the bylaw, this is not just a paycheque.' Brockington added that some potential changes as part of the Landscaper Regulatory Review could include licencing. 'That's possible that there may be a licensing fee so the city can keep better track of who the landscapers are.' Proposed changes could come before committee in the fall. Mulligan hopes something changes. 'We did what the city asked us to do but we're still scratching our heads as to why this is so bad.'
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
‘Act of remembrance': Residential school site in Manitoba receives new plaques commemorating historical significance
Three new plaques sharing the historical significance of the former Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School are seen in Portage la Prairie on Aug. 14, 2025. (Glenn Pismenny/CTV News Winnipeg) The federal government and Long Plain First Nation recognized the historical significance of a former residential school in Portage la Prairie. Saint Boniface-Saint Vital MP Ginette Lavack joined Long Plain leaders and residential school survivors at the Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School on Thursday. Three new plaques were unveiled by Parks Canada, sharing the historical significance of the building. 'We recognize this site as a place of national historic significance,' Lavack said. 'This commemoration is one step in our collective responsibility to educate all Canadians about the Indian residential school system, its devastating consequences, and the importance of remembering this history so that it is never repeated.' 'Commemoration is often not a celebration. It's an act of remembrance and an opportunity to reflect on the full scope of Canada's history, including moments that are painful, complex or difficult to confront.' Portage residential school The exterior of the Portage la Prairie Indian Residential School, now the National Residential School Museum of Canada, is seen on Aug. 14, 2025. (Glenn Pismenny/CTV News Winnipeg) The school was built in 1915. It was part of the residential school system which removed Indigenous children from their families and communities, denying them their traditions, language and culture. The school closed in 1975, and is now home to the National Residential School Museum of Canada. 'Our museum is physically located in one of Canada's last remaining residential school buildings. It stands as a testament to our past and bears witness to the history and legacy of the residential school system,' said Lorraine Daniels the museum's executive director and a residential school survivor. 'It's now a National Historic Site. It serves as a powerful, immersive memorial that honors those who endured the resident to school system, safeguarding their stories, supporting survivors and their communities, and educating visitors on the impacts of the residential schools.'
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Are Montrealers actually using their compost bins?
By the end of 2025, all Montrealers will have a brown bin for compost. But according to a 2024 survey, only about half of the city's population is using them, and even fewer know what can go in the bins.
