Rooftop garden growing and buzzing for 3rd season on Edmonton mall
A garden perched atop an Edmonton mall is growing once again.
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
an hour ago
- CTV News
Interfaith Food Bank showcases its learning garden for National Garden Day
The Interfaith Food Bank took full advantage of the sunshine on Friday to celebrate National Garden Day. The Interfaith Food Bank took full advantage of the sunshine on Friday to celebrate National Garden Day. Interfaith hosted a free barbeque in the afternoon, with a chance to learn about the garden at the food bank. The community garden allows staff to give lessons, tours and teach residents about ways to plant and the benefits of growing fresh produce. Since being installed in 2013, Interfaith has held its garden party every year since to showcase what the food bank has to offer and the supports available. 'Our learning garden is intended to teach people how to grow their own food as well as where their food comes from, but it is a learning garden, not a community garden so we don't have plots,' said Danielle McIntyre, Interfaith Food Bank executive director. 'Instead, we have our volunteers to tend the garden all season long. 'We primarily use the produce that we grow in our cooking classes and then anything surplus will go right out to our food bank families.' The Interfaith Food Bank took full advantage of the sunshine on Friday to celebrate National Garden Day. The Interfaith Food Bank took full advantage of the sunshine on Friday to celebrate National Garden Day. National Garden Day is held annually on the Friday before Father's Day to encourage Canadians to celebrate gardens in their communities. Interfaith's next event in the learning garden is DIY Bird Feeders. The event will take place June 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. 'Celebrate the first day of summer by creating your own eco-friendly bird feeder using recycled materials,' Interfaith says on its website. 'Discover the best spots to hang your feeder and learn about the feathered friends you might spot around Lethbridge.'
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Massive elm tree in one downtown neighbourhood will be axed next week
Toronto Watch The elm has been a staple for generations, but next week it will be coming down after city officials determined it has reached the end of it's life. CTV's Beth Macdonell reports.
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
Hanlan's Beach is getting a bubble zone to keep away motorized boats and vehicles
Toronto police's marine unit will create a bubble zone around Hanlan's Beach as a pilot project this summer to improve safety for swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders. The "motorized watercraft exclusion zone" will extend 200 metres off the shoreline of Hanlan's Beach, the marine unit said in a news release on Friday. The pilot project is being introduced with the help of the city and Ports Toronto, the marine unit added. All motorized vessels, including personal watercrafts such as Sea-Doos and Jet Skis, powerboats and sailboats, will be banned from entering the designated area. The marine unit says "clearly marked buoys" will be set out on Monday to make the boundaries of the zone clear and marine unit officers will patrol regularly to ensure there is compliance, using education, safety checks and enforcement when necessary. "The Toronto Police Service Marine Unit remains committed to the safety and security of our waterways and beaches," the marine unit said in the release. As well, a 400-metre "quiet zone" is in effect along Hanlan's Beach, which means boaters must keep music and amplified sound at reasonable levels, the marine unit said. "Sound travels further on water, and this measure is intended to preserve the enjoyment of all beach and water users," the marine unit said. According to the marine unit, the exclusion zone is supported by the Canada Marine Act and will be formally listed in the PortsToronto Rules and Procedures, Port Authority Regulations.
