Riley Park Community Garden
Meeting Sept 8, 2016
Hillside Community Centre

Attendees

Joanne M, Lori W, varouj, Tamara, Web, Anha, Tony, Len, Victor, Art, Norm, Rob, Selina, Lisa

I. Round table introductions: what is your area of interest?

II. Garden Design and Phase 1 Planting – handover; signage at site, tree remediation

Discussion included:

Including natural plants, bees like thistles. 
Len has a construction background so can work on the CAD drawing and building
Becky Till is our current VPB Garden liaison
shrubs and some things to get on site before the frost
put in space holders
need action plans and timeline
identify the priority pieces
Fall is the time to plant trees
Mark paths with woodchips
Survey site – need 3-4 people maximum to do this
Get soil and woodchips (Bartlett Tree Services offered to provide the mulch – thank you, Rob!)
Mark paths with woodchips. The soil is exposed now and would be good to have some coverage to preserve the area until we can get Spring planting
IDEA:  volunteer work parties.  Apply to Telus Day of Caring.  NOTE: We have applied through the United Way Day of Caring site.
For planting detail see the January 2016 Planting Modules (led by Lori W)
Lori W to email Justin about site access as we need to plan shrub locations and other tasks
Green Team assembled
Earthwise has a sale so let’s go!  Lori W to organize

III. Budget review and approve
Discussion on the $ in credit union and how to allocate.   We need to do some soil sampling and analysis. Feel may not need to buy soil. 

IV. Garden Coordinator Contract

Discussion on pros and cons to spend the funds but this has been a condition and request from the volunteers since we starting meeting and planning the garden.  Agreement to hire now.   The position reports to one Garden Committee representative.  Timeline to hire is mid-October.  Lori, Tamara, varouj and Joanne offered to be on selection committee.

V. Fundraising:  developers, grants, events, Nourish Your Neighbourhood, NSG 150, Wine Studio (wine for a cause) 

To do:  Joanne to get donations on line – need to link to LMNH site
•    NYN is October
•    Wine for a Cause emailed with no response yet
•    Continue approaching developers
•    Keep an eye out for grants:  Fiskars is the end of the year

VI. Platform for Communication update: Membership online – Web

Discussed the platform and asked for an Org. Chart as felt volunteer opportunities and how to get involved might be more clear. 

Setup Project Plan spreadsheet for each area where we are working like Planting, Marketing (Event)….

Garden Committee:  sign up for Working Groups

Felt that having a general group and specific working groups that may come and go would be better than a rigid structure.  Identified: 

Green Team:  Lori W to head u

Marketing

Fundraising

Other
?  Signage at garden
? discussed the Big Draw and participating.  When is our Garden Launch Party? 
IDEA: Have a plot that says, “I’m Hungry.” – like Sole Food

9.    Next Meeting