You Asked is a regular NewmarketToday feature. We’ll do our best to get the answers to your most pressing questions about what’s going on in Newmarket. Email [email protected] and please include the words You Asked in the subject line.
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You asked:
Newmarket resident Joan Sloan wondered when community gardens would be opening up, since Ontario lifted its emergency order on April 25 to allow the activity on grounds as they are an essential source of fresh food for local citizens who may face food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s the answer:
There’s good news, and bad news.
First, the good news. The Town of Newmarket last week approved the opening of the 106-plot Fernbank allotment garden at 900 Mulock Dr., just east of the Magna Centre, a town spokesperson confirmed.
Since 1993, York Region Food Network has operated the region’s five community and allotment gardens in Newmarket, Aurora and Vaughan.
Volunteers share the harvest of a community garden, while allotment gardens offer individuals a plot of their own to manage and grow food.
Local members of the Mulock allotment garden are busy planting tomato and pepper seedlings, lettuce, radishes, kohlrabi and more.
While all the plots are spoken for, those interested in growing their own food can get on a waitlist.
Here’s the bad news: Newmarket’s London & Main community garden remains closed, which is located at London Road and Main Street North.
It is not yet known when or if it will reopen this season, said the network’s urban agriculture coordinator, Jessica Tong.
The network has been working at capacity to reopen its gardening spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Safety measures that adhere to guidelines provided by the Ontario government and York Region’s public health unit are in effect at Newmarket’s allotment garden and include a mandatory sign-in process, hand sanitizer and bleach spray for high-touch surfaces, and only garden members are asked to attend the plot to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus and keep everyone safe.
There is no limit on the number of people who can be in the general garden area because there’s plenty of room to space out within the 10 by 20-foot plots, with pathways in between them.
“We’re keeping an eye on that, if there are large groups of people going at the same time and it’s packed, which we don’t predict will happen, we’ll put something in place for scheduling,” said Tong.
In the workplace safety and prevention services guidance on health and safety for the community garden sector during COVID-19 posted on York Region’s website, it’s key for operators to recognize hazards and assess risks.
For example, community gardeners will have contact with people and surfaces, including tools, equipment, and machinery. One could potentially come in contact with infectious respiratory droplets from these interactions that are released into the environment by laughing, coughing or sneezing.
The document lists a number of options for protecting community garden workers and the general public from exposure to COVID-19, including how many people should be allowed in garden rows, boxes, or other areas and the distancing between people.
As well, limiting the number of people in a garden at one time, and increasing cleaning and disinfecting of commonly touched surfaces such as taps, baskets, buckets and water hose nozzles, and tables, are noted.
Volunteers could also be encouraged to bring their own gardening supplies and tools, and not share them.
For more information about York Region Food Network and its allotment and community gardens, visit here.
