Searching for Grow / Pick Your Own Food

Participants can sign up for a plot or volunteer at one of 3 Community and Allotment gardens in Niagara Falls. Community Gardens are pieces of land where people get together to grow food.

• Our Lady of the Scapular Parish, 6557 Thorold Stone Road, Niagara Falls, ON L2J 1B2
• The Gate Alliance Church, 6009 Valley Way, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 1X9
• Westlane Secondary School, 5960 Pitton Rd, Niagara Falls, ON L2H 1T5

Yearly, the gardens produce over 4,000 pounds of emergency food that is distributed through Project SHARE's Food Bank. Volunteers donate their time and experience to mentor new gardeners on how to grow healthy, organic foods without using any pesticides.

3 to 4 workshops are offered throughout the garden season to educate the gardeners on Square Foot Gardening, Companion Gardening and how to preserve their harvest through canning and drying methods.

Project Share's community garden at the Glengate Alliance Church is open to individual clients and volunteers. These allotment plots are for clients to grow their own healthy food.

The Ailanthus Community Garden, supported by Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Regional Housing, provides garden space for residents of Sunny Home Square.

The community garden at Garderie LaMarsh is an educational tool for the chldren in the child care program.

The GROW Garden, operated by GROW Community Food Literacy Centre, provides produce to clients of the centre.

The Southminister United Church Community Garden provides garden space to anyone looking to grow their own produce.

The Warden and Waters Community Garden, supported by Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Regional Housing, provides garden space for residents of Westfield Court.

Project Share's community garden at Our Lady of Scapular church hosts 10 x 5 individual plots for families and community groups as well as a small urban farm area where fresh produce is grown to support Project Share's emergency food program. Educational workshops on growing, cooking and preserving food as well as food literacy workshops for schools and community groups are provided throughout the season.

Project Share's community garden at Westlane Secondary School is open to students and volunteers who tend plots that grow food for Project Share's emergency food program.

The Kenmore Court Community Garden, operated by Bethlehem Housing and Support Services, provides tenants Kenmore Court an opportunity to grow their own produce.

Ormond Street Community Garden, run by Niagara Regional Housing and Niagara Region Public Health, is a garden space for residents of the Ormond St building.

The Niagara Training and Employment Agency's community garden is maintained by clients and staff of the agency and all produce is donated to local organizations.

The United Way Garden Hub, is a volunteer run garden growing food in support of local food security initiatives.

The St Christopher School Community Garden, operated by Links for Greener Learning, provides students an opprtunity to learn about waste reduction, food literacy and gardening.

Hotline for gardening questions and information. Master Gardeners will be resuming in person mentorship in the fall of 2022. Call the hotline for further information.

The YWCA Oakdale Community Garden is a space for residents of the building to grow together and share the harvest.

Southridge Community Garden, operated by Southridge Community Church, provides produce for the Southridge Shelter Kitchen.

The Centennial Community Garden, operated by Queenston Neighbours, provides garden space for anyone looking to grow their own produce.

The E.I. McCulley School Community Garden, operated by Links for Greener Learning, provides students an opprtunity to learn about waste reduction, food literacy and gardening.

Open to service persons facing significant life challenges including addiction, mental illness, poverty, homelessness and unemployment. Open daily, providing refreshments, access to support staff, phones, restrooms, healthcare, and assistance with paperwork, taxes, mail, and links to various community services. Food Program offering healthy meals, Community Garden fresh produce and healthy lunches offered on weekends and statutory holidays.

The Rykert Community Garden, supported byt Niagara Region Public Health and Niagara Regional Housing, provides garden space for residents of the Rykert Social Housing Community.

The community garden at Chez Marie, operated by Links for Greener Learning, allows clients of Chez Marie to grow their own produce.

Responsible for city parks designs, horticulture displays, community centres, older adult centres, pools, arenas, historical and cultural services, and a variety of recreation services such as creative arts programs, sport and fitness classes, human interest courses and swimming programs. This includes classes for parents and children to interact together and with others.

Also included is Lakeside Beach/Park, Carousel, and Harbour as well as Sunset and Jones Beaches.

Requests for new trees planted on the boulevard can be made to this office. New sub-divisions currently under construction, are automatically included in this service by the contractor.

Report all graffiti found on City-owned facilities by calling the CitizensFirst.

Offering a Flower Pot Program to make businesses more attractive. Professionally designed and planted, flower pots are available for rent by contacting Ilyse Norton at 905-688-5601 ext 3140.

The FAIR (Fee Assistance in Recreation) program offers eligible, low-income families reduced rates at City run recreation programs, such as swimming, golf lessons, senior centres and other classes. Apply at 905-688-5601 ext 1800 or online.

Community Gardens provide gardening space, and all necessary items, while sharing knowledge and expertise, to ensure that participants learn about gardening in order to grow and harvest their own produce. Targeted to residents of Niagara Housing and those without gardening space. Plots are located at Torosian Park on Ventura Drive. For more information call Niagara Regional Housing 905-682-9201 ext 3935.

The Community Garden, operated by the Dunlop Drive Older Adults Centre is for the seniors from the Centre to volunteer to grow food together, for themselves or for community causes to donate.

Emergency medical/dental vision care assistance available on case by case basis dependent on available funds (dental cleaning/scaling not applicable)

Life skills training includes Savoury Samplings Program & Community Gardens.

Back to School Snacks & Sneakers program in late August (backpacks and school supplies while supplies last)

Shelter issues are addressed through the Housing Help Program. Trusteeships are provided to those experiencing money management issues. Assistance with replacing ID for registered clients is available through the housing program.

Administers the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program for St Catharines residents. Jumpstart provides financially disadvantaged children, aged 4-18 years, with the opportunity to participate in sports and recreational activities. Call 905-685-1349 ext 228 for more information.