Nanaimo and Region Community Garden Sites

Pine Street Community Garden — 271 Pine St near downtown

Come work together to grow vegetables and fruit in this unique organic community garden. Everyone is welcome. All year round, gardeners and their families exchange a wealth of knowledge, gain food skills, share fresh produce, and find friendship and community at the Pine Street Community Garden. No experience is necessary.

Come out to one of our hardy Wednesday Work Parties from 11am-4pm, where Pine Nuts gather to garden all year round. Always something to do, mulching, digging, composting... sampling tender greens. May be canceled in heavy rains. Pine St. Community Garden is located behind the Foodshare Centre at 271 Pine St.

Want to help? Bagged leaves for mulch, soiled hay and manure wanted! Help us enrich our Community Garden soil and put vegetable beds to bed under a warm layer of mulch. Call 250-816-GROW (4769)

A series of public workshops are offered in the garden, and field trips and tours for your class or community group can be arranged. A limited number of allotment plots can also be rented.

This is a volunteer run site. To attend the next planning meeting or to get involved at this location come to a Wednesday Work Party or contact Lee at 250-754-0782 or email leehaleys[ at ]hotmail.com.

Greenhouses —North End of Nanaimo off of Hammond Bay Rd
Join the wonderful community of gardeners who grow co-operatively in our greenhouses; heat-loving crops in the summer, and winter vegetables during the fall and winter. The greenhouse team welcomes people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities. No previous experience is necessary and all work is done according to one's own comfort level. Everyone shares in the harvest.

Located in the north end of Nanaimo, the greenhouses are also used to produce of wide selection of heirloom vegetable plants that are sold to the public and grown in the society's educational gardens. The intense period of plant production for fundraising runs from about February to July. Many of the communal gardeners also volunteer to grow these plants. See upcoming greenhouse workshops.

To get involved in the greenhouse contact Pat at (250) 756-2403 pat.w[ at ]shaw.ca

• Barsby School Gardens — At the corner of 7th and Bruce Ave. near the tennis courts. Contact Coordinator Anna Dodds 250-751-9751 nourish[ at ]island.net
• Beaufort Park — Allotment plots for rent. Administered by neighbouring Montessori School. Contact Cynthia 250-753-0649.
• Bethlehem Retreat Centre Garden — The vegetables, herbs, berries and fruit from this garden are used by the cooks in the kitchen in their meal preparation for the many people who go there for meetings, workshops and retreats. There is also a Children's Garden in a corner of the larger garden. Contact Lynne Alton: walking2[ at ]shaw.ca or 250-722-3633.
• Brechin Hill Community Assn. — in planning stages; contact Joy (sec/treas) 250-716-1618 or jgbremner[at]shaw.ca
• Fairview School Gardens — On 2nd St Contact Anna Dodds 250-751-9751 nourish[ at ]island.net
• Gabriola Commons — #9-755 Church St. Contact Heide Brown 250-247-8144
• Georgia Ave Elementary School Gardens — Contact Misty 250-753-4511; community assistance welcomed.
• Ladysmith Community Gardens — Produce donated to Ladysmith Food Bank and garden used to educate people how to grow food. Located at Kiwi Cove Lodge, 5130 Brenton Page Rd - Contact Peggy Kolosoff 250-245-8051 or Margaret Nicoll (Coordinator) bessybounce[ at ]hotmail.com
• McSEEDS — contact Guy Langlois: mcseeds[ at ]shaw.ca
• Nanaimo Women's Centre — 285 Selby St Therapeutic garden for women and children. Food grown is used communally by families accessing the centre and in learning to cook together through Community Kitchens. Male volunteers welcome. Contact Executive Director Lesley Clarke, 250-753-0633 director[at] nanaimowomen.com
• Neighbours of Nob Hill Society — in planning stage at corner of Hecate and Prideaux; contact Graham 250-716-8974 or gshuley[ at ]aspengroveschool.ca
• Parksville Community Allotment Gardens — Mc Vickers St. & Old Is. Hwy @ Shell station and Liquor Store. Contact Carolyn: franksy3[ at ]shaw.ca
• Pauline Haarer Garden — along Campbell St. edge of school grounds. Contact Wendy: 250-753-5187. Community involvement welcome.
• Princess Royal Family Centre — 260 Irwin St. Contact Eileen Bennewith (Community Nutritionist VIHA) 250-755-7855 eileen.bennewith[ at ]viha.ca
• Protection Island Community Garden — 173 Colvilleton Trail Contact Jim Harris 250-740-0317 meharris[ at ]telus.net
• VIU Community Peace Garden — On Wakesiah Ave. Contact Stephen Levesque: viucommunitypeacegarden[ at ]gmail.com
• Wennberg Farm — South End of Nanaimo at 14th and Cranberry. A limited number of garden plots can be rented at this fertile farm site for $25 each. Please contact Ric at 250-754-3170 or ric[ at ]cdisle.ca to rent a plot.

See also Sharing Backyards online registry to find land available in your neighbourhood, or to offer use of your land for food production.