News & Notes

• HEAL Network Nuggets 06 July 2009

CONNECTING COMMUNITY GARDENS
Is there a need for an E-harmony dating service for gardeners? HEAL (Healthy Eating Active Living) in Northern BC is currently supporting the development and/or enhancement of community gardens in 12 different communities this summer. The age and experience of the gardeners range from the very young (still in diapers) to master gardeners. The gardens range from newly broken soil to well-established community gardens with greenhouses and are a major source of community pride and well being in our northern communities.

Gardening in the north can be challenging and there is wisdom, knowledge, lessons learned and best practices that have been gained through experience. Northern inventiveness and skill has addressed and solved problems that would stump gardeners in other, more hospitable climates. Perhaps there is an interest in connecting like minded gardeners to share ideas , solutions and inventions in the same way E-Harmony links those interested in romance? It could be a helpful and easy way to support emerging gardens and gardeners by connecting them to established gardens and gardeners.

If the interest is there, HEAL could start the process by mapping the range of garden growth across the north and then help build a knowledge and experience sharing bridge between established gardens and emerging gardens throughout northern BC. This could be as simple as sharing inspiring and insightful stories and pictures , or as visionary as promoting community gardens as a sustainable tourist destination within Northern tourism.

If you are part of a community garden and are interested in Connecting Community Gardens, please send the name of your community, location of the garden and a contact person to encode=“info@healbc.ca” title=“info@healbc.ca “or phone 250.612.1362.

DAYLILIES: A BLOOMING GOOD IDEA!
Hemerocallis, commonly referred to as the daylily, perform well under almost any conditons, making them perfect for Prince George. The Master Gardener’s in Training had a blooming good idea to plant 125 daylillies in the median above Foothills and 15th as you go up University Way. The City of Prince George provided the bed for the project and with the help of Communities in Bloom, they were able to purchase the daylilies, pot them up early to give them a good start, and on June 8th, 2008, the class gathered to plant them.

The Master Gardener’s in Training are hopeful this daylily bed will encourage more planting of perennials in the boulevards and demonstrates the hardy options to the city and the gardening public.

EVERYBODY ACTIVE SEED GRANTS
These $2,000 seed grants are administered through the BCRPA and are available now to support community mobilization around access to physical activity for adults, age 35-54.
Everybody Active Application Information Grant closes August 16, 2009.

NEW – Have you already received an Everybody Active grant?
Check out the application guide to see if you qualify for additional funding.
For more information, contact Coordinator Donna Lee at 604.629.0965 × 257 or email

The Everybody Active initiative is a joint initiative of the BC Recreation & Parks Association and the Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon. Funding is provided by the BC Healthy Living Alliance, with support from ActNow BC.

CANADA’S RURAL PARTNERSHIP – Community Development Program, Building Rural and Northern Partnerships
Click on the link to see about funding opportunities for Rural and Northern communities. Canada’s Rural Partnership – Application Form