Residents asked for input on Kitchener's community gardens

Kitchener residents are being asked for their input into community gardens.

The city has posted a survey online at Engage Kitchenerto ask people whether they use community gardens, what barriers there are to accessing them and what the city can do better.

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The survey, which will accept responses until Sept. 18, comes after consultations for the Love My Hood neighbourhood strategy where residents said they like community gardens and they want the city to make it easier to start more of them.

City staff are currently working on a step-by-step guide to starting a community garden and said the feedback will help the city better support volunteers who want to start gardens, as well as possible locations.

"Gardens are a great form of community and should be encouraged," one person wrote in the survey. Responses are available to view online but do not include the commenter's name.

"But we ... also have other needs for empty space like play areas. So a balance is important."

Another person who identified as a community garden volunteer said there is a need for the city to help people water their community gardens.

"We struggled," the person wrote. "As well as starting new gardens, please put efforts into supporting those that already exist. Some of those gardens do not have running water or have other obstacles that the city could help overcome so that they thrive."