East Pender Mini Park Update

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Permalink Reply by Randy Chatterjee on August 22, 2011 at 8:37am

Michelle,

I have some surplus wood, very long (13-16') reclaimed fir 2x6s and some 2x10s.  These were never stained or painted and were once part of the BC Pavilion building in Hastings Park.  (I saved them from the scrap heap two years ago.)  

I cannot get these over to you and help you build some raised beds until early to mid September, but I'd like to see some of this wood return to the Hastings are for a great cause.  Maybe this would be a fun activity during the Fall Picnic, building the beds, moving soil into them, and then spreading sheet mulch.

Randy

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Permalink Reply by michelle gourley on August 22, 2011 at 9:43am

Great Idea Randy! I love it. 

It would be great to have the Fall picnic and raised bed construction time up together.... my one concern would be that our lovely pile of soil might not wait that long. I could be imagining it- but it does seem to be getting smaller. 

We have a vw van that is very handy for moving large objects( one set of seats removed).

Would it speed up the process if we swung by and at least got the wood to the site? Just thinking.

 

Michelle

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Permalink Reply by Randy Chatterjee on August 25, 2011 at 7:39am

People are beginning to realize that there is almost no good soil left in Vancouver.  We have for over a hundred years followed a scorched earth policy in Vancouver (removing ALL deadfall and leaves from everywhere), so I can readily imagine people taking any soil they can find.  

I can certainly make some wood available a bit earlier.  I just need to know how much and what sizes.  I have a limited number of boards that I am trying to put to best use, either in home renovation projects or as food-garden-building materials.  

I will try to go by the site to see the space.  Meanwhile, what did you have in mind for a garden layout?

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Permalink Reply by michelle gourley on August 25, 2011 at 8:12am

Hi Randy

 

Yes-please pop by the site and check out the exisiting raised bed along the Penticton side. We are wanting to keep the gardening area on that strip along Penticton and hopefully keep a similar look/style going with any new raised beds.....the soil pile is still there in the parking lot, as of yesterday!

 

Michelle

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Permalink Reply by Randy Chatterjee on August 26, 2011 at 11:32pm

I biked by the site today.  There is a good 50 feet of great sunny space to continue a raised bed (or beds) to the north of the existing one (which looks great!).

What is there now is 2x6 plus 2x4 walls and 2x4 corner posts.  I do not have any long 2x4s at all, but have lots of 2x6 and miscellaneous small boards to make corner posts.  

If we could identify a source of used 2x4s (maybe Habitat's Restore), we could make this happen quickly.   

I am thinking we might make at least two more longish (14-feet each?) beds that will stretch most of the way to the lane.   However, perhaps smaller ones or some varied placement would also work, or be better in some other ways.

Let me know what you have in mind, and if you can scrounge some 2x4.

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