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The Foodfield Project
FGCA Streetlife Committee – Updated May 20, 2015
Intention: food and community
The Foodfield project will enhance food security
and sense of community in Fairfield Gonzales.
This area has a long history of local food
abundance, and it’s time we create that again!
This exciting project aims to increase local food
growing: on public land, such as boulevards and
parks (community orchard, anyone?); and on
private property - including front yard gardens.
The project also aims to expand local ability to
prepare and preserve food through activities
such as workshops, classes and community
kitchens.
Further, it aims to develop a local culture of
food sharing – through community feasting,
neighbourhood potlucks, and linkages with
redistribution initiatives such as the Food Share
Network.
Possible activities to increase local food
growing:

Promote boulevard gardening,
providing information and examples

Provide access to garden development
materials and resources

Organize workshops and talks on food
growing, fruit and nut tree pruning, etc.

Link with the GRAFT project (Growing
Regionally-Adapted Fruit Trees) to
provide trees for Fairfield Gonzales

Develop a community orchard, starting
with a vision, a plan and neighbourhood
engagement

Link residents with the expertise and
resources of LifeCycles, the Compost
Education Centre, and others
Possible activities to expand local abilities to
prepare and preserve food:
Approach: a community / City partnership
Based on lessons learned from related projects,
the most effective approach will be a
City/community partnership. The City could
provide materials, assist with infrastructure,
and grant funds to resource community level
engagement and action. The Fairfield Gonzales
Community Association (FGCA) could liaise with
residents, provide learning resources, and
foster community development.

Organize workshops on food
preservation methods – dehydration,
canning, and freezing

Organize classes on food preparation,
including cooking with local/seasonal
ingredients, fermentation, raw food etc.
Possible activities to develop a local culture
of food sharing:

Organize community feasts, celebrating
the bounty of local food

Encourage neighbourhood potlucks and
food-abundant street parties

Link with regional initiatives such as
Food Share Network to distribute
excess produce to those in need
We welcome your suggestions - contact
place@fairfieldcommunity.ca
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Background: the FGCA and the City are
already leading the way
The Fairfield Gonzales Community Association
(FGCA) has demonstrated commitment to local
food security through initiatives such as the
Fairfield Community Garden Project and
ongoing hosting of the Moss Street Market. The
Community Garden, through partnership with
the City of Victoria, has shown the potential for
food growing and in the commons and
volunteer-driven neighbourhood stewardship of
food bearing trees and berry bushes.
The City of Victoria has also shown its
willingness to partner in commons food
growing, through projects such as the Haultain
Street walnut tree initiative (planted in 2012)
and community orchard pilots in Fernwood and
Vic West (planted in 2013). In 2014, the City
introduced the Interim Boulevard Gardening
Guidelines (final guidelines expected by 2016).
Steps to date:
Nov 2014: FGCA Streetlife Committee reps
meet with Oaklands community
gardening pioneers, sharing the
story of the Haultain walnut trees
and lessons learned…
Jan-Feb ‘15: Streetlife Committee liaises with
the FGCA Community Garden
Committee, LifeCycles, Transition
Victoria & others to discuss project
Feb 24 ’15: Stakeholder dialogue hosted by
Councillors Ben Isitt and Jeremy
Loveday at Victoria City Hall
March 3:
City of Victoria Parks Planner Alia
Johnson meets with James Pratt,
FGCA Director Forrest Smith, and
FGCA staff Vanya McDonell
March 10:
Stakeholder dialogue #2 at City Hall
(James Pratt, Forrest Smith attend)
March 16:
Streetlife Committee discusses
project
March/Apr: FGCA Streetlife / City / others
collaborate to develop proposal
Next steps:

Identify areas with strong prospects for
boulevard gardening and community
orchards

Reach out to the community – including
Moss Street Market tabling – and map
existing and potential food growing

Engage with residents in areas near
possible community orchard sites

Continue to connect with related
initiatives, to share information,
coordinate and cooperate

Identify activities people are willing to
lead, and explore business and
community partnerships
Your thoughts?
Fairfield Community Garden
Do you have ideas for this project? Please be in
touch! Let us know how you willing to help?
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