The PUAA closes its garden gates this spring.
(MEAGHAN ARCHER / iNFOnews.ca)
May 07, 2014 - 12:58 PM
PENTICTON — Volunteers are closing their garden's gates because city council, under false pretences, shot down a licence renewal.
The Penticton Urban Agriculture Association will be selling and giving away their gardening tools, boxes, compost and soil this saturday. The association’s board of directors decided to vacate the garden by June 30, the end of their current temporary-use licence.
Eva Durance and Kathryn McCourt, members of the Penticton Urban Agriculture Association asked council in March to reconsider renewing the association’s license, which council had originally declined because they didn’t realize what the group was actually accomplishing.
Durance and McCourt explained how the produce grown in the garden is donated to the Soupateria and needy persons; over 400 pounds of fresh produce was donated from the last two seasons each.
Council agreed to consider renewing the licence, but the topic has not come up in council since.
Association members will be at the garden, located at Ellis Street and Nanaimo Street, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Meaghan Archer at marcher@infotelnews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014