Summer watering volunteers needed
We need watering volunteers to keep the Norquay Garden green and growing throughout the summer! The students will be thrilled to return to school in September to a bountiful harvest of vegetables.
Find times and sign up now
What’s growing on outside?
The Norquay Garden is an outdoor, interactive classroom where urban
kids can grow plants, increase their environmental awareness and connect
with nature. It’s a place where teachers can go beyond theory and
the classroom and demonstrate ecology, science, biology and chemistry
in action. It is an opportunity to promote healthy living and allows
the community to experience the thrill of coming together to nurturing
Through PAC financial support, UBC’s Think & Eat Green @
School Grants, a Jane Goodall A.P.E. Fund Grant, Toyota Evergreen
Learning Grounds Grants, a Whole Kids Foundation Grant, dedicated
volunteer support and lots of enthusiasm, the garden can boast:
• 2 mature, donated apple trees planted in October 2018
• A new water tap installed in April 2018
• A Food Garden (built in 3 phases starting in Fall 2014 and completed
in Spring 2017) with a total of eighteen 4ft x 8ft raised planter boxes
built to VSB specification
• A Native Plants Garden (established in 2007) featuring a variety
of indigenous plants like Alpine Strawberries, Huckleberry,
Jerusalem Artichoke, Lavender, Red Hot Poker, Red-Flowering
Currant, Salal and Saskatoon Berry to mention just a few.
• A 3-bin compost (installed Fall 2016)
• 2 outdoor storage boxes
• A collection of gardening tools and supplies for students
The garden is a 100% volunteer run initiative.
A vision for the garden:
The Garden Committee is hoping to continue to enhance the garden,
so that all students can green their thumbs. Below is a list of goals the
garden hopes to achieve in the next few years:
• New borders for the Native Plants Garden
• Native plant plaques (for education and awareness)
• Provide more workshops for students and teachers on
conservation, growing food and sustainability.
With dedicated enthusiasm and long-term commitment from the
Norquay Community, the garden may even one day boast a Schoolyard
Market Farm, a commercially producing educational farm on school land
utilized as an outdoor classroom, like that at Vancouver Technical
Help give students a green, creative experience
Making the garden bloom requires many hands and hearts
working together. Helping out and participating in PAC fundraising
initiatives like Pizza Lunch or purchasing Gift Certificates at Christmas or
Purdy’s chocolates at Easter all help the garden grow.
If you prefer a more hands on approach, we sure could use them!
From watering, weeding, hauling to leading, the Norquay community can
only reap what it sows. We are looking for volunteers to help water
(especially in the summer), collaborate with and lead development
initiatives. Please send an email, we’d be thrilled to hear from you!