Thank you for your continued support of Parkview Neighbourhood Garden. You’ve probably been wondering how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect this year’s gardening season.  The leadership team has been meeting (virtually) for the last few months to try to discuss solutions.

You may be aware from the press that community and allotment gardens have been deemed an essential service, and thereby eligible for reopening.

The City of Toronto has comprehensive rules and regulations that community gardens must follow in order to reopen during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Based on the City’s directives, and the continuing uncertainty about the future of the pandemic, the leadership team has made the following decisions:

• At this time, ONLY LEADERSHIP TEAM members can work in the garden while we test out our processes and make sure we can stay safe.
• During the last week in May, the leadership team will evaluate how well we are coping and decide if we can involve other volunteers in the work.
• For the 2020 season, we cannot accept new volunteers as we are unable to adapt necessary training processes to meet the City’s directives around safety.
• Since the City only allows us to have 5 people in the garden at any one time, we will have to schedule individual work shifts.
• We likely won’t be able to plant as much as we typically do because of the restrictions.
• Since food security is the focus of the City’s decision to reopen community gardens, we will be donating our produce to organizations feeding people in need.

Making these decisions has not been easy, but first and foremost, we must make the safety of our volunteers and customers our primary concern.  We value your volunteer commitment in the past, and hope that you can bear with us this season.  We will continue to communicate to you as things change – and hopefully, improve!  Stay safe and well.

The PNG Leadership Team