Last summer was the first year for the newest community garden option in our city, which is located beside the Martensville Speedway on 9th Avenue North. For its inaugural year, there were a total of ten spots created within Martensville Gardens, all of which were filled with local residents that had been on a waiting list for a spot within the 12-plot community garden location in Kinsmen Park, east of the basketball court.
These garden plots are available through a partnership between the City of Martensville and Saskatoon Kart Racers (SKR). “Saskatoon Kart Racers have enough land there for us to be able to utilize it for something that can be beneficial to the people within the community. It has been great to see how successful it is,” Darnell Kuzek, local resident and SKR volunteer said.
Kuzek explained that the City of Martensville provides the materials required for the garden and volunteers at SKR do all of the work, which includes preparing the land, building the boxes, spreading mulch, etc.
This year, an additional ten spots were added, and once again, were filled quickly with people that had been on a waiting list for some time and Kuzek added that SKR would like to see an additional ten spots be created next year.
“There is still a waiting list and we want to try to provide space for as many people as possible. We also are looking at coming up with a design that is a bit smaller and stands taller so it is a little easier for seniors to be able to use. It is a community project, so we want to make sure that everyone that wants to use it, can,” Kuzek said.
Water will soon be available for those that currently have one of the 7’ x 14’ spots and all are reminded to ensure that COVID precautions are followed which include keeping distance between fellow gardeners, wiping shared surfaces such as water tap and gate, and not leaving any tools behind.
Although the water is not available yet, Kuzek noted that it will be soon, as well as the addition of mulch between the new boxes to keep things esthetically pleasing.
“Thank you to the City of Martensville for everything they contribute to this project and to SKR for all of the work that goes into this. Also, we appreciate all of the support from the community and look forward to expanding in the coming years.”
For those that would like to be added to the wait list, or has questions, Kuzek advised that they join the ‘Martensville Gardens’ Facebook page where either himself, another SKR volunteer, or a current community garden user can help provide information.
