Community Urban Food Forest + Permaculture Garden Victoria, BC

 A garden of possibility “ Imagine a green space in the heart of your neighbourhood designed to provide fresh organic food, conserve and recycle resources, create native bird/insect habitat, and generally improve the local quality of life.” — Geoff Johnson, Originator

Spring Ridge Commons is an example of what is possible when you transform an under-utilized, marginal spaces ( a barren gravel lot)

 into a productive space both in terms of yields such as food and medicines

 and in terms of social yields such as experiences of beauty, nature and solitude,

 community and fun

 learning,

 a sense of belonging through contribution to a common space

 and place making

 and experimenting with new relationships to land and people. The site establishes common ground between all people who enter…. Safety Comfort

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 “Friends of the Spring Ridge Commons” became a society under the BC Societies Act on July 6, 2012 for the following purposes:BC Societies Act  a. To preserve and protect the Spring Ridge Common(s) as a community open space that is freely accessible to the neighbourhood and the larger community. b. To ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of the Common(s) as a community site, open to all by providing opportunities for people to experience community through shared management of the commons and hands-on knowledge sharing about permaculture design techniques and ecologically sound food growing practices. c. To provide a cultivated wild habitat in which birds, bees and other insects can thrive. d. To promote permaculture as well as other organic agricultural practices on the site. e. To preserve and protect fruit/production trees, shrubs, herbs and perennials that are free to harvest by all. The by-laws of the society are those set out in Schedule B to the Society Act.

 Beautiful green spaces have become almost obsolete in Victoria – – we need places to wander on paths – through the flowers and the edibles – to nibble a berry and to feel ourselves moving in a flow between two streets... thank you Spring Ridge for being there and being there and staying there – for the bees and the trees and us 2 leggeds also. — Ann Jacob – Spring Ridge Commons Facebook Comment Sept 12, 2015   Spring Ridge Commons is a shining example of what every neighbourhood could and in our opinion should strive for. A forest of food available for anyone in the community to eat and share space together, learn and play.  In today’s changing world there are a rather large growing number of reasons to protect and replicate these spaces, learning and adjusting as we go.  Many thanks to all involved and to those who have and continue to support the commons with a great amount of time and energy. The food forest you steward was a big portion of the spark that inspired the creation of Edible Living Landscapes. — Josh Wagler, Nick Poeta and Marc Demontigny, Edible Living Landscapes – Spring Ridge Commons Facebook Comment Sept 30, 2015Edible Living Landscapes  I want to point out that what we have with Spring Ridge Commons is not only something what many cities would literally drool over, are trying to figure out how to do, it is one of the boldest examples, ahead of its time, I know of anywhere in the entire region. It is really a special space in those regards. — Mike Simpson, Permaculture Design Teacher – Spring Ridge Commons Public Meeting Sept 2014Spring Ridge Commons Public Meeting  I have loved Spring Ridge Commons for years and was glad to introduce the gardens to my son over the last two summers-he ran around, down the paths, over the small slopes the entire time, stopping only to smell the flowers:) The existence of such a garden is key to a modern community in my opinion-it motivates, inspires and teaches people how to do this in their own small, and larger spaces. It also creates a natural gathering space in a increasingly urban world. — Anna Parkes, Facebook Posting in Victoria Permaculture, Nov 23, 2015

How do you use Spring Ridge Commons? What does Spring Ridge Commons bring to you? What would be lost if it were not here? What are your concerns about Spring Ridge Commons? Imagine five years into the future. In your ideal future, what would be the same and what would be different about Spring Ridge Commons?