By Bridget Cook
TURNING Point Family Church is now seeing the fruits of its labour with Cranbourne’s first community garden up and running.
Construction of stage one of the Room To Grow Community Garden is now complete, with vegetable growing beds, a frog-friendly pond, greenhouses, gazebo and sandpit already in use.
Project manager Kathey Blackmont said the garden was open for community groups, organisations and residents to use at a low cost.
“The aim of the garden is to provide a place for residents and community groups to come and grow their own produce, get together with other residents and share skills and experiences,” she said.
The garden recently received funding from the Cranbourne West Primary School and now partners them in their program, Healthy4Life, which aims to get families in the area to eat healthier and exercise more.
Ms Blackmont said the funding from the Healthy4Life project would go towards completing stage two of the garden.
“This will include a playground, chicken coop, barbecue and seating area, and a fruit tree orchard,” she said.
Groups already making use of the garden include St Francis Xavier College, Kalimna Support Options and the Busy Bees playgroup.
Ms Blackmont said they are still looking for interested organisations and residents to come and utilise the garden facilities.
“User groups can take the vegies home when they have grown, and if there is excess it will be donated to the Cranbourne Family Support Centre,” she said.
The garden is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am until 5pm, on the 21-acre property owned by the church.
For more details contact Kathey Blackmont on 5996 3048 or 0418 134 104.