Creating Together, Growing Together
By David Walsh
As the Green Roof at Carrot Common takes shape, it will be seen as an important symbol of the many dynamic innovative garden initiatives that are happening across our city. Carrot Cache has supported many of these food projects, and it is gratifying to see so many of these groups taking a role in the creation of the Carrot garden oasis above The Big Carrot store.
This Carrot Green Roof project is building on the earlier roof garden projects of Zora Ignjatovic& Dennis Morrison on our previous roof deck above The Big Carrot. Over 40 individuals have actively participated in the design and construction of the new Green Roof, and this has been a rewarding learning experience for those of us who are new to this concept. The construction work is about 80% complete and the remaining gardens will be planted in the spring. An important component of the construction and green roof work has been the apprenticeship training offered to a number of individuals, including residents from a local recovery centre.
A key goal of the Carrot Green Roof is to support community engagement and collaboration; and funding from Toronto’s Live Green program has been a catalyst to make this happen. I am continually amazed by all the new projects and experiments I see that hold great potential for more green roof spaces and for growing more nutritious fresh food within our community.
We are currently creating a knowledge bank and website to share our experience and to recognize the many contributions to this project. We welcome anyone interested in volunteering to contact us and to share your talents and ideas. Please join us next spring for more community gatherings on the Carrot Green Roof.
