On November 24th, City Council approves my motion supported by Just Food, Gardens Ottawa and the community gardening network. 2022 will be the Year Of The Garden in the city of Ottawa. These are valuable assets for quality of life & health, beauty, food security, biodiversity & enviro sustainability
Here’s the motion I presented to council.
Re: Year of the Garden 2022
Moved by / Motion de: Councillor M. Fleury
Seconded by / Appuyée par: Councillor T. Tierney
WHEREAS Communities in Bloom in collaboration with the Canadian Garden
Council, invites all municipalities to celebrate the Year of the Garden; and
WHEREAS Indigenous peoples and settlers have a long history of relating to,
stewarding and growing plants on these lands; and
WHEREAS the Year of the Garden celebrates a designated Centennial of
Canada’s ornamental horticulture sector; and
WHEREAS gardens and gardening contribute to the quality of life of our
municipality and create safe and healthy places where people can come together;
and
WHEREAS the Ottawa Community Gardening Network, coordinated by Just Food,
supported by the City of Ottawa, is celebrating 25 years of community
engagement and garden development in 2022; and
WHEREAS gardens and gardening have helped us face the challenges of the
COVID-19 pandemic, including mitigating food insecurity and social isolation;
and
WHEREAS the Year of the Garden will highlight and celebrate the important
contributions of our local gardening organizations and horticulture professionals
and businesses; and
WHEREAS National Garden Day is June 18, 2022, and celebrating this day in the
City of Ottawa will contribute to the legacy of Canada’s Year of the Garden 2022;
and
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa is committed to be a Garden Friendly City,
supporting the development of its garden culture;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Ottawa City Council proclaim 2022 as the
Year of the Garden in Ottawa, in celebration of the contribution of gardens,
gardening and community gardening to improving the lives of our community
members in terms of health, food security, beauty, quality of life, biodiversity, and
environmental sustainability.