Sudbury, ON - The Social Planning Council of Sudbury, with support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, will be celebrating the launch of the Flour Mill Community Farm, Sudbury’s first urban farm on Wednesday May 17th, 2017 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Ryan Heights Playground. The Breaking Ground Celebration will mark the official launch of the project which has been in the works for over a year.

 

The urban farm will provide employment to youth who reside in the neighbourhood for a six-

week contract beginning in July 2017, made possible by the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario’s Youth Job Connections Summer Program. Ecological urban agriculture will be the tool used to encourage the youth’s development of teamwork, healthy work ethic, confidence building, and food literacy. The youth will be tending to the urban farm which will be located on green space in the middle of the Ryan Heights housing complex. They will be tasked with maintaining the daily operations of the market garden. The youth will also have the opportunity to attend workdays on Mentor Farms across the region which will provide them with a sense of what is possible in terms of local agricultural production, as well as the opportunity to work for different employers.

 

Sean Wilkinson, The President of the Ryan Heights Neighbourhood Association strongly supports this urban farm project as he feels it will be something beneficial for his neighbourhood.

 

“It will bring something that residents can be proud of being involved with. We are trying to change the way people look at our area in a positive way and feel this will help with that goal. The Neighbourhood Association looks forward to having the Flour Mill Community Farm in our area this summer and hopes to have the whole community come out to support this great project." The vision for the Flour Mill Community Farm is that it will grow and expand for years to come, offering employment to youth from the neighbourhood each season.

 

The Breaking Ground Celebration will begin at 4:00 pm with an offering of respect and gratitude to the land, followed by an Indigenous Hip Hop and Breakdancing performance by Curtis Kagige. Afterward, there will be time for mingling and community connection, and an opportunity to learn more about the project.