Maple Community Garden

A Facebook page to preserve the green space along the Arbutus Corridor has been set up. A link to the online petition is also provided on this page.

https://www.facebook.com/thearbutuscorridorgreenspace

Here is the link to the online petition to preserve the Arbutus Corridor.
Everyone is invited to share with their personal email, social media and networks.

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Mayor_and_City_Councillors_of_Vancouver_BC_Act_quickly_to_preserve_the_Arbutus_Corridor_as_an_ongoing_green_space/?nFSOLab

A discussion about the CP rail issue will happen at the start of the July 7th work party at 7:00pm. Please be in attendance.

CPR has posted information about the Arbutus Corridor including letters issued, encroachments notice and a survey plan detailing where unauthorized encroachments exist:

http://www.cpr.ca/en/in-your-community/living-near-the-railway/pages/arbutus-corridor.aspx

The notice to remove encroachments was provided to Shaughnesey residents, an area where property lines have been marked. Maple Community Garden is shown on page 6 of the survey plan.

Property lines have yet to be marked along the 6th Avenue gardens (Maple, Cypress, Pine). A representative from Cypress Community Garden will be following up with CP Rail as to when they will be conducting the survey; media will also be contacted in the coming days.
Cypress Community Garden responded to a media inquiry regarding the notices as follows:

“Cypress garden has not received any formal notice yet, but are expecting some sort of future notice since the new CPR “official survey maps” show our gardens as “unauthorized encroachments”. We look forward to working with the City and CPR to resolve this tension and find a sustainable land use model that brings more certainty to the future of all community gardens along the Arbutus corridor.”

Media inquiries can be directed to Cypress Community Garden.

 

The following information on the Motion regarding CPR use of Arbutus Corridor was provided by Cypress Community Garden:

A meeting of the Arbutus Ridge and Kerrisdale group (ARKS) occurred on June 18. The CP Rail issue was a small part of the meeting led by the Arbutus Corridor Committee. The committee had drafted a motion to be voted on. The outcome of the vote will be posted once it is received (Hopefully in the next few days). The motion was as follows:

Motion regarding CPR use of Arbutus Corridor

Proposal to lease the Arbutus Corridor rail “right of way” from CPR. May 2014

Whereas ARKS endorses the fundamental use for the corridor, as envisioned by the Mayor and Council of the City of Vancouver, for a public  greenway, for walking, gardening and personal  transportation and Whereas ARKS acknowledges that the rail corridor probably does not meet its financial highest and best use as a privately owned CPR land asset, ARKS therefore proposes that the two parties review the possibility of the city leasing for a mutually pre-agreed period with an option for future purchase and fee simple ownership should funding become available either from the city and/or third party for the purpose of a public transportation system.

A fundamental principle for ARKS residents is that homeowners adjacent to the corridor, pedestrians, gardeners and cyclists will continue to enjoy to the peace and quiet of the now semi-rural corridor free of freight, locomotives and active horticultural maintenance. ARKS  envisions that no permanent infrastructure , such as concrete paths or large trees be planted by the city and that CPR will continue, as is their right,  to lease space above or below ground to utility providers. Further, that the public use be limited to the hours between sun up and sundown. Liability coverage for public access by Vancouver.

 

The Arbutus Ridge and Kerrisdale committee (ARK) had its meeting on May 22nd. Details on what was discussed at the meeting are provided in the meeting minutes.

ARKS Minutes of May 22, 2014

Just a few reminders about work parties, volunteering and garden upkeep!

Work Parties:  Only 7 more work parties left for this year. The next one is Monday, June 2 at 7:00 PM. Please bring your own clippers and trowel!

Volunteering:  Volunteers needed now to mow edges E and W, N and S of sections. Hand mowers kept up at Communal A section at the W end.

Clip, clip, clip!:  Please remember to clip your edges around garden plots and inside and outside the fences N&S. Growth is rampant right now so requires you to do it approx every 7-10 days or more often.

Weeding:  Weeds are taking over in many sections. Buttercup needs digging out, morning glory also needs to be dug up and removed from fencelines and gardens and goutweed (very invasive weed) is growing in Section 6-9 needs digging up and removing. These weeds spread fast! DO NOT PUT THESE WEEDS IN GARDEN COMPOSTERS. Put these weeds in the garbage or city compost as our composters are not hot enough to destroy weed seeds.

Detailed information and photos of Creeping Buttercup, Morning Glory, and Goutweed can be found in the Garden Resources section under ‘Gardening Tips-Plant Info‘.

Thanks!

Canadian Pacific has started work clearing the tracks on Monday, May 26. If you would like more information about the rail line clearing, please visit:

http://www.cpr.ca/en/in-your-community/living-near-the-railway/Pages/Arbutus-Corridor.aspx

Inquiries:  CP Community Connect 1-800-766-7912, or  community_connect@CPR.ca

Please Note:  The Maple Community Garden  Executive Committee is currently working on an approach to address this situation with CP rail. This will likely involve a coalition of the community gardens along the Arbutus corridor with representatives from each garden (lead by Maureen from Cypress Community Garden).  Information is being gathered and an update will be provided at the June 2 work party, and posted to the website as well.