COLD LAKE - The Cold Lake Community Garden has experienced a growing number of thefts and acts of vandalism, especially over the past summer. These incidents have been a source of frustration for both the volunteers who maintain the garden and the community members who depend on it.
"What has happened the last couple of summers, last summer was really bad, this summer we thought, we'll see how it goes," said Lori Flanders-Midford, a board member of the Cold Lake Community Garden.
Unfortunately, the theft and destruction have persisted, leading to some community members deciding not to rent plots anymore. "We had some community members stop renting, which I 100 per cent understand because of the amount of theft that was from last year."
The community garden, located between the Lutheran Church and the Cold Lake Energy Centre, is in a highly visible public area. Despite this, there has been significant theft and destruction, Flanders-Midford said.
Theft isn't the only issue, though. The garden has been left in disarray, with items uprooted and discarded carelessly. "However, they're pulling stuff out of the gardens and are just leaving it to rot sometimes just like beside the garden," she noted.
The vandalism extends beyond the plants. The garden shed, which once provided tools for members, became a target. "We've had to completely dismantle our shed that we had. So, the shed that's situated inside the garden, we had that full of just stuff for people, community members, to use like garden tools and whatnot, and we had to actually take all the walls off because there was so much theft," Flanders-Midford said.
In one particularly unsettling incident, she discovered a person sleeping in the shed, surrounded by trash. "There was homeless people sleeping in it, trashing it, stealing stuff."
Efforts to curb the theft, including dismantling the shed and installing a lockbox for tools, have not been entirely successful. "We took it upon ourselves to dismantle the shed. One of our board members made a box in the interior that could be locked with some of the tools in it and stuff, but you know, it's just, it's ridiculous and it's totally unnecessary," she added.
Despite understanding the tough circumstances some individuals face, Flanders-Midford expressed frustration over the needless destruction. "We understand there's a lot of people that are going through hard times and such, but you know, it's just gardening beds, like why do you have to destroy them?" she said.
The issue of theft extends to other forms of property, too. Trucks have been spotted backing up to the garden, loading up with compost that was meant for community use. "But there's been people that are backing their trucks up and filling their trucks instead of going out to the dump for no cost to do it themselves," Flanders-Midford explained.
The board has tried to engage with the community and explore potential solutions, but the problems persist. "So, I feel for them, but I’m also like, ‘Hey, come on, you know, you've been approached in here and caught in here by volunteers and other people’," Flanders-Midford said.
Despite the challenges, the board remains hopeful. They are considering reaching out to other organizations for help and seeking new ways to sustain the garden and perhaps develop a partnership with places like the food bank.
The Cold Lake Community Garden continues to be a valuable resource, but it will take more cooperation and community involvement to overcome the current issues. Flanders-Midford invited community members to get involved with the garden by volunteering or joining the board. She encouraged anyone interested to reach out via their Facebook page or email, emphasizing that they always welcome help.
