“GOING OUTSIDE THE FENCE”: COGS FOOD SHARING WITH THE COMMUNITY – MEMBERS MEETING 23 JUNE 2019 

The last members’ meeting held at Dickson was attended by a small group of COGS leaders and committed members.  We had a presentation from the Operations Manager of Canberra City Care on the problems of food insecurity experienced by vulnerable people and households in the Canberra community and the work of this organisation and other to held address this need with reliable access to affordable, healthy, sustainable and culturally appropriate food.  

The Cook, Charnwood and Crace community gardens have been donating fresh food to charitable organisations over the past couple of years.  However, COGS and its membership is being encouraged to do more “outside the fence” in supplying quality fresh fruit and vegetables for socially disadvantaged people given our 12 community gardens and 1.5 hectares under cultivation and our privileged position in the community.

Next Members Meeting 

Come and join us at the October Members Meeting at the Wybalena Community Garden in Cook.

Wybalena Grove, established in 1976, is a set of 105 townhouses on an 11ha site in Cook. Establishment of its community garden commenced in September 2018, with the construction of timber-edged raised beds on the site of a clay-surfaced tennis court.

This followed more than a year of planning and consultation with residents leading up to a general meeting of the Owners Corporation (OC) to approve a plan, management principles and funding of the essential structures. The garden also received an ACT Government grant that augmented the OC funds, mainly to add some non-essential but highly desirable features to the garden.

Due to the domestic setting and not all residents being gardeners, the garden proponents had to be especially careful about the aesthetics of the garden. This led to a consistent style of raised bed and netting of the entire former tennis court to avoid what some would perceive as an untidy hodgepodge of netting on individual beds.

About one in three residents are involved in the garden. Most garden beds are individually-allocated with ‘mini-bed’ (1m2), medium (5 or 6m2) and large (10 or 12m2) options available. The garden also includes a communal herb bed available to any resident, a large bed with communal fruit trees and berries, and further fruit trees in pots and mini-beds.

Join us on Sunday 27 October 2019 from 2:00pm to listen to Peter Campbell, the current Convener, who will speak about the garden and answer questions.

Peter will also have the pizza oven fired-up, ready for the social gathering after the meeting.

Bring your own favourite pizza toppings – COGS will provide pizza bases.

RSVP here.

There is also a playground onsite, so children can be kept entertained during the meeting.

NOTE: Limited parking is available in bays near the garden and along the Wybalena Grove public road so it would be preferable for those who can cycle or walk to do so.

Annual General Meeting

The last Annual General Meeting was held 26 March 2019 at the Majura Community Centre, Dickson ACT.  Members received the annual report from the retiring President and the 2018 audited financial statements.  Amendments to the COGS constitution were passed by resolution and new members of the committee elected.

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