Our Community Garden will soon be accessible to all abilities, after they received funding from Bendigo Bank, Premier Coal and Collie Country Women’s Association (CWA) to build a system of wheelchair accessible pathways.
Representatives from Premier Coal and Collie CWA attended a morning tea at Our Community Garden last Friday to officially present their funds to the group.
Our Community Garden treasurer Ellen Corbin said they approached several sources to secure the funding.
“We initially approached Bendigo Bank for $5000 to do the cement work under the gazebo and the path to the new toilet block and the shed,” she said.
“We were successful for $3000 and they asked us to raise the funds elsewhere, so we approached Premier Coal, and they offered us the remaining $1500.”
“The lovely ladies from the CWA did a soup and sandwich fundraising for us again this year and it’s going towards the cementing project.”
Ms Corbin said the pathway cementing works have already been approved and a local contractor is set to commence the project shortly. “There are people who come from within town and out of town who would like to access the garden, so it will help them with the wheelchair access,” Ms Corbin said.
“Hopefully it’s all done before our open day which will be on the 4th of November.” The Our Community Garden open day will be a chance for the public to visit the garden and chat to members.
“It’s our first open day, and we hope to do it every year. To have people come and touch base and meet us, and hopefully they would like to join us,” Ms Corbin said.
“For children, too, it’s an opportunity for everyone in the community to come down and have a look.”
“People can come down and contribute ideas of how they want to use the garden.”
Ms Corbin said they want to let the community know the garden is there for everyone to enjoy.
“It is a community garden, and it’s open for the whole community to use and enjoy,” she said.
“I had a lady call me recently and ask if she could do a treasure hunt in the garden on the school holidays. She didn’t have to ask because it’s a community garden, but it’s lovely to know that’s what’s going on, it’s great.”
You can keep up to date with Our Community Garden via their Facebook page- www.facebook.com/Our-Community-Garden-Collie.
Our Community Garden will be hosting an open day on Saturday, November 4, everyone is welcome to attend.
