Choices For Youth held the official opening of the New Leaf Community Garden on Thursday, June 27th. Choices For Youth, located on Carter’s Hill Rd. in downtown St. John’s, provides safe housing and support to at-risk youth. The garden, located behind the Choices for Youth building, was started in 2012 to provide food and education opportunities for youth. Youth residents at Choices for Youth have been involved in the garden’s design and care since it started, and food grown in the community garden last year was used to serve meals to over 50 youth per day. The garden was funded in part by Eastern Health’s Community Development Fund, Thrive CYN and The Automotive Recyclers Association of Atlantic Canada. Representatives from Eastern Health and the Provincial Government were on hand for the opening, and the Minister of Health and Community Services, Susan Sullivan, did the ribbon cutting. The landscaping work that you can see in the pictures was donated by Sean Russell of Russell Landscaping and Design. Other community volunteers also contributed to the garden.
It was pouring rain so the opening was held inside, but I went out and took some pictures of their beautiful garden anyway. It might look grey and wet, but the rain is good for the plants!
