It’s a frustrating spring setback for some dedicated Calgary gardeners.
Volunteers with the new community garden at the Thorncliffe-Greenview Community Association centre are trying to deal with the problem of stolen soil.
“(The thieves) must’ve backed up a truck,” said Maureen O’Brien. “So now we are missing soil for our last few boxes, which is heart-wrenching”.
The recent nighttime theft of the soil poses a particular problem related to two unfilled boxes, designed especially to be accessible for people with disabilities.
“It’s so important for anybody with mobility issues, somebody who’s in a wheelchair or maybe has a walker,” O’Brien said. “They need a high-level garden, but they take a lot of soil.”
The garden volunteers are wondering why thieves would target what’s clearly a community project.
“I don’t understand why someone would do this,” Alyssa Olichny said.
“It’s really frustrating, having worked on this for a year.”
The gardeners are encouraged that people in the neighbourhood are contacting them with offers to donate soil.
“It’s a super-positive project for our community, so we’re still excited,” O’Brien said. “(The thieves) can’t stomp us down.”