Guelph’s Stone Road Mall says 160 pounds of fresh produce has been harvested from a new rooftop vegetable garden that was installed on the top level of its parkade earlier this year.
In a news release on Monday, mall officials said 10 planter boxes were built using upcycled materials, filled with soil from its existing compost program started in 2008, and irrigated with harvested rainwater collected on-site.
“From lettuce to tomatoes, green beans and more, the garden offered a trove of fresh produce that has supported feeding those marginalized in the community while also building a more sustainable future,” the mall said in a statement.
The mall has partnered with The SEED, a local organization that is part of the Guelph Community Health Centre whose mission is to facilitate and distribute nutritious food to community members in need.
“The SEED has distributed the produce donated by the Stone Road Mall rooftop garden to community members
who wouldn’t otherwise have access,” said Madeline Barber, The SEED’s community resource coordinator.
“There is an immense need right now in Guelph-Wellington for affordable, nutritious food. Innovative solutions like this rooftop garden are important in growing our region’s capacity to feed everyone well.”
The mall has now brought in local artist Amber Ozols to brighten the space with bold colours and designs. Officials said they plan to share her artwork on their social media platforms.
“The focus of this content is to showcase the beautiful transformation and impact of the rooftop garden initiative,
and hopefully inspire others by bringing awareness to the great community work being done through our partnership with The SEED,” said Christina Magee, Stone Road Mall’s marketing manager.