A group of Paeroa locals are banding together to develop a community garden, and they need the public’s help.
The newly formed Paeroa Mahinga Kai committee is developing a proposal for a community-led garden initiative, named the Paeroa Community Marā Kai, in the heart of the town. They’re asking for community feedback via an online survey, which is open until April 4.
The committee’s vision is for a shared space shaped by the community.
The survey said the garden would be a “space for connection, learning, and kai sovereignty”, with community members already expressing “a desire to learn traditional planting methods, improve access to fresh, healthy kai, and create a space for rongoā Māori”.
The committee will approach Hauraki District Council for funding and support, and is hoping for permission to locate the garden on an unused council-owned site on the corners of Aorangi and Ainslie Rds.
Committee co-chair Sarsha Waite said the amount of community support they have received since they began working on the proposal around six weeks ago has been encouraging.
“[We’ve been] pushing for donations, ringing businesses, and putting together the information, and so many businesses are on board,” Sarsha said.
“And it doesn’t need a big start-up fund.”
Sarsha said the committee had already received offers of supplies and other help from local businesses. They have been given five IBC water tanks which they plan to convert into raised garden beds, and have had offers of support from people with practical skills such as soil testing and construction as well.
The committee is also receiving guidance from community organisations like Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki and the Hauraki Māori Trust Board, Sarsha said.
“I work in a school – I’ve seen the need. We’re just all trying to get together and do a little something for the community,” she said.
“We want to start doing some workshops, teaching people how to build their own gardens at home, how to compost, how to recycle properly, all those kinds of things.
“I think everyone’s starting to realise the real pinch of cost of living. And also that there’s nothing here for our youth. So if we have this, then the youth can get involved… it benefits them, benefits the community, because then they feel like they’re giving back, they’re contributing to the community, and therefore they respect it more. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
The section the committee hopes to secure is ideal for a community garden space, Sarsha said – it’s in a lower social-economic area where she sees a lot of need, and many of the committee members live nearby.
“It’s perfect. You’ve got a big tree where we can trim back the lower branches and hang a swing and make it like a community vibe,” she said.
“And if we have the fruit trees all up there, you know, the hope is that [kids will] come and they’ll climb up the fruit trees and pick themselves some fruit.”
DETAILS: Go to https://forms.office.com/r/FC8LycgM9g to fill out the Paeroa Community Marā Kai survey. Closes April 4.
