The McCauley Community League Board is considering whether to reclaim responsibility from the City of Edmonton for maintaining the Friendship Garden, which is located in the northeast corner of Giovanni Caboto Park, near the Boys and Girls Club.

The Board is looking for direction from McCauley residents about whether it should recruit a volunteer group to maintain the garden, contract the maintenance to a professional, or hand over responsibility to the City. If the City were to take on the maintenance, the character of the garden may not be preserved.

Development of the garden in the summer of 2011 was a partnership between the McCauley Community League and City of Edmonton. It was part of the final phase of the revitalization of Giovanni Caboto Park.

As reported in the Boyle McCauley News, that summer about a dozen volunteer McCauley residents worked to build the garden. Volunteers hauled and shoveled mulch, landscaped the area, and planted numerous shrubs and trees. Benches and logs were also planned to provide sitting areas.

The 78 trees and shrubs were generously provided by Zocalo, and included: Trembling Aspens, chokecherries, Saskatoons, highbush cranberries, Pin cherries, Prickly Roses, gooseberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

At the time, Liz John-West explained, “The vision for the garden is for people to sit and enjoy the plants.”

Liz and her husband Geoff were part of the revitalization committee for the park. Although the family has since moved from the neighbourhood, they volunteered countless hours on the project.

Let the League know what you think about the garden via email at mccauleycommunityleague2014@gmail.com or on our Facebook page.

Phil is President of the McCauley Community League.