Urban Agriculture

CSL Farmer's Market already a big success

What a start!!

The new Côte Saint-Luc Farmers’ Market made its debut on August 4 and will take place  over the next six Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park. Day one was an unequivocal success, with a very large turnout.

Farmer's Market

“When we asked for feedback on launching a farmers’ market last February, the response on social media was huge and positive,” Mayor Anthony Housefather said. “The farmers’ market is one element of our new urban agriculture initiative. Thank you to City Manager Tanya Abramovitch and her team for putting this together.”

The farmers’ market will continue through September 15  at the Confederation Annex, which is a covered structure at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park (corner Mackle and Einstein). The market will take place rain or shine. People can buy fresh and local produce including and organic fruits and vegetables. There are also handmade soaps, natural cosmetics, artisan gifts, honey, maple syrup and more. Kosher goods are also available. 

“We see each week of the farmers’ market as a unique event with different themes, activities for kids, and some different foods,” said Councillor Ruth Kovac, the council member responsible for the farmers’ market. “The goal is make people want to come back week after week.”

The activities for kids include face painting, a kids’ mini market, a game area, photo face stand-in cut outs and more. There will also be yoga and zumba classes, honey tasting, jam tasting, corn roast, taffy on snow, seasonal cooking workshops, container gardening workshop and more.

Here is a great video by our talented Director of Public Affairs and Communications Darryl Levine.

 

 


CSL unveils new food charter and action plan

I was at  Côte Saint-Luc City Hall April 18 where we unveiled our food charter and action plan to transform our mostly residential suburb into an urban agriculture leader in Quebec.


AHDBTanya Urban ag news conference6 

Pictured above: Councillor Dida Berku, City Manager Tanya Abramovitch, Mayor Housefather and myself.

In addition to the action plan, we also unveiled our food charter, which is a statement of values and principles to guide the food policy. The goals of the food charter are wellness, the creation of great places, community building, food security, the joy of growing food, sustainability and more. 

The action plan and food charter are available at CSLGrown.org.

We will start two community gardens this year. District 2 is not part of the initial pilot project, but plans call for all eight districts to be included in the not too distant future.

Here is a recording of  Mayor Housefather's announcement to the media.