As spring envelopes Toronto with increasingly warmer days that hint at the promise of summer — nature’s reminder that some things stay the same — an urban orchard is taking shape in the city.
Urban farmers, food rescue organizations, politicians, property management groups, and more have partnered to plant a variety of fruit-bearing trees in Thorncliffe Park.
The plan is to grow the trees in the urban space to create “a sustainable food community,” where locals will be able to access the fruits of these volunteers’ labour.
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Summer Lunch+ — an organization that provides meals to children who are normally fed at school throughout the cooler months — planted the first trees in the park on Earth Day, April 22, alongside Kathleen Wynne and other volunteers.
Physical distancing measures were followed throughout the day of planting, the organization said on social media.
The space has been provided for the edible urban garden by Park Property Management, and over the last several weeks, volunteers have continued to tend to the earth at the park.
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When the trees bloom, the goal is for the community to be able to pick the fruits, offering a sustainable and affordable way to access healthy food.
Summer Lunch+ said that they and their teams are creating a “harvesting plan,” which will outline how the bounty is meant to be shared by the members of the community.
Based on information shared by Thorncliffe Park Urban Farmers, it looks like the park will be home to trees bearing apples, pears, plums, cherries, and Saskatoon berries, plus raspberry, asparagus, and rhubarb plants, too.
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In the midst of one of the city’s most difficult moments, a tree — or several — grows in Toronto.
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