Author: aslin kirkpatrick

Michelle Bennett at Central Park Community Garden

Q&A with a Community Garden Coordinator

Meet Michelle Bennett. A quiet person with a strong voice. An advocate for living green. A community garden coordinator. 1. Tell me a little bit about yourself and your role as a Community Garden coordinator? A Community Garden coordinator in my experience works to develop, plan, design, promote, provide administration, deliver programming, involve volunteers, and engage the public. I’ve been fortunate to garden alongside many Burlington residents and offer tips and learn more about growing fresh food together. Visitors are always welcome so I’ve offered tours to children, youth and horticultural groups. The Central Park Community Garden has always had a donation garden operated by Burlington Green which involves volunteers of all ages helping to grow food which would then be harvested and donated to Food for Life, and then distributed to local food banks. It is rewarding to be able to give back to our local community, help educate a basic life skill, and provide the healthy outdoor recreation to Burlington residents. 2. How long have you been actively promoting the community garden and …

Tobogganing Hill at Lowville Park

104 Steps at Lowville Park

It’s been raining all day today. Is the yucky weather bringing you down? Well, you are not alone. I am glad I took advantage of yesterday though and take a drive to Lowville Park. The last time I was there, it was snow covered. The snow is gone now and all the flora and fauna is slowly coming out of slumber. I consider myself lucky to live in a city that allows me to be central to the happening places but also let me escape the hustle bustle. Driving in Burlington can be a torment sometimes. Well, maybe a little exaggeration on my part. Nothing compared to my fellow classmate that has to endure daily train ride. I should count my blessings. What can I say about Lowville Park? A lot, but right now, I am more interested in sharing the 104 steps with you. It’s an old concrete staircase with a failing metal railing still clinging to it. The story has it that the steps were once a wooden staircase that provided a shortcut …