Looking at this photo, it's easy to understand what I mean by overwhelming. As size references, that giant path-like structure in the left of this photo is the C-Train bridge and the road running along the bottom is Memorial Dr. Compare them to all that green space in the photo, and the potential for Sunnyside Shared is made obvious. We could garden the whole kit-and-caboodle (avid gardeners and daydreamers know what I mean, bees, rabbits...). But of course that's probably not likely given that both the train, Memorial, and the Bow River path system form the perimeter of the garden. With so much traffic our goat farm would likely catch a little too much attention. The amount of traffic (both vehicular and other) is both an asset and a burden. In my opinion visibility is key when pushing for necessary change--the more people who see the garden will understand its benefits--but it simultaneously requires careful planning and maintenance to ensure a pleasing and positive response. It is vital any design goes beyond functionality to create a piece of art. As I'm sure everyone at the potluck would agree, Audrey's design managed to walk that line.
Bike Theme:
A theme wasn't something I'd ever considered for garden design. Audrey, however, understood the value in choosing a theme. A theme focuses a design. It gives it clarity by specifying an idea. A garden as visual Sunnyside Shared benefits from focalization because it adds to an overall organization. This is necessary when trying to convince the public on the benefit of local food spaces. For Sunnyside Shared, Audrey choose bikes as the thrust for her design. I guess, since we're on Memorial, cars could have been a option too, but clearly bikes are the sustainable, green choice which complement the area well as the Bow River Pathway weaves past the garden.
Below is an example of a fence using bike frames. This is one of the many examples Audrey suggested to incorporate bikes into the garden. Given the surplus of bikes rusting out in garages of backyards, it seems only fair that we acknowledge the strength of their steel frames and apply them to something beyond refuse.
Unlike traditional farm fences, these bike fences add an aesthetic to the landscape while also telling passerbys to respect the garden space without Soviet style concrete. The frames can clearly function as trellises for pole beans and peas, squash, morning glories, etc. They can easily be slipped through. They are a suggestion not force. I like how playful the fence is. How it takes bikes into a new context where we can start applying garden ideas to bicycles: a bicycle powered apple juicer anyone?
Communal Plot/Farm Plot:
One way this problem of alienating our farmers can be reduced is by expanding food production capabilities inner city. Already Calgary boasts dozens of Urban Farming businesses. This year we've even seen the creation of YYC Growers and Distributors : a collective of Urban Farmers within and around the city. These are farmers whose crops you can see by peeking over suburban white fences or by driving out of town for less than an hour. These are farmers you can shake hands with and meet at local farmers' markets. For the farmers digging the dirt inner city, most are farming in backyards donated by the homeowner. But certainly the potential to grow on public land is huge. Calgary boasts acres of gorgeous park space. So what if we permitted farmers to use sections of public land to grow food? Right? How amazing would that be!
Audrey's design took this possibility into serious consideration. She divided the property into two: the communal side and the farmer side. For the use of local farmers, Audrey designed wicking beds made frommetal culverts cut in half. These beds would hold water better than the current wood beds used at the garden by containing a reservoir underneath the soil that could be absorbed as needed by the plants. To keep the water moving, the beds would be built with a water reservoir intake, and an overflow. This would prevent the beds from becoming flooded during a heavy deluge. Pretty clever given our not so distant history.
The added benefit as you can see in the design is that the beds are elevated. Farming these beds would mean less bending which is somehow laughably ergonomic. But there's nothing wrong with that. Why should our farmers have to bend over all day? As shown, the beds rest inside a wooden cradle, which creates a space between the ground and the beds. This space, Audrey suggested, could be used to store tools or compost organic matter.
Personally, I think this design is fantastic. Never in all my dreams had I expected such work of functioning art as the final design. But that is precisely what Audrey presented. Below is the design for the entire space. The angled beds are the culverts for farmers, and the wheel is the communal garden.
