Lambton County's medical officer of health has confirmed that community gardens can operate provided pandemic guidelines are followed.
Dr. Sudit Ranade said in a news release that requirements include restricting entrance to registered members, staff, and volunteers, physical distancing and gathering limits, good hand hygiene and the use of disinfectants, and proper signage and communication.
Lambton Public Health said there are many community gardens in Sarnia-Lambton. Some are operated by community organizations or churches, and many are operated on municipal property such as parks or other available green space.
Family Health Manager Kevin Churchill said they may be known as "allotment gardens".
"We know in the City of Sarnia for example in Germain Park there are allotment gardens," said Churchill. "And those have been a great resource for community gardeners, maybe apartment dwellers and they don't have a plot of land that they can do their own planting, so they can apply to the city and the city regulates that."
Parks and Recreation Director Rob Harwood said the gardens at Germain Park have been there for decades.
"There's actually 35 garden plots that are available there, and some people do come back annually, so we reached out to them first," said Harwood. "That information will be going out on Monday to all those customers, you'll be seeing it show up on our website Monday as well."
He said there's another community garden at Hanna Park.
"That is a community group that does it themselves there," he said. "As far as we know, they're planning on still carrying on this year."
Community gardens can provide fresh produce at low or no cost in the summer months and are considered an important component of a healthy community food system.
The provincial government recently announced new and amended pandemic emergency orders allowing the use of community gardens that "are an essential source of fresh food for some individuals and families, including those who face food insecurity."
Local medical officers of health are responsible for providing advice, recommendations, and instructions that must be met for the gardens to operate.
Further information can be found here.
-With files from Melanie Irwin
