Follow-up post: Community Garden at Cariboo Lodge

Yesterday, I blogged on the poor state of the Community Garden at Cariboo Lodge.  See that blog post here

Earlier today - I received a comment suggesting that I check out the March 28th, 2011 minutes of the Social Planning Council re: Community Gardens & Food Policy Council.  See below, in italics, excerpts from those minutes:

4) Williams Lake Food Policy Council (WLFPC) Community Gardens

Currently the FPC needs 3 million liability insurance for their garden space before the City can allow people to use the sites.

Pursuing insurance for the gardens requires other layers of insurance to be in place within their “parent” organization, at present the SPC. Other options include finding another parent organization (currently there is not enough man power at the FPC to form their own society).

The SPC Executive wants to assist the FPC to get their community gardens available for use as soon as possible and is comfortable keeping the FPC as a sub-committee for the interim, but require more communication with the Board of the SPC. Jay point out that Director’s Insurance for example doesn’t help anyone if the SPC is not involved with the FPC.

It was decided that at least one Director from the SPC Board needs to have an active role within the FPC and report directly to the SPC Executive. Nancy Gale was nominated to be a Board Member for this role and agreed to be the liaison between the SPC Board table and Michelle Daymond the current sub-contracted Food Action Coordinator for the FPC.

The SPC does not currently have the additional insurance policies the FPC requires, and since they have no confirmed funding past June, the FPC offered to help pay for insurance.

Action: Rosanna will follow up with Insurance Agent to pursue further insurance.

The same minutes also indicate that the City of Williams Lake's former Acting Manager of Social Planning (Annie McKitrick) was in attendance at this meeting and I'm now curious why the above has not been brought to the attention of Council, given it was Council who gave its' blessing for both of the community gardens in Williams Lake - Cariboo Lodge and below the WL Secondary field.  Also - on April 13th, 2010 - WL Food Policy Group gave its' word to Council that the Community Garden site at Cariboo Lodge would be monitored (remembering that the Cariboo Lodge site is owned by all taxpayers' in Williams Lake).  Finally - does not Council not takes its role seriously to ensure projects on City land are being properly monitored and express concerns to Staff if there are problems....?  Doesn't appear so in this case