Tara Murray
The development of a community garden at Horseshoe Bend Reserve is a step closer, with a volunteer group successful in receiving a $50,000 grant.
The Horseshoe Bend Community Garden Group received enough community votes to be named one of the winners of the volunteering innovation fund competition, with the winners awarded $50,000.
The group’s Cynthia Frain said they were still in shock about receiving the grant for the area which is overseen by Parks Victoria.
“The community has been absolutely amazing and we’ve had fantastic feedback,” she said.
“Councillor Virginia Tachos shared it on the Keilor Community Page and it was re-shared heaps, so we thought we might be in with a chance.
“The response was incredible and it’s really happening.”
Ms Frain said they were unlikely to see any of the funding until next year, but still had to get the right permits in place to start work.
She said raised flower beds and running community sessions were among the first plans.
“We want to install raised veggie beds, that are food gardens,” she said.
“We want to have education workshops. We need innovative ways to involve the community.
“We want to inspire the community and see what they would like to see on the site.
“It’s always been about creating a community space.
Ms Frain had previously said she and the group, like many others, had been disappointed in how Horseshoe Bend had been neglected in recent years.
She said the group was hoping to turn the area into something local people would be proud of and was hoping the community would get behind them and vote for the project.
“It used to be a beautiful space when it was a farm. While it will never be a farm again, there is a lot of potential to make it something good.
“We’ve started with working bees and planting a veggie garden. We want to add in a sensory garden and native garden. We’ll look at farmers markets and running workshops.
“We know how open space is beneficial for people who have been isolated.”
