CORNER BROOK, N.L. — In 2020, the Western Environment Centre (WEC) partnered with the City of Corner Brook on two new community gardens.
This year, they’re working together to expand on those gardens with a community composting program.
WEC executive director Katie Temple said the city received funding from the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) to purchase seven or eight community compost bins, then joined the WEC in establishing the program at sites on Caribou Road and Reid Street.
The group already composts at its community gardens in the Heights area of the city and the Blow-Me-Down site off Lundrigan Drive. However, those are just for use by the gardeners and only for garden waste.
It also has three community bins at the Brandon Municipal Playground off Batstone’s Road, in the same location as the Heights community garden, which are not connected to the garden.
They’re for the neighbourhood, and 30-40 households have been bringing their kitchen waste to the bins since 2017.
The WEC monitors the bins, adds the necessary brown component of softwood pellets to balance the wet green materials from the kitchen scraps, and eventually harvests the compost.
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Posted by Western Environment Centre Newfoundland on Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Residents are welcome to make use of the compost, and Temple noted many involved in the community garden also use it.
The model for the program at the new locations will be a little different, as the composters will be linked to the gardens.
Three composters will be placed at each site; each one can handle the waste of 10 households, or about 30 people.
There are 15 plots at each site and the owners of those plots will get first dibs on participating in the project and putting their own kitchen waste in one of the composters. They can also put in the garden waste from their plots.
“But they will also have the primary responsibility to take care of the composters,” said Temple.
The WEC will oversee the project and recruit two or three community champions at each site to monitor the composters, check them for garbage, make sure they are turned, add the softwood pellets and store the compost produced at the site. The WEC hopes to have a summer student to assist.
"There’s a lot of people who really are aware of the fact that throwing organics in the garbage is a bad idea. And so, to be able to provide this service, I think, will be really appreciated.”
Temple expects there will also be space to allow for others in the neighbourhood to take part and bring their kitchen waste to the composters.
“It’s a pretty low-maintenance project, but one that’ll have a really good impact. There’s a lot of people who really are aware of the fact that throwing organics in the garbage is a bad idea. And so, to be able to provide this service, I think, will be really appreciated.”
Mayor Jim Parsons is appreciative of the money the city can save by having less waste to handle.
“So, if we can get rid of organics that could be composted, there’s a bunch of benefits,” he said, noting that in addition to help save money, composting adds a lot from an environmental perspective.
“And it supports programs like our community garden program and food security and all those good things that we like to see,” he said.
Parsons said there is no regional composting program now, but expects it will come in the future.
“We’re getting better and better at making better use of our waste and not sending as much to the landfill,” he said.
What’s more, a composting program such as this one is an example of people working together in their neighbourhoods.
“You increase the social capital of the area, people get to know each other. It’s great for getting out and exercise for seniors. It makes it very family-friendly as well. It’s very good for community building,” said Parsons.
@WS_DianeCrocker
Diane Crocker is a reporter covering the west coast of Newfoundland.
